368 - Remembering 9/11: What Podcasters Can Say When the World Pauses

0:04 Good morning podcasting morning chat. Today is Thursday, September 11th, 2025, and today we're asking what it means to hit record on a day like 911. Exploring responsibilities, challenges and power of podcasting during moments of reflection. So if you're listening live on Clubhouse, hit the share button, bottom left hand side of the screen and share it. However, Clubhouse lets you. And if you're listening via podcast, please share this episode with a fellow podcaster. And now give us about 30 seconds and we'll get things rolling. Thanks for being here. Good morning again podcasting Morning chat. Thank you for being here.

1:23 I am your host Mark Ronick and on stage currently with me my Co host, we have Nick Naul back, Alex Baelish, Dr. Fay and Sid Meadows. After this little rocky start of ours today we are going to dig into this was kind of a last minute audible. I it's been on my mind since yesterday about talking about 911 and I wasn't sure how. And I've been brainstorming with Dr. and Ashley this morning, and we're going to dig into it. Before we get into today's conversation, I do want to just briefly acknowledge the news that we heard yesterday about Charlie Kirk's murder.

2:08 And this is a really sensitive and very raw situation. And because of that, we're not discussing it further in this space. Our focus here is podcasting. And today's discussion is going to center around how podcasters acknowledge and reflect on significant dates and events. And tragedies like 911 both in the moment and years later. So we'll be looking at the role podcasts can play in handling tragedy and remembrance with care. And we are not discussing yesterday because in my opinion, too raw, too sensitive right now and not the right space for it here. So with that, as I said this morning, Dr. Ashley and I were talking a little bit about different directions to go and if there's time we will get into some more podcast related, well, some more podcast related stuff like we normally would do. But I don't think it's going to fit well. And I think we will have a good conversation around this. One of the difficulties we were acknowledging is that it can be a really sensitive discussion.

3:26 And we're a show, like I said a moment ago about podcasting, and sometimes it might feel either inappropriate as podcasters to talk about a topic that's not on point with what we normally discuss. Other times the topic, and I'll just say it is very sensitive and it creates a lot of emotion. It triggers us. And Dr. was acknowledging this is going to be a challenging 1 for me. So I acknowledge that too. And I think it that this is an area for us to explore because I feel as a podcaster and as I sit with my community here, I feel this obligation, this responsibility and this desire to talk about it while at the same time I feel this struggle of but it's not really about podcasting. So am I going to turn my audience away? But I think when we are talking about something as big as 911, it's something that affects all of us. And I think it's worth figuring out how we as podcasters can take the time to talk about things like that. So look, I know that this will probably spark your emotions. It may sparks a story.

4:47 You want to share about 911 in some way how it affected you, and I think that's OK. I think we can explore that. And I want us to try to take this from a little more broad of an angle. Just how do we deal with these things as podcasters? For example, let's start with this. Should podcasters acknowledge these significant dates, tragedies, huge events, sensitive events? Or is it better to just stick to business as usual? Should I, for example, have just come on today, maybe acknowledged 9/11, but then got into the main topic which what we had prepared for were putting it simply tips for launching a new podcast.

5:35 So what do you think? Let's start there I. Just think it depends on what your podcast is about and also depends on what you feel. I'm not going to be talking too much about 911 on a what is from Pet cast, but. Let me stop you there, Alex. Why wouldn't you? The format doesn't really lend itself to it. It's a horror show, so it's not really appropriate. If you're recording and it's during that day, that's fine, but in terms of recording about it, I think it's important. I'm a little biased because I'm in Northeast and that was my life for three years because I worked for the Red Cross and I worked with families, I did all that other kind of stuff.

6:17 But I think everybody's affected in different ways with events. I just know with 911 more specifically, at least for me, and again, this is a lot of different people because there's people all over the world that are dealing with the same thing. I don't know, it just seems like everything is fine until about September 3rd or 4th and then you start seeing stuff and like today you get thrown back into it like you was it was yesterday and then you move on. But I really understand how the people that were involved when we were kids felt about Pearl Harbor and the whole Greatest Generation because we just had no perspective compared to it is so important.

7:03 Like, you know, 24 years ago, I was in a different place. I wasn't married, I don't have a kid. I mean, there's a whole generation of kids that don't even know what it's all about. And, and I, and I and I think that that's important to not celebrate it, but understand what it was about. So that people can have that, and I think podcasting does a great job. We talk about this a lot about crop capturing people's stories, you understand? I think that's why podcasting can be so powerful and it can make a difference. Thank you, Alex. And you said something there. When the day comes like today, 911, even 24 years later, you feel like you're thrown right back into it.

