Calling all podcasters! Here's where you can talk all you want
Everyone has at least one topic they love to discuss with others, which is one of the reasons why podcasts have become so popular over the past year.
According to Pew Research Center, about half of Americans have listened to a podcast in the last 12 months, and one in five of those listeners say they listen to a podcast every day. Young listeners, especially, are tuning in to podcasts as part of their daily routine.
And now a new business in Gardner is aiming to give aspiring hosts in the community the chance to release their inner podcaster and share their thoughts, insights, and opinions to an online audience looking for entertainment, learning, or just something interesting to listen to during a commute.
C.J. Broadcasting will open the doors to its audio-video studio on School Street (inside the former Simplex building) in November, according to owner Chris Guerra.
“I built the studio with the idea of wanting to do my own podcast show, sort of like a Joe Rogan podcast with both audio and video, but then I found out that other people were looking for podcast studios that were already established where they could just come in and record,” explained Guerra, who graduated from Gardner High School in 1999. “After investigating a bit, I found out that there weren’t any podcast studios that offer that service west of Rt. 495 and north of Worcester.”
Untapped market of aspiring podcasters in Greater Gardner
Guerra said he believes there is an untapped market of potential podcasters in the Greater Gardner area.
“A lot of people have great ideas, they have the ability to make an engaging podcast show, but they don’t have the time or know-how to fully produce it – and that’s where I come in,” he explained.
Guerra, who works full time at Space Age Electronics in Sterling and is the photographer for the Winchendon-based Big RanDOM band, said he would offer a variety of packages to anyone wishing to book his studio and produce a podcast.
“They can come in and record their conversation, and the basic package would be the raw audio file, the second tier would include a produced file, and the third package would be a produced and marketed podcast,” Guerra explained, adding that he would essentially be playing the role of producer of each podcast.
In addition to having their podcasts loaded onto Guerra’s www.cgbroadcasting.com website, which is currently under construction, clients could elect to upload their finished product to all of the major podcasting outlets, including Spotify, Pandora, and iTunes.
“Anywhere podcasts are available,” he said.
Rebecca Marois, president and CEO of the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce said Guerra's audio and video studio offered a unique service in the community.
"With a distinctive blend of artistic vision and technical expertise, Chris has created a space that not only captures the essence of his subjects but also fosters a sense of creativity and community," she said. "The studio isn't just a place for capturing images and conversations; it's a cultural treasure that can help strengthen the bonds of the Gardner community and elevate its artistic and storytelling identity to new heights."
Sports, entertainment and politics are popular podcast topics
Even though his studio is still weeks away from opening, Guerra said he has heard from several potential customers who have expressed an interest in starting their own podcasts.
“I have a gentleman, a former Celtics player, who wants to cover the Celtics with his buddy, and they want to come out for one hour a week and record a podcast,” Guerra said. “And there’s a lot of interest from local sports coaches who want to talk about local sports.”
Sports is obviously a popular topic, especially locally, but one of the things that makes podcasts so appealing is that any subject under the sun will find an audience of interested listeners. And Guerra said he was planning on launching his own podcast, “The Creative Chair,” to discuss the local arts and entertainment scene.
“I have a lot of musicians who are very interested, so I wanted to bring in the local talent and kind of have an old-school, MTV-unplugged session where we do a little Q and A then have them play some of their set,” he explained. “I’ve gotten a ton of interest from the music community to do that.”
Several local business owners have expressed interest in producing their own podcasts to discuss their views, Guerra said. He’s also heard from notable paranormal investigators who see the potential in a podcast dedicated to informing listeners about spooky happenings around town.
“There are a lot of high-profile clients who are living out in the Berkshires or in Central Mass who don’t want to trek all the way out to Boston or Worcester to do some recording, so the fact that I’ll have that ability here in Gardner will be nice,” Guerra said.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: New podcast studio in Gardner to cover Celtics, sports, politics
