Lately, we’ve seen increased public pressure calling for regulation of podcasting, often sparked by the antics of highly visible personalities like MacG.
Let me be blunt: what MacG does is not podcasting in the true sense.
It’s shock entertainment, filmed for YouTube, rooted in a model made famous by Howard Stern.
And while there’s clearly an audience for that kind of content, it should not be the blueprint for South Africa’s podcasting future.
At Baird Media, we help podcasters create meaningful, purpose-driven shows, whether for personal expression, business growth, or social impact.
We hold our clients (and ourselves) to high ethical and professional standards.
Not because some regulator told us to, but because we believe deeply in the power of mindful content creation.
There’s an uncomfortable trend emerging: when someone with a platform says something offensive or irresponsible, the instinct is to call for regulation.
I get the impulse, people want accountability.
But in South Africa, we’re already drowning in red tape across media, broadcasting, and creative industries.
The last thing podcasting needs is to be shoehorned into legacy frameworks designed for traditional broadcasters.
Podcasting is different.
It’s agile.
It’s intimate.
It’s accessible.
It gives voice to people who have historically been excluded from public discourse.
Government regulation, however well-intentioned, risks stifling that diversity under the weight of compliance, licensing, and bureaucratic oversight.
Instead of surrendering our autonomy, we must take ownership of our ethical compass as an industry.
Our approach to ethics at Baird Media isn’t built on fear of punishment, it’s built on values.
Values like honesty, responsibility, care for others, and thoughtful speech.
You won’t see us quoting scripture or philosophy, but our work is rooted in a simple, internal code:
Speak with purpose: Every word you record has impact. Are you creating value, or just noise?
Do no harm: Podcasting should challenge ideas, not dehumanise people.
Practice humility: You’re not the smartest voice in the room just because you have a mic. Stay curious.
Be transparent: Declare sponsors, credit sources, acknowledge bias. Trust is earned.
Hold space for others: Especially those whose stories aren’t told enough.
Grow through feedback: If someone calls you out, listen. Reflect. Adapt.
This isn’t about being ‘nice’, it’s about being responsible.
It’s about understanding the weight of your platform and using it wisely.
We don’t need a law to tell us that.
We just need the courage to live it.
There’s a reason the media lashes out at people like MacG.
His content regularly trades in controversy, thrives on provocation, and often crosses the line into deeply offensive territory.
It’s a strategy: shock sells. But at what cost?
MacG has built a brand on pushing buttons, not pushing boundaries.
He leans on the tired formula of mocking the marginalised, sexualising conversations without consent, and weaponising “free speech” to avoid accountability.
That’s not courage, that’s cowardice dressed as candour.
Let’s be clear, we’re not judging people who enjoy his show.
But we are challenging the idea that his format defines what podcasting is.
It doesn’t.
Podcasting at its best is a slow art.
It’s a conversation between people willing to listen.
It’s a platform for healing, learning, questioning, and sometimes even transforming.
When we coach or produce shows at Baird Media, we don’t just ask, “What’s your idea?”
We ask, “What’s your intention?”
Are you building something that serves others as well as yourself?
Are you ready to be a steward of someone else’s story?
Are you prepared to speak with integrity even when it’s hard?
That’s the kind of podcasting we stand for, and it’s the kind our country needs.
Instead of waiting for government to tell us what’s acceptable, we need to set our own standards.
That’s why I support the work of organisations like the South African Podcasters Guild (SAPG), who are laying the groundwork for community-based codes of conduct, peer review, and ethical training.
We can, and must, hold each other accountable.
We can create a culture where ethical lapses are met not with censorship, but with real conversations and consequences.
A culture where podcasters aren’t just creators, but custodians of a shared medium.
We are at a crossroads in South African podcasting.
One road leads to thoughtful, self-aware content that builds communities and sparks change.
The other leads to clickbait, division, and the inevitable clampdown of regulation.
Let’s choose the first road.
Let’s be the kind of podcasters who don’t just talk into microphones, but who listen, reflect, and act with intention.
We don’t need more rules. We need more responsibility.
And that starts with us.
— Hendrik Baird
Podcast Consultant & Producer
Baird Media
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