Podcasts You Should Listen To – The Target Demographic
Here at Nerdles.com we’re going to start a regular feature entitled Podcasts You Should Listen To.
We’ve managed to snag a couple of interviews with industry recognized podcasters and over the following weeks will share them with you guys.
Okay, for our first feature we’re going to be interviewing the team from one of my favorite podcasts – The Target Demographic.
The Target Demographic Podcast comprises of four guys who get together every other week to record their thoughts on the latest movies, music and video game news.
Making up the team are… (I’ve taken the bios and pics from http://tdpodcast.com)
Wayne Richardson
Wayne “The Rock?” Richardson, was born in Prague to a male gypsy named Yakapoh and his bride, the foreman (forewoman…foreperson?) at the local smelting factory. At the age of 11, he was apprenticed to a small honey farm in Zurich, where his recreational visits to the local swiss banks gave him an appreciation of international finance and a burning desire to prove himself in the high-stakes game of international diplomacy.Frustrating FPS gamers for nearly ten years now, Wayne’s damn-near godlike abilities have gained him a reputation for being a cheater and a cheap-kill enthusiast, which he is most definitely not. Wayne’s uncanny propensity for mastering the “where the hell did that come from?” weapons of any FPS have made the “Dome-inator” notorious in many gaming communities, where his welted name is spoken with a mixture of fear and dread.Wayne currently resides in Sanger with his wife Rebekah, AKA “Lepekah.” He was recently awarded his special education teaching credential, and plans to use this document for reinforcing the wings and hull of his RC plane.
Jonathon Maher
Jonathan “Gattica” Maher has historically been the “Seinfeld Gamer” to the Kramer Gamers of the world (including Kramer Gamer patient zero–occasional TD guest host Ben Akina), often purchasing multiple consoles of each generation for the sheer thrill of letting his mooch-tacular neighbors and friends suckle on the proverbial teat of his very supple generosity. Nowadays, however, he is more well known for his wealth of marginally useful knowledge…a quirk that has earned him the title of, “smartest guy in the room, depending on the room.”
In a significant way, Jon paved the way for the Target Demographic Podcast to be formed–his weekly gatherings of 10 to 20 post-college/pre-career friends (usually self-funded) fostered the first video game/movie discussions among the four hosts and made Bryan the Master Chief-loving man he is today.
Jonathan and his wife Lisa currently reside in Kingsburg, California, a land flowing with windmills and poorly-designed intersections. Lisa’s virtual dog, Preston, has been missing for several years now. Jon loves steak and egg burritos.
Bryan Griffith
Bryan “Roast Beef ” Griffith was recently on the receiving end of a restraining order filed by Karl “Master Chief” Grissom, the real-life inspiration for the protagonist of Bungie’s multi-million dollar FPS franchise, the title of which escapes me at this moment. Details are, at present, privileged information that most likely will not be released to the general public, but the most reliable rumors claim Griffith was “stalking” Grissom with anonymous gifts of baked goods signed, “sticking to you like a plasma grenade, –your friendly neighborhood Dr Blunder.”
Bryan is the only sports fan (and therefore the closest thing to a normal man) among the Target Demographic’s “Knights of the Pool Table,” whose collective athletic experience is mostly limited to Hot Shots Golf and Wii Sports.
Bryan’s wife Kari recently gave birth to their first child–a beautiful baby girl that, thankfully, looks more like mom. Bryan lives in Fresno, California, and drives a truck with a bumper sticker that reads, “My other car is a Mongoose.”
Matt Elliott
Matthew “The Quiet Riot” Elliott, a die-hard hockey fan who, during his college years, occasionally took up residence in the hellishly-humid state of South Carolina, has forgotten more about great and unconventional music than the average American will ever know. His impressive media library (including the four male food groups: music, movies, video games, and comic books) has exponentially increased in size ever since he hit legal adulthood.
He is notorious around the pool table for his hockey super fan-dom, his tendency to leave 95% complete games unfinished, and leaving dishes soaking in the sink.
The only unmarried member of the podcast, Matthew is currently a card-carrying member of the eHarmony online community, where his sharp wit and expansive collection of Shadowrun memorabilia have caught the eye of hundreds of women across America. Matthew’s dog, Pierce, enjoys peeing on the rug every once in a while. Sidney Crosby rules!
So, let’s get it on!!!!!!
Okay, for the first part of the interview, I’m going to focus, predictably, on the early days of TD Podcast.
Origins…
Who came up with the idea of doing the Target Demographic?
Bryan came up with the idea of doing a podcast. Jonathan came up with the name.
Did any of you already have a background in radio or host any other podcast shows?
No, but we all were avid listeners of various video game podcasts, particularly 1UP Yours, GFW Radio, and some of the IGN podcasts.
At first, I’m presuming that you had very little listeners, what made you continue during those early days?