7:50 And I think that's relatable. I think a lot of people probably feel that way. And that's why I lean toward saying it's OK to break format on your podcast if you feel compelled to talk about an event like this because I think it is so relatable. Yes, Sid, I've been actually secretly waiting for you to chime in on this. Go ahead, Sid. Good morning. Good morning, everybody. Like a lot of people have a lot of thoughts rambling in my head today with the events of yesterday, because there were multiple events yesterday and then the honoring of what today is right.

8:31 And if I had to answer your question directly, Mark, if I had a show that was launching or airing on September 11th, I would start my show off acknowledging September 11th. And what this day means. If I have a show that launches on Monday and September 11th is on Thursday, I would not address it. I would not, I would not acknowledge it, right? I would also, this is just me, but I would not be someone to do an entire show about September 11th because of I don't think it's appropriate for my show. I don't think it's, I don't know. I just, I just don't think I would do that right. And yesterday my team and I were having this discussion about what do we post today on social media? Because you're, we log on to LinkedIn and other places, you're going to see pictures of the towers and videos and symbols and sayings of never forget, always remember those kinds of things, right? And I didn't want to post that.

9:25 I didn't want to post that. I didn't want to post what other people were posting because we see the same thing over and over again. And I think what's important about this time is reflection and gratitude. And there is one thing, I mean, the world, I've said this many, many times, the world is a shit show right now. If there's one thing that we can really do is relative to September 11th is draw on what happened after and how the country and the world came together. And that is what we need now more than anything is to come together to solve our problems, to prevent these crises from happening, to prevent another September 11th.

10:12 That's what we need. We don't need fighting. We don't need finger pointing. We need reflection and gratitude and hope. And so that was the message that we chose to share today on our social media is a message of reflection and being grateful and encouraging people to take a step forward and to do something kind for someone. Today, in honor of all those people that lost their lives, in honor of the chaos and in honor of how the world came together the afternoon of September 11th, September 12th, and so on. For so long we were united. What will unite us again today is hope and gratitude and love, and that's what we chose to share today. And that would be the message that I will carry for my family with my children, is a message of hope and gratitude and reflecting on all the good that can happen when we come together as a community.

11:09 Thank you, Sid. And I see some people were acknowledging. Yeah, Bez was acknowledging in the chat their Amen to that. I'm with you there. Well said. And I like what you were also saying about how, OK, if your show were to drop on the 11th, then yes, you would acknowledge it. And, you know, that's essentially what I'm doing here today. And I think I agree with you. If, you know, we were, let's say, a weekly show and our show didn't fall on 9/11, I don't know that I would have even acknowledged it on that week. And here we are. It's 911 on a Daily Show. So yeah, I felt obligated.

11:50 And do you think, do you think we shouldn't have dedicated a whole show to this topic? Or do you think, well, I'll just leave it there? I think it's it is relevant because especially as podcasts, podcasters, content creators, there is like a feeling of obligation. And I think that is where this kind of conversation should go next. It's one thing if if you feel impacted and feel compelled to dedicate a segment or dedicated episode to the topic, what are you obligated to? Because it can feel like that. Just think as I've been creating content, different events that come up and I almost feel like do I need to post something about this?

12:39 Because everyone else is posting about this. If I don't post about this, does that come off that I'm insensitive to the topic? I think that this is all relevant to podcasters and greater because this. This is. These are thoughts people are going to have. I'm with you there, Nick. I appreciate that. And by the way, who here is going to say it? Nick needs a new headset. Nick's headset constantly I feel like cuts in and out. I need a new Internet connection. I acknowledge that. I think Nick needs a new Bluetooth headset. Yeah, I think we should. I think we should. Did you have something? So, Nick, you're not wrong at all, right?

13:21 And do you have to share something about September 11th today? No, you don't. You don't have to. There's nothing that says anybody has to share anything relative to that day. You can remember that day the way that you want to remember that day. You can honor the people the way you want to honor the people that day. You don't have to say anything, right? And I don't think that anybody is reflected poorly upon for not saying it or not acknowledging it, right? I just think you have to do it in your own way. But, but I do believe as podcasters, we have a voice and it's important for us in our platforms, whether it's the written voice or what we do in podcasting, regardless of the cadence of your show, right, is to use our voice for good and use our voice to move things forward.

