• "Well written, well researched, and the thesis put forth is well argued.... Woods has opened up an area of historical analysis that should invite further study."
    -Journal of American History

  • "During these times that challenge our freedoms there is no one more qualified to make U.S. history relevant to the fight against big government than Thomas Woods."
    -Barry Goldwater Jr.
    Former Member of Congress

  • "I strongly recommend Woods's work."
    -The Honorable Ron Paul,
    U.S. House of Representatives

  • "Written with great clarity and fluency, making the complex philosophical and theological concepts approachable."
    -Journal of American Studies

  • "A must-read."
    -Barron's

  • "An excellent reading source for anyone interested in financial markets, and much more so for anyone interested in learning about capitalism without all the misinterpretations being thrown about in the financial media."
    -Asia Times

  • "Provocative, well-written, and deserves to be read."
    -Catholic Historical Review

  • "An engaging and important contribution to scholarship on the history of American Catholicism."
    -Journal of the Historical Society

  • "Woods and [co-author Kevin] Gutzman appeal to both left and right in this constitutionalist jeremiad…. The authors' exegeses of the Constitution and court decisions, heavy on original intent arguments, are lucid and telling."
    -Publishers Weekly

  • "A marvelous read. Every chapter taught me something new and unexpected."
    -Tom Bethell, senior editor,
    The American Spectator

  • "The hottest book today is Meltdown, by my friend Tom Woods."
    -Judge Andrew Napolitano, senior judicial analyst,
    FOX News Channel

  • "Should be required reading."
    -Economic Affairs (London)

  • "Woods, one of the best classical liberal [libertarian] scholars of his generation, has once more placed us in his debt with this lucid and tightly argued book."
    -David Gordon, The Mises Review

  • "Tom Woods is one of my dearest allies in the struggle against wrong-headed and dangerous economic policy."
    -Peter Schiff

A Tom Woods Show? I Need Your Advice

I have been getting a lot — and I mean a lot, or I wouldn’t be writing this — of inquiries from readers, particularly since becoming a regular fill-in host on the Peter Schiff Show, regarding whether I have any intention of starting a show of my own. I’ll say this: I’m definitely interested.

But I’m not sure exactly how to proceed, and I’m interested in your thoughts. An online network (which also syndicates some programming to traditional radio), GCN, has expressed interest, but they’d want me to shell out thousands of dollars for equipment, something I’m not sure I want to do. A traditional podcast has its benefits, but I like the discipline that a Monday-through-Friday show would impose on me. Otherwise I’m afraid the podcasts would become irregular and infrequent.

What do you all think? What options exist for me? I know BlogTalkRadio is out there, but their platform seems clunky to me.

I’d love to have a one-hour show with a format similar to Peter’s: I open the show by myself, commenting on whatever, maybe take a couple calls, then spend time with a guest, then back to me, then end of show. The show can then be downloaded later for people who weren’t listening live.

Thanks for your input!

Unlearn the Propaganda!

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  • http://www.facebook.com/jamesbutabi James Frechette

    I think you should talk with the guys over at http://www.freetalklive.com.  They are currently syndicated with GCN to run on over a hundred stations.  They also run the LRN.FM platform.

    I think getting syndicated on GCN would be the way to go.  Branchin out to XM through GCN is a no brainer.  You may wish to mimic FTL’s platform of live radio, live streaming video, podcast, and archives.  

  • Leinad576

    Hey Tom. I would look into podcasting if I were you. Just because it is internet based does not mean that it can’t be a full time show. I would suggest checking out the Adam Carolla Show as a good example of a serious podcast. He has one of the most downloaded shows in history of podcasting. He has advertisers and is also an affiliate with amazon.com as another source of income. The show usually has a guest and has several different segments that they do throughout the week for entertainment. You can also stream it live through USTREAM. In the age of smart phones, internet based radio is just as accessible as AM/FM radio.

  • Jason Dempster

    I think whatever you decide to do in the future, you should look at doing a weekly podcast with a guest each week similar to Russ Robert’s Econtalk.  If you do decide to do a radio show, I would be sending my local radio stations emails consistently to get you on the air.

