Pensacola podcasts on the rise

In the wake of shows like Serial, WTF with Marc Maron, and the Nerdist, podcasts are garnering more listeners than any other time in history.

Podcasts offer similar content to what people might read on a blog or watch in an instructional YouTube video, except they don't require you to actually read or watch because someone else is speaking the content aloud to you so can be out in the world; working, driving, cleaning, running — a medium for the multitasker.

Pensacola has its own crop of shows popping up this year. Some podcasts have been going for months and are gaining attention, while others have launched their first episodes this summer.

From the production side, creating a podcast is almost as easy as listening. Anyone with a recording device and access to the internet can live out their NPR fantasy. Acquiring the voice of Diane Rehm could prove more difficult. Some podcasts involve music and editing sound bites or sources into the stream, but many are more simple and offer a basic, unedited approach.

While the shows range in topics, hosts and guests, the common denominator seems to be that the creators feel they have something to share.

"It's a new technical spin on an old element of storytelling," said Jeremy Branch, creator of The Weekly Pop Podcast.

Branch hosts a weekly pop culture and film discussion podcast with his wife Victoria, and a rotating circle of weekly guests.

"We started out in March and me and my wife would go see movies once a week and started reviewing them with a panel of people," Branch said. "It's a lot of geek talk and movie talk. I'm a really big film fan, and I love to talk about the technical aspects of the production or the give and take between actors and directors."

Branch and his wife have their panel of guests over to their home each Saturday for the recording process and Branch says the casual environment allows for a natural back and forth dialogue from the panel.

"We're all so connected, but in a superficial way, these days," Branch said.

With the Internet and all the varying forms of social media, people are interacting less and less in person and more on Instagram or Facebook.

"It's nice to have an old-school conversation where you all have to look each other in the eyes," Branch said, laughing.

Branch's podcasts are shared on his own site, but also on an online media entertainment group site, called the Nerd Cave Network.

The Nerd Cave Network is run by Zach Dykes, Robbie Rawls and Derek Diamond of the Derek Diamond podcast.

"It's been around for eight months or so," Derek Diamond said, of the Nerd Cave Network. "It started with another podcast I do with some friends I went to high school with. We're all big into comic books, movies and video games."

Diamond and his friends had fun conversations together about their hobbies and thought it might be interesting to record them. After going to various conventions like Pensacon, Diamond had the idea to do his own interview-based show — The Derek Diamond Experience.

"I've always had a fascination with learning about other people's stories," Diamond said. "Why they chose the career path they did and how they got there."

Diamond is particularly interested in independent film and filmmakers and tries to include as many locals as possible, in addition to the athletes, artists and musicians who frequent his show.

Diamond's most recent show includes an interview with local filmmakers Jeffrey Frame and Zack Kepner discussing their inspiration, drawing for comic books, and their newest movie.

One thing that Diamond says is key to all of his podcasts interviews is making the guest feel comfortable and welcome.

"I compare it to a conversation over coffee," Diamond said.

For many podcast creators, the idea for a show is born out of a really good conversation relating to a specific topic and the hope that one good talk could lead to many more.

For Jeremy Hicks, founder of the podcast Brohugs, getting together with friends to converse was the main draw.

"I'm a huge podcast listener, and a lot of times the ones I really loved were just a group of friends getting together and talking about stuff," Hicks said. " I thought it'd be a good excuse to get together with my friends more often."

Hicks and the accompanying hosts on Brohugs have been friends for more than 20 years and have grown up in the greater Pensacola area together. Most of them are married and have kids and just don't have time to get together as often as they once did.

Brohugs offers them the chance to reminisce on some of their favorite stories, while discussing what's going on in their lives and around town..

"Sometimes me or the other guys will come in with something to talk about that's been on the news, and other times we're all just spitballing it," Hicks said.

Hicks will typically write down a few topics of discussion for the podcast, but the format is very relaxed and the conversation often bounces from one subject to the next.

Brohugs is unedited and uncensored and some episode titles include, "Valentines, Pick Up Lines and Kidnapping," and "Good Worst Impressions."

"We're all each others' psychiatrists," Hicks said. "It's really nice to get together and talk about things that make us happy, or sad, or annoyed."

Brohugs is recorded first and foremost for the benefit of the friends doing the talking, and if someone else thinks it's interesting or funny or offensive, that's a bonus for everyone.

Many local podcasts offer a commentary on news or pop culture, a funny story, or a glimpse into someone's life.

Trish Taylor started her podcast, Business is Chess Not Checkers, with friend and co-host Jay Surti to help people avoid the hurdles they encountered when first starting their own business.

"It's practical business advice," Trish Taylor said. "My friend Jay lives in London but we met in the U.S after we had both just quit our day jobs."

Taylor said there were many things she wished she knew about starting her own business and aims to assist others in the process she is navigating through daily.

"We're not experts by any means," Taylor said. "But we are learning how to make it work and not just watch Netflix all day."

Taylor said that many business podcasts are someone sharing their success story, but Business is Chess Not Checkers is bringing listeners along on the current journey.

Taylor worked as an executive assistant most recently, prior to starting her own self-help company in Pensacola, Talored NLP, where she help clients overcome their fears, quit smoking, and accomplish career goals.

"We haven't fully made it yet, but we're making it work," Taylor said in reference to her business.

Taylor and Surti record the podcast while linked using the online communication service Skype, since Surti lives in London.

More local podcasts and programs are popping up each week, with individuals getting in on the action, as well as large and small businesses who are hoping to capture an audience.

Pensacon released their second podcast episode earlier this month with a slew of others on the horizon.

IHMC also has a show in the making that should be ready for listening later this year.

"Our podcast will consist of in-depth interviews with the most interesting people in the world of science and technology," said Dr. Ken Ford, CEO of IHMC.

Podcasts are becoming an integral part of the way the people consume content, and with the public's easy access to technology, the supply and demand for these curated audio files continues to grow.

TAKE A LISTEN

Listen to a variety of Pensacola podcasts through the links below:

The Weekly Pop Podcast, Epsiode 8; Discussion about Mission Impossible; Rogue Nation and Debates over Tom Cruise's all-time best films

The Derek Diamond Experience, Epsiode 30, Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Steve Wise

Brohugs, Epsiode 6, Strip Club Superhero Animals:

Business is Chess Not Checkers, Episode 8, Free Images for Social Media and Marketing