14:08 I'm OK with challenging people and challenging the status quo in a way that creates conversation and not, you know, anger or not necessarily discontent where I no longer talk to you, Mark, because you don't agree with me, right? I think it's incumbent upon us to use our voice for good and to, you know, give. We've been, this is a gift we've been given and let's use it for the betterment of people and things. And Mark, you're not wrong by acknowledging this today, right? You could have done it both ways. You could have taken a moment at the beginning of the show and pause to reflect in a moment of silence, or you could have done half of the show or the whole show. You're none of those are wrong, right? But I do think that just to come in here and to start the show and to and because the show is on September 11th, to not acknowledge it and to ignore it, that I do believe is wrong. So yes, honoring it, talking about it, whether it's, you know, for a minute, for 30 minutes, or for a whole hour, none of those are wrong.

15:04 But I do think you on a day like today, you have to acknowledge it. And I believe that. I'll say it again, as podcasters, it's incumbent upon us to use our voice for good, especially on days like today. Thanks, Sid. And you know, I from working with a lot of new podcasters over my career, I think the reason why I ask, is it quote UN quote wrong for or just to play off of your words? I bring that up because I think a lot of times newer podcasters take a lot of the advice very literally that we or others provide them. In other words, I think a new podcaster, some may say. I'd like to talk about it, I'd like to acknowledge it.

15:47 But it's not speaking to my audience. It's not the topic, It's not the genre that I promised to deliver to my audience. And so am I. And this thought did go even go across my own mind. Am I doing a disservice? Am I turning away my audience if I dedicate this whole hour today to discussing 9/11? There's two ways you can know, we could talk all about 911 and our experiences, or you can take it from the podcast aspect, which is how do you acknowledge a big event or what do you acknowledge is a big event? OK.

16:30 And I think that's where the value is because there's always going to be some important story we as podcasters have to address. It's about giving people the tools to know how to do these things. And I think that's where the money is because like Sid said, it's about telling stories. It's about getting your message out. And I think the take home of this is how do you deal with an important topic? That's all it's about. We're still talking about Mike's. We're still talking about all this other stuff. Yeah.

17:11 Because if you don't have all that stuff, it doesn't matter. And we always talk about good content. How do we make good content out of something that's that important? And I'm not bringing it up in the sense of talking about it. But I asked the question about the tragedy of of Charlie Kirk. I don't really care about the guy either way. I wasn't talking about an opinion, but he was a big content creator. Do you want to address it? And you did. And then we moved on. And that's OK. I'm not here to talk about that. I'm just saying things do happen. How are you going to acknowledge it? And as podcasters, how are you going to make it affected for your listeners to be engaging? So I, I, I think that's why it's important.

17:53 And if you have a personal stake in it like I do, I might talk more about it. If you don't like Nick, that's fine too. I'm the same lines as said. There's some years where I don't even want to talk about it. It's like it can the day just be over? I don't put anything on. And there's other years where I'm like all into it in terms of I want to acknowledge it more. Yeah, thank you, Alex. And I know that I saw on social media one way and anybody is also welcome to share what I'm about to share about what Alex does to acknowledge 911. He shared on social media he has his iPhone alarms set for every time something occurred on 9/11, some major, you know, whether it was the towers hit, whether it was the Pentagon hit, etcetera, Pennsylvania, etcetera, etcetera.

18:41 He has those alarms set on his phone to help him remember and acknowledge the day. And if you want to share how you do that too, like let's also honor 9/11 today since we are using it as an example of how do we deal with sensitive topics or do we deal with them. So thank you for sharing, Alex, I appreciate it. But I am curious, do you think podcasts can serve as a kind of oral history for future generations? What is this is part of that responsibility thing? How can we use our podcast to serve as that oral history? So that like Alex was saying, there are some people out there that never went through this, never went through 911. And those of us that have, I think feel like we want those that are around today to that didn't get to understand its impact fully.

19:39 We want to try to help them understand that. And I think that there's something else. This is, I think what I wanted to say earlier. Let me think, get it through my head. Just this is something Sid was saying to, I think the way that day brought us all together for a long time after that. Was really powerful and on days like yesterday with multiple things going on, putting it lightly, it felt like we were just so apart. So I think as podcasters, if we're creating this history, these historical podcasts, I think that that that's part of our responsibility, part of an obligation, I think as a podcaster.