  • Brixeyb

    add it on to Peters show, start a liberty network or strict austrians

  • Thecma

    Tom, I like the ideas you posted for yourself. A one hour show, especially to begin with, would be perfect. My favorite interviewer is Lew Rockwell because he allows his guests the most time to respond. There are a few hosts that I follow that consistently interrupt the person they are interviewing. This makes me think that the interviewer believes their ideas are more important than the guest’s ideas. Finally, have a Ron  Paul segment everyday.

  • feelmypecsbro

    Id honestly most suggest a site with a bunch of podcasts, and just upload something fresh whenever you feel like it. A lot of radio personalities which I follow agree that its the best way to keep it from becoming a chore.

    Doing it once or twice a week would allow you to have time for other stuff and keep your material fresh.

    Anyway, regardless of what you end up doing, best of luck, and best regards from London

  • Joe Green

    Please no. It would be a giant waste of your talents.  I think the video youtube format that you use now is great. You can say whatever you want, be as in depth as you want, and only make videos when they are necessary.  Even though you are a very talented host, I think you are better as a guest.  We need you using your intellect and vast knowledge of history and economics to make the long, tough arguments for Austro-libertarianism. Not doing a libertarian take on whatever the MSM is trying to distract the people with this week.  Why not do a 2 hour radio (or tv/video) special once a week on a specific topic, and go really in depth with it.  A piece that is as rigorous as an academic journal article, but with clear and concise writing, put together in an entertaining package. Sort of like Stossel’s show, but not as fast, as obviously with more of an intellectual and principled base.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=702547493 Miles Dunn

    Also would happily throw in what I can to any effort you need some assistance in.

  • BradleyAndrewl

    YES! You should make it directly after or before SchiffShow and correspond with Peter so you wont have the same topics. You are the 2 men who can explain the business cycle for the brainwashed minds, like mine once was but YOU STOPPED the suds from sinking in. Do it NOW! We NEED YOU – im a mormon in Utah, there r people waking up everyday all day here and they are mormon, come speak here at least! Just do it, its your duty to free-will advocates because youre the best and you and Peter compliment eachother quite nicely…economic guru molded with Historical

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1425194876 John Kacarab

    Forgot to post the contact info for you…..   There are other authors on RBN…. talk to them before you decide… Stadtmiller can fill you in.

    Republic Broadcasting Network

    2251 Double Creek Drive # 302

    Round Rock, Texas 78664

    800-313-9443 On-Air Call-in Number

    800-724-2719 Main Office

    512-246-9549 Main Office
    512-246-9519 (fax)

  • Kevin

    If risking thousands of dollars on equipment is an issue, perhaps you could try raising the money through a service like http://www.kickstarter.com. 

    I’m not very familiar with the site, but I know a fairly obscure band was able to raise over $5,000 for a tour van rather quickly.  They made a pretty funny video to advertise the initiative, and offered giveaways for various donation levels (like what PBS does).

  • kingofbacon andeggs

    Yes! Do it Tom!  You are a great orator.  Launch a fund raiser, I’d cut you a check for $500.

    I am a Schiff Premium subscriber because I do not want to listen to commercials.  For those that think a premium membership is expensive, do the math.  $60 for one year.  52 weeks in a year.  Assuming Peter take 4 weeks off that means $1.25/week or 25 cents per show (5 days a week).  Additionally you get the daily “schiff minute” as well as a weekly “best of”.  Plus the a paid subscription provides has two RSS feeds: the entire show and the interview.  Best deal running for a daily dose of common sense!

    Even when I was a poor college student cheap beer at a bar was $2/bottle.  Heck even candy machines are 50 cents and soda machines are over a buck!  Schiff premium is not that much $$$

  • Pattern Principle

    Do it! I know that myself and 4 other people I know would listen regularly. 

  • Toni

    Tom, I’m an insomniac and listen to FTL all night long.  They typically repeat an awful lot of their programming for days on end – they should have an available time slot. Would definitely check with Ian Freeman.

  • geogavino

    There is an explosion of liberty media now. There are so many liberty shows available, that I can’t keep up with it all – Free Talk Live, Peter Schiff, LRN.fm, Adam vs the Man, Lew Rockwell podcast,  shows, and so many podcasts. But there is a dearth of shows on regular radio or even satellite radio. This is especially missing now in my area since the great Ron Smith passed. We need a hundred more like Ron Smith. More people on terrestrial radio and satellite that can reach people who don’t hear these ideas regularly. That’s my advice – get on regular radio to help wean the masses off statism.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5133824 Jason Gilfoil

    Whatever you do, please have dissenting opinions on your show as often as possible. I find a lot of the liberty shows out there all one sided and people just end up sitting around patting each other on the back and agreeing on everything. It’s dreadfully boring that way. Get some mainstream historians to spar with you on a regular basis over focused topics, etc.

