Return of the Podcaster

Once upon a time, I decided to start Rod’s Planet, a podcast meant as a tool to both sharpen my broadcast skills and make me world famous. At least I accomplished one of those things.

I started out slow and began with very little knowledge of audio editing software or what a podcast even was, but I started nonetheless. I put out around five episodes before school, work, family and friends continued to come before my need to produce another show.

It also occurred to me that I have high standards when it comes to what my name is attached to, and putting out half-baked shows when I knew I could do better prompted me to hang up my podcasting gloves and save the midsections of the world from my constant verbal jabs.

But now, thanks to the dedication of a man named Matt Beckwith, I have found a place in front of a podcast mic once more. Matt, a podcasting pro, began Podcast Stockton in February of this year in the hopes of bringing a positive image back to our city. Over the course of the year Matt played host to guest that covered the gambit of personalities in Stockton. He interviewed women roller hockey players, citizen bloggers, blind baseball athletes, and even me.

Even with his own life demands, Matt held down Podcast Stockton very well and grew a very loyal following quickly thanks in large part to his Twitter presence. He uses his 140 characters to not only announce his latest episode, but to build relationships with his audience and more importantly, meet new, potential guests of the show, which he as done masterfully so far.

According to Matt, he loved his little pet project and revealed to me in my interview with him for a radio show, he really wanted to make it a weekly show, and really hoped to someday have multiple hosts to truly put the “Stockton” in Podcast Stockton.

A few months later, after our several dealings on Twitter and after teaming together with Wes Rhea from the Stockton Conference & Visitors Bureau to put on the first Stockton Tweetup, Matt approached me with the offer of becoming his co-host for the show. I gladly accepted and am now a proud member of the Podcast Stockton team and have so far been on two episodes.

I look forward to the growth of the show and really can’t wait until we expand even farther as we plan to do in 2010. So until then, keep your Twitter glued to @PodcastStockton for all the latest on the show and fun conversation. Here also is a special “behind the scenes” look at the making of our latest show, episode 18, find it here as well as any you might have missed!

Thanks Matt for letting me play in your backyard…until next time…you know the rest!