20:25 And I think going off script, going off topic is OK. And I know Austin said here in the chat, he acknowledged it. Let me find what you said, Austin. It could be considered off brand for some folks to acknowledge or abstain. But it's your show. And I think that's the beauty of especially being an independent podcaster as we can do whatever the F we want. Let's check in with Ashley and then we'll go to Sid since we haven't talked to Ashley out loud yet this morning. Good morning to you, Ashley. Good. Morning. I just wanted to comment on the whole oral history thing. Podcasters can present oral history by making their show like a documentary.

21:11 That's the whole reason I started my podcast. It was born of a natural disaster in 2018. The town I live in, Panama City, was hit by a Category 5 hurricane. And then I actually started the show in 2020 during COVID. On that show, we documented the recovery and the collective grieving from Hurricane Michael because we were all going through that together. Everyone had lost pretty much everything during that time. And then we were also going through that collective grief from COVID. So I think by having a show that honestly and, you know, respectfully documents what happened and featuring people that can share their grief and share their story will help them process.

22:00 And also, like you said before, remind people who may not have been around during that time, you know what happened during that time in the oral history. Thank you, Ashley, and great example. I'm, I'm glad we have you here because, yeah, it fits this discussion today. Natural disaster, any disaster. That's really helpful. Thank you. Ashley and Sid, you had something right. In any industry, in any whatever genre if you will, or niche your podcast is in, there's always something happening. And a couple of weeks ago there was a huge acquisition inside the furniture industry. And I'll tie this to just a second. I'll tie this together just a second. But you know, it's a big news like all over the place that the number one manufacturer in the world had been purchased by someone else. And like, it's really big news.

22:48 And everybody that's pinging me, are we going to talk about it? What do you what are your thoughts on it and list? I can talk about conspiracy theories all day long because I think it's kind of fun, but you know what's going to happen? But but I chose to stay silent and I wanted our company to stay silent. And the reason I wanted our company to say a reason I chose and I wanted us as an organization to stay quiet was so that we could gather our thoughts, so we could really think about what the impact of this is. And the better way to say that is so that we could respond thoughtfully rather than react. What you're going to see today is a whole by yesterday is a whole bunch of immediate reactions to things that are not good for anybody. They're not good for the person saying it. They're not good for the people consuming it, right? And so I think it's incumbent upon us when some big event is happens in your world, whether it's something like 911 or something like the hurricane Ashley mentioned or an acquisition that, you know, shocked our industry is to sit back and reflect on it and then to respond to it rather than react to it.

23:57 Because if we use our voice to respond, whether it's positive or negatively, it can have a very big impact on you as a content creator. So I think it's important to pause, reflect, and respond. Thanks, Sid. Yeah. I think that you're doing a great job of deciphering between when a tragedy first occurs or an event, let's call it, because to some, an event may not be a tragedy, to others it is. So I just want to acknowledge that. But I think you're doing a great job of deciphering between when something is fresh versus what we're talking about, you know, with 911 being 24 years old at this point. And I do think there's a lot of wisdom in that. I think that it is also our responsibility as podcasters to, as you said, pause and reflect before we react, before we decide to put out that content.

24:55 There is a saying that I'll butcher, but you know, it's, it's something along the lines of when we are publicly sharing something, we do it from a place of healing, not from a place of a fresh wound. We've got to allow the wound to heal first before again, just if as podcasters and if it's our responsibility, then I think we need to take that time. I think it's helpful for us to take that time to pause and reflect. OK, I'm going to ask you all to help me here because I do want at some point when we wrap up, I do want to take a minute to reflect with a moment of silence for 911 and those that we lost, those that were affected.

25:40 And I'm curious, how do you feel about do we wrap up a little early today in honor of 911 or does it feel inappropriate to switch gears and get into into podcasting now? Right. Like let's make this a case study, a real life, real time case study. Where do we go from here? I have no problem shifting gears. Like I said, I'm on both sides of the fence. I know Ashley said that she it was charring, but I think you can still be talking about podcasting in the sense of what we're doing. But you know, Greg in the chat says doesn't want to shift gears. And these are the things to think about, right? But if we're going to do these kinds of things that these are the things that I think you plan ahead. And no, I didn't plan ahead, right? But I also, again, this was a moment of inspiration and I really felt like it's an opportunity for us to discuss. Go ahead.