  • http://www.TomWoods.com Tom Woods

    There is a healthy balance here. I think the liberty people need to be well grounded in their beliefs, and that means bringing on people who are very knowledgeable and who can get everyone up to speed quickly. Only then is it important to engage the other side. And I like the idea of having conflicting experts on an issue come on and duke it out.

  • John

    What about a Schiff-Woods show back to back, 2 hours of Peter and an hour of Tom.  I think that would be great and could cover a ton of issues and subjects.  Maybe Peter would be okay with this because the addition of Tom to the team could only grow the membership

  • jinlv

    Considering the amount of comments to this blog, I think it is safe to say you will have an audience.  I remember listening to Pete once a week on his WallStreetUnSpun show.  Hopefully he can offer some insight for you, as he went through the learning curve.  As mentioned earlier it would be great to not only listen to you Tom, but all the others in one place.   Also consider creating a donation campaign to help cover the start-up costs and minimize some risk factors. 

  • Amanda

    I would love to hear you on LRN before or after Antiwar radio.

  • Eurotide

    I have to believe that you have a “built-in” audience, most of whom would be willing to pay/donate as much as they could.  Of course, you want to reach a much larger audience.  I am not sure that the platform matters, if it will be an internet-based show, as long as it it user-friendly.  It seems that the delivery-system can be changed, without a great loss in listernship, if the show is widely followed.  The “pay for play” on radio is quite costly, and is a gamble.  

    Unfortunately, most broadcast-types are looking for the abrasive and aggressive neo-con types.  Is is not possible for you to get a regular program in your home state of Kansas?  I can’t imagine they would turn down someone who could bring thousands and thousands of online listeners to their websites for free streaming…which would allow them to make more from advertsising.

    But, Tom, PLEASE….just do it!

    P.S.  I agree with the others on here….a “network” which would include you, Bob Murphy, Jeff Tucker, Schiff, Napolitano, Stossel, etc.  would be a wet dream for lovers of liberty.

  • Anonymous

    Serious tldr in the comments, but if a few K is your only bar to doing it up right with equipment, ask for donations, I’m sure you can raise that. I know I would contribute. You could do one of those, if you don’t meet the goal the money isn’t charged deals.

  • Em

    Regardless of whether or not you like him, Alex Jones (another GNC-hosted show) has provided the model for independent shows. I recommend you use his blueprint for building up your platform. GNC made him build his own studio too, and AJ parlayed it into an alternative media empire. He subsidizes a chunk of it through advertising, selling product and then providing bonus content on a secondary site for a very cheap subscription. I bet a lot of the GNC advertisers would add Tom to their plate and that would soften the launch costs. He can also hold a moneybomb, which is what AJ does whenever he needs funds to expand his studio, staff, etc… And the great thing about what AJ does in building his own studio and producing everything himself, is that he is totally independent. If he ever left GNC, he is ready to go with another network or could just do his own massively listened to internet show. He doesn’t need to compromise his message to get funds from companies that might use those funds to influence what Tom says and how he says it.

    So Tom… go for it. You will see that the support will come.

  • Dennis Foster

    Get NPR to give you an hour, or two, a week.  That would broaden your audience!  If you do a daily show that is one, or more, hours a day, please consider pulling together a weekly “best of” that folks like me can listen to since I find it next to impossible to catch a show every day.  Even with the Judge’s show, I lost interest because I had to wade through things I’d heard before to catch what was new and interesting to me.  [I really wish he'd have a whole hour just on his "Freedom Files."]

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Aaron-J-Wilson/749930319 Aaron J. Wilson

    “GCN, has expressed interest, but they’d want me to shell out thousands of dollars for equipment…”

    Regardless of your interest in working with GCN, the equipment they would want you purchase may well be a good investment for other projects you may take on. 

