Orbit & Mercury Declare July 4th Independent Podcasters Day

Remember the 1996 film Independence Day? At the end of the movie actor Bill Pullman, as President Thomas J. Whitmore, gives a speech to pilots about to attack the invading aliens. Whitmore implores them with, "Today is your Independence Day!" 

Well, Mercury founder and president Liam Heffernan may not command a nation, but he does manage one of the most influential independent podcast networks in the industry -- Mercury.

Liam announces: "The new day is designed to showcase the unique accomplishments and challenges of independent creators. Visit IndependentPodcastersDay.com to pledge your allegiance to indies."

July 4th is Independent Podcasters Day, a global celebration of the podcasts and people who do it their way, from Mercury and Orbit, powered by you. IndependentPodcastersDay.com will feature case studies and creator stories showcasing the best that independent podcasting has to offer, and why it remains the foundation of our industry.

Beginning on that day, Mercury invites everyone - creators, agencies, executives, and follow networks - to pledge their allegiance to Independent Podcasters Day via the website. This is your chance to declare that you love and support independent content. A roll call will be published soon.

Mercury Podcast Network was born from the lived experience of its founder, Liam Heffernan. Like many independent podcasters, Liam began his journey recording shows from a home office in England. Over time, he produced podcasts for others, but his true passion remained with his own projects, the creative work that brought the most joy and personal growth.

The challenge, however, was one familiar to countless indie creators: while the shows were strong in content, they lacked the time, visibility, and strategy to grow into sustainable ventures. Promotion and monetization often felt out of reach.

Through years of navigating the ups and downs of podcasting, Liam noticed a striking gap in the industry. At one end sit the massive, celebrity-driven shows that dominate listener attention and advertising dollars. At the other, countless small podcasts struggle to find their footing. But in the middle exists a vibrant tier of talented, independent creators, shows too good to be overlooked, yet too small to attract traditional network support.

Mercury was designed to serve this overlooked community. Its ambition is clear: to build an ecosystem for independent podcasters to create, collaborate, grow, and earn. Mercury is a big network with an independent spirit, tearing down gatekeepers and giving a platform to the best indie shows. Unlike larger networks burdened by high costs, Mercury is built to grow sustainably, providing the right support without compromising independence.

Today, Mercury is home to a diverse slate of standout podcasts — from history and true crime to film, food, and storytelling. Shows include America: A History, Spooky Story Time, Ghastly Women, Verbal Diorama, Bingewatch, People Who Read People, Douze Points, Dad’s Bedtime Stories, OffScreen, If You Were in Charge, Sexonomic, You’ve Got Mail, and PastMaster.

Orbit is the sister network to Mercury, and a network for all podcasters to access the same tools as the biggest shows in the world. Orbit offers enterprise level hosting, access to an ad marketplace - and 100% of the programmatic revenue - and all from just £10 a month.

Orbit levels the playing field for independent podcasters, and it reopens on Independent Podcasters Day.

Podcasters can register their interest in Orbit here.

Mercury’s mission is simple but ambitious: to level the playing field, empower indies, and make space for voices that deserve to be heard.

"Independent Podcasters Day represents everything Mercury and Orbit stands for," says its CEO Liam Heffernan. "We exist to support, represent, and empower independent creators, so it makes sense for us to launch #IndiePodDay. We can't celebrate indies enough, so to those of you who don't want another day on the calendar, we say poo poo to you! And to all the hard-working, game-changing creators out there, we have your back!"

Independent Podcasters Day is designed to be an organic, user-generated annual event, where each year builds on the last as we mobilise the global creator ecosystem for a day of celebration and recognition. This isn't about competing or comparing, but in sharing the good, the bad, and the chaotic that defines the unique challenges of independent podcasting.

Ear Worthy is one of the sponsors of Independents Day. 

Liam says: "So let's come together, because July 4th will now and forever be known as Independents Day!"