26:39 Maybe not shifting gears, but to keeping it back on to podcasting. And again, I keep going back to Sid because he has great perspective. You know, he said that you need to take a, you need to take a hot second. How do you want to use your platform? I think the biggest problem today versus, and I'm not talking about today as in 911, but as in content creators, people don't want to take a breath like you said, because they want instant reaction. And I hate to use this term, but the adults in the room, sometimes you need to take that breath, but also not planning it out, Mark. Is a is.

27:20 Fine too. There's some podcasters in this room that have the ability to do an instant reaction. There's other podcasters that just don't. And I'm not just talking social media. They could put out a podcast because they do daily. Podcasts every day. How is that process going on and how do you handle something like like this? So I know Sid how it is, Yeah. And. Well, let's check in. Thank you, Alex. Let's check in with Sid. Go ahead, Sid. Oh. My gosh, I don't think it's appropriate to switch gears, Mark, I'll say that much. I agree with some of the things in the chat. I don't think it's, I think it's more appropriate to end the show, right? And so I'll tee you up if that's what you want to do, right? And I'll go back to something I said just a few minutes ago. There so many feelings and emotions that people have today around the multiple events yesterday around today being September 11th.

28:10 And I hadn't talked about it until this morning other than talking to my daughter about it last night and helping my daughter understand how to deal with some of the feelings she had around all of this, right? But my encouragement to you would be, I've said this 1000 times and I'll keep saying it. Use your voice for good today, Sarah. A message of hope today. Do something kind for someone. Share a minute of gratitude for someone today. I'm grateful for all of you in this room. I'm grateful for this platform. I'm grateful for the ability to come in here and hang out with you every morning while I enjoy my coffee and get ready to start my morning walk right. Change the narrative today. Change the narrative from being angry and bad and sad to something being good to something being positive. Use your voice in that way today to make a difference. Each and every one of us have the opportunity and the gift and I will even say the responsibility to help change the world.

29:12 And we can do that by sharing good. I will always use my platform for goodness and kindness and joy. Always, always. I may say things on my show that make people mad, but just like I say in my show, if I made you think today and you took action based on what I said and it changed the trajectory of your business or your life, that I'm doing my job as a podcaster doesn't mean that I don't like you or that I don't love you or that I want to be in an argument. That's not what it means. Means I'm trying to make you think. I'm trying to make you think differently about something. But today of all days, use your voice and use your platform to share good in the world, to share positivity in the world. And so again, I'm grateful for each and everyone of you and for this opportunity to come in here every morning to hang out with you, to learn about podcasting, to learn about how to be better, to learn how to grow.

30:05 So thank you, Mark, for this platform and for what you do and bringing us together like this. And I look forward to seeing so many of your smiling faces for the first time ever at the end of this month. So with Mark, with that Mark, I'll pass it back to you. Thank you, Sid beautifully said. I think that we will end early today. And I really want to echo what Sid said. Let's do something different than what we're probably going to see a lot of today. And aside from the events that have gone on this week, we're still going to see probably a lot of and a lot of sad posts about 911 too, right? And that's totally cool. Like I'm not, I'm not knocking that. And I think it would be really powerful if those of us here tried to post something positive like Sid's talking about trying to express, sharing some gratitude, sharing some love, sharing something positive today. I think it's so important to balance out the sadness, the negativity, etcetera.

31:10 I'm not saying don't post if you haven't, if you feel obligated to post something about 911. And I think posting something positive, posting that gratitude, I think adds the balance that is so desperately needed right now. And I want to also acknowledge that to your point said about this community, about us all getting together, this community all, and I just said this recently, this community always proves to me that we can have honest discussions and still get along. It gives me hope even in times where it looks hopeless when we're scrolling social media as an example. I love that about this community. And I do believe if we were to have a forum separate from here talking about events from yesterday, I think we would have a passionate discussion and I genuinely believe we would have a respectful discussion.

32:08 And that's thanks to all of you. So what I would like to do is take one minute of silence for 9/11, for those that we lost, for those that were affected, which I imagine in some way most of us here were affected. Let's take a minute to honor those that we lost, loved, cared for, cared about, and again, for those that were so affected. We're going to take a moment now. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:00 AM Eastern and until then, make it a great day.

32:52 Let's pause for 911 and those affected and lost.

33:58 Make it a great day everybody, take care.