  • http://sunnyrobinson.com/ s_robins

    Sweeet! I would LOVE to listen to a Tom Woods daily program!! For those of us who refuse to watch tv or listen to mainstream radio, our options of quality daily programs (audio or video) are slim. And everybody loves listening to you, Dr. Woods – just do it!!

  • http://sunnyrobinson.com/ s_robins

    uhhh.. have you been to the TomWoodsTV YouTube channel?

  • Ron Paul’s America

    Go Tom Go! Your format idea is perfect!

  • Subvertive

     I can promote the Kickstarter project through the Tom Woods app and possibly the Unofficial Mises app – it would reach at least 2,000 dedicated libertarians…

  • Lanchende

    You’re better at hosting than Peter is. I would surely listen to the podcasts.

  • Anonymous

    Radio? Hm, I like the youtube videos you put out. There’s something to be said for seeing the speaker. Maybe you can get a spot on Fox to take up where Napolitano left off :)

  • Brad

    Tom Woods, I click on everything that has your name on it.  You ARE the funnest Libertarian I know of.

    I love Peter Schiff, but it’s VERY evident that you make for better listening.  And your excellent with callers.  Hearing you explain ideas to novices (like me) helps this stuff “click” for me.  You’re very good at it…

    Ya know, there’s a big difference (in my view) between Tom Woods speaking alone to a camera (on youtube) and Tom Woods speaking to a crowd or a caller.  When you speak at an event, there’s practically a laugh track.  It carries me along and brings out more of your natural wit.  It’s just better…

    Same with callers.  Fresh callers.  Because, as someone already said, we’ve had plenty of Libertarians talking to Libertarians.  It begins to create fatigue…  (just a thought)

    AND DO MORE COMEDY…  The interview with a zombie was outstanding!  How funny would it be if you did interviews with “Drones”, “Wise Overlords” and “Smarmy Progressives” …but it’s always Bob Murphy in some sort of bad makeup.  

    Interactive Tom Woods is better…   (but don’t stop making youtube videos :]  )

  • http://www.facebook.com/lenny.clingensmith Lenny Clingensmith

    I demand you go to Fox and start a daily show titled “Freedom Watch!” Oh, make sure you bring Judge with you!

  • Lou Bjostad

    So, true story here.  I bought a Vaio laptop last month with a high-resolution 1080p screen.  Do you know what sold me on that particular model?  I was in Best Buy, and I watched the same Tom Woods video (Salon Attack on Ron Paul Refuted youtu.be/NB_PolQW-N4) on each laptop in the store, to compare streaming audio and video.  The video was excellent in quality, great picture, great sound, so it was a great test.  The video was evidently just shot in Tom Woods’ home, with no special equipment, yet it was good enough to sell me a computer.  I think a Tom Woods’ show made from his home would actually work just fine for production qualities, with inset video from guests (Ron Paul from the US Capitol, Gary Johnson from New Mexico, Tom DiLorenzo from Maryland).  It just isn’t necessary any more to do a studio show as the Judge did with Freedom Watch.  Most of Napolitano’s guests appeared in video insets, not in the studio.  So why bother with travel to a studio at all? A production supervisor with computer graphics expertise could inexpensively add any of the special effects we saw on Freedom Watch.  For cash flow, have 99-cent downloads of each Tom Woods Show episode from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-That-Never-Want-Know/dp/B005PKLIGU/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1329645618&sr=1-1) or from iTunes, with free 30 second leaders to show what the episode covers.

  • Kingofbaconandeggs

    Set up an RSS feed. Doggcatcher works well

  • http://pretenseofknowledge.com/ speedmaster

    I wouldn’t miss an episode, do it!  ;-)  

    Check out twit.tv for some examples of how a good podcast is done. They do a great job of both live and downloadable content.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rauterkus Mark Rauterkus

    Another platform, but built out prior to blog talk radio is TalkShoe. See http://www.TalkShoe.com. 

  • TheZinger

    Make it a variety hour.  Have singers and skits and an opening monologue.  Gosh, I sure miss variety programming. Don’t you?  Seriously:  do we really need yet another hour of chatter? Think of a format nobody else is doing. 

  • http://www.lrn.fm/ Zeus

    The Liberty Radio Network at LRN.FM.

  • Doctor Awesome

    Do it.

