Texas A&M is home to a number of student-led and created podcasts. With shows spanning a wide variety of topics and interests, many Aggies have chosen podcasting as their method of reaching their campus.
September 30 was International Podcast Day, a celebration of the power of the medium, according to the day’s official website.
Economics senior Carlos Ribera is the host of “Simple Lifestyle Podcast,” a show aimed at helping fellow students simplify their lives.
“There are a lot of things around people’s lives at all times,” Ribera said. “I wanted to spread a message that would help people simplify things. I interview regular people who I think are interesting— a majority are students. And we talk about simplifying your life in the hectic world that we live in.”
Guillermo Duran, a civil engineering graduate student from Mérida, Mexico, hosts a podcast aimed at exposing students to electronic music. Duran began this show when he was a student in Mexico and decided to continue when he came to Texas A&M.
“I’ve been doing this since 2012 or 2013 when I started this project on a Mexico radio station,” Duran said. “ Some genres that are not well known have been around since the ‘80s and my goal is to talk about the artists and the music. I also have guests from Mexico join me.”
“Thanks! I Hate It.” is a show hosted by four KANM Radio student DJs: economics sophomore Micah Gonzalez, telecommunication studies junior Erin O’Hara, electrical engineering junior Cameron Armand and nuclear engineering senior Ian Craig.
The hosts decided to try different platforms to make their show available to listeners.,hosting the program live on on KANM every Sunday at 5 p.m. and then posting it as a streamable podcast on Soundcloud.
“We keep the conversation pretty freewheeling and sometimes there’s no telling what we’ll end up talking about when the show starts,” Craig said.
Like many looking to make their way in the podcasting world, these students have role models that they look to for creative inspiration.
“Lewis Howes is a big inspiration to me because he’s very authentic,” Ribera said. “He’s a very good listener and knows how to keep engaging conversations. Also, there are these guys called ‘The Minimalists’ that I love because the concept of simplicity has always inspired me.”
Overall, coupled with inspiration, says Craig, is the unique listening experience that podcasts bring.
Overall, Craig said the unique listening experience offered by each podcast is what keeps listeners coming back.
“Frank Ocean used to host a Beats1 Radio Show that always featured a very eclectic mix of songs,” says Craig. “That experience of never knowing what you’re going to hear when you tune in every week is really exciting for me as a listener, so I try to replicate that when I host my own shows.”