For a while now I’ve been looking for a real way to let listeners support this network outside of sponsorship. Not a placeholder tier, not a logo wedged into a sidebar. Something that actually means something to the person putting their name behind it, without taking anything away from the sponsors who already back us. I think I’ve finally landed on it. It’s called Open Source Champions.
The idea
What is Open Source Channels today has been part of the open source community since 2018. I’ve been an advocate since 2007. Somewhere along the way, over 600 voices have come through this network. Open Source Champions is a way for a business or an individual who shares those values to stand next to us, publicly, and be counted.
This isn’t a sponsorship. It’s a statement of support, and it comes with a real presence here, not just a badge.
What a Champion gets
Your logo or photo goes up on our Open Source Champions page, with two links attached. One sends visitors straight from your image to your own profile on Open Channels FM. The other sits underneath, as a simple question: why open source? Click it, and a quote from you, in your words, answers it.
Your profile itself carries that logo or photo, a short description of who you are, the same “why open source” answer, and a link out to your site, plus YouTube or social if you want it there too.
That’s the foundation. But a page isn’t a conversation, and conversation is the whole point of this network. So Champions also get the option of a published post on our blog, or a 10 to 15 minute episode with me or one of our hosts, built around what led you to open source in the first place. And every month, we put together a dedicated Open Source Champions episode, pulling in audio from Champions themselves, so your voice is literally part of the signal here, not just adjacent to it.
Cost
Straightforward, no need to hunt for it: €1,000 a year for a brand, €500 for an individual. Euros or USD, either works.
Why this matters to me
I didn’t want to build something that just sits there looking supportive. Open Source Champions is meant to put real voices, real reasons, into the actual conversations happening across this network, month after month. If you or your business believes in open source and wants to be part of that, independently owned, no strings, this is the way in.
Visit this page if you’re interested, or head to the Open Source Champions page to see it in action.
~ Bob Dunn, Founder