  • http://www.aplvblog.com/ NickV3

    Really enjoyed “The Church and the Market” Mr. Woods and as a long time geek I thought I’d weigh in. I’ve followed what Leo Laporte has done with the “This Week in Tech” (TWiT) network which started as a simple podcast. I’d recommend taking a look at twit.tv From my observations of what Leo did over the past 6 or so years I would say start small but have good content (which you do, of course!.) Dedicate a room to a small studio, just like what you already have in your videos already though maybe more flashy. Talk to your ISP about getting a connection with more bandwidth (especially upload), get a nice video camera and mic, put up a tv behind you you could use to show video or Skype guests (that’d be awesome and it’s not so hard as it sounds), and broadcast all of this live via ustream or justin.tv You can save the video and distribute that however you’d like after shooting. You can even do the audio separately as a podcast (which people on the go would love.)

    Maybe you could start with Paypal donations to offset the cost of the hardware and offer both monthly and one-time donations. If things go well maybe invest in a tricaster for advanced audio/visual effects (lower thirds et cetera) and switching amongst multiple cameras. Again, this is how Leo started and look where he ended up! I’m sure there are  differences (for one thing Leo’s audience is very geeky) but you’re certainly of enough stature to pull in viewers with some word of mouth. Everyone loves your systematic takedowns and your calm demeanor infuriates the liberals, progressives, and neocons. 

    There’s a real demand for scholars like yourself who are also able to communicate your ideas and there’s even more of a demand because the last few years have outed the statists from all corners. Also, people are tired of talk radio hosts who ramble and rant and repeat the same thing every day. More Woods, more liberty.

  • Sarah

    1) A radio show will vastly reduce your time for research/book-writing. Ruining a libertarian NYT best-seller career is like killing a unicorn.

    2) Getting a popular radio show can make your book-selling a slam dunk in a midget gym, and having a popular radio show would mean huge effect and a great deflator to the neocon-radio era.

    3) Getting a popular radio show is probably hard, and probably harder to keep if you’re openly anti-government against every party and all their atrocities. Rush Limbaugh is the gossipy sorority girl with a strategic mind. You would actually put light on dead bodies.

    My view: Only if you can get a show on air, on many stations, during competing timeslots with the grand wizards of the current radio cult.

    p.s. Loved seeing you at KC, Vermin Supreme 2012.

  • http://twitter.com/Political_Maven Political Maven

    Please do it. If you need a good assistant — I know a guy.

  • Daniel Drazenovic

    Peter Schiff is an economy guy.  You are a renaissance man. I listen to Peter for economics.
    He said he lost his bid for the senate seat becausehis opponent out spent him.. I think that was a cop out.   I would listen to you any day over mark levin, michael savage, rush and even peter. You also have a very good sense of humor, and thats critical for talk radio.  You also have no problem going after people for silly views and comments etc.  Schiff has got dough, hook up with him, he could talk economy and you can talk politics and every thing else.

  • Daniel Drazenovich

    Its lent Tom,  no need to go primal.  The Catholic church has been talking about non consumption from day one. Austerity   Tommy

  • Matthew

    My advice: Go with GCN. They’re professional and they could get you on terrestrial radio. Use ThePoint (or some similar service) if needed to raise the money. Raising the money that way could also serve as a barometer of how interested your fans are. However, even if you bought the required equipment on your own dime, this is audio equipment we’re talking about. That means that if you got decent parts, they could last you a lifetime. Plus, many types of audio equipment keep their resale value in case you decided at some point you made the wrong decision, so you could probably recoup a lot of the costs. It’s not like buying computer hardware where the price might drop by half two years later. I would say go for it.  There are other radio networks that might let you do a show with less, but if GCN is willing to put you on, I really think you should do it.

  • Matthew

    Free Talk Live is on GCN and they provide free downloads of all their shows. They even cut out all the ads. They’ve been doing it that way for years.

  • Daniel Drazenovich

    I would invest in you Tom.    Look to your potential listeners for start up money.  Personally I would contribute  to a good Catholic man like yourself.

  • Chris

    I think we need a Tom Woods Network.   You and Judge Napolitano team up and make it happen!   I would subscribe for sure.

  • michael

    the entire libertarian movement could coelesce around an internet show attached to the mises website or lew rockwell.  Just call it something like “Freedom” .  Judge napolitano, you , schiff, Rockwell…Mises has all the video capability

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