Right from the start we had a small, yet vocal group of listeners that would comment on our site regularly. As the comments began to come from a wider audience (including people we didn’t actually know in real life) it became more and more exciting to do the show.
Did any of you express any doubts as to whether or not you were wasting your time?
I think that we have all had times where we wondered if we were wasting our time. One of the main reasons why we started doing our show was so that we would have a reason to hang out with each other on a regular basis. So really our time isn’t being wasted at all its just that sometimes we would rather just play video games instead of recording a show.
You seem like a pretty close unit, were you all friends before The Target Demographic?
Actually Jonathan and Wayne knew each other in high school. After high school we all attended college together but the 4 of us never really hung out together until after college when we started doing weekly Halo nights together.
Technical
You run a pretty slick show, who does the editing?
Wayne does most of the editing. When he’s gone Bryan takes over. Much of the editing is done during the show, unless we do a live show in which case notes in the program are made and then Wayne goes back and edits. All the programs used are free, Audacity being the recording software, and we use a four channel sound board since we all record in the same room.
Who’s responsible for each segment’s content?
Intro and General Host = Bryan
Around the Pool Table = All
News = Jon Maher
Album of the Week= Matt Elliott
Main Topic= All
Community = Wayne
With the music it’s pretty clear that it’s Matt’s responsibility, what about Topic of the Week? Who comes up with those or are they more organic in their origins, like perhaps extensions of off-air debates between you guys?
The topics are often organic from off-air or sometime on-air debates or community suggestions and conversations. Also, There are times when the main topic is brought by one person who will usually lead the discussion.
The news, do you all bring info to the table or is that the responsibility of just one of you?
Jon is almost entirely responsible for the news, we all have the opportunity to give input.
What software are you using to currently record the show?
Audacity
How many programs did you go through before you settled on the one you’re using now?
We started with Audacity, but have checked out others like Adobe’s Soundbooth. We use Pamela to record Skype calls.
If our readers wanted to start podcasting their own shows, what do they need to get up and running?
There are a lot of podcast out there. It really helps to have a niche to approach a subject that you’re covering. In terms of technical requirements, we are fortunate to sit in the same room so we use a 4 channel soundboard, 4 mics and mic stands, and some other misc. cables. If you’re going to record with people seperately then a good headset, a computer capable of recording, and a good internet connection. You will also need a website/blog to allow people to access your content and to have it pulled to itunes, zune, or other podcast directories.
Opportunities
Although you cover music and movies, it seems to me that primarily you’re a video game-centric podcast, with this is mind; do you ever get contacted by industry folk like Sony etc, to discuss or advertise any of their products?
We get regular press releases, and have been able to attend some gaming events (including E3). So far, very little free stuff, but we kind of like it that way. It is going to be a challenge to stay “real” if we start getting games given to us, or trips paid for.
Matt = I have played received two free games up to this point and that is honestly 2 more then i expected.
Finally… Why should anyone listen to your show?
We’ve heard a couple of different times from listeners “man, I wish I had a group of friends like you guys!” We know we’re lucky to have a group of friends with similar interests. As corny as it sounds, we invite people for a long hour and half each show to be a part of that group. It’s definitely not for everyone, but its worth a listen to find out if it’s for you.
What advice can you give to any of the Nerdles readers who want to start their own podcast?
Wayne= be honest with co-hosts about strengths and weaknesses. Originally I was to host the show – but was stuttering fool, we have the bloopers to prove it. The show runs so much smoother with Bryan running point. To find this out, record several times without posting. The first show you officially release should be your best.
Jon= I don’t think that everyone should listen to our show. Everyone should just try it out. Ultimately, we are four friends who are going to just be ourselves as we talk about the stuff we love. Either we will be the kind of guys you like to hear from or not. We have a great time, and if you click with our crew you will too.
Going along with that, I think the best advice I can give to people who want to start a show is to just be yourselves. Trying to make your show appeal to everyone, will end up with something that appeals to no one. Of course, if your group has something that can work as a unique “hook” (e.g. one of you is from a different country, you are all married with kids, etc) that is a nice thing to leverage. We’re just four assorted nerds, so we had to work with what we had. : – )
Matt= Use the podcast as an excuse to hang out with good company. And try not to get into to many discussions before the recording.
Bryan= Don’t bother spending money on “good” mics, instead by a decent sound board. We run a small Behringer sound board (less than $100), 4 mics that cost like $8 each, and we record in Audacity (free).
Anything to plug?
Platform Nation (www.platformnation.com) ; The Married Gamers (Podcasting God Parents)
Thanks guys.
Get on over to http://tdpodcast.com and check out some of their archives and subscribe to their rss feed. You won’t regret it.
Here at Nerdles.com we’re going to start a regular feature entitled Podcasts You Should Listen to.
We’ve managed to snag a couple of interviews with industry recognized podcasters and over the following weeks will share them with you guys.
Now, for our first feature we’re going to be interviewing the team from one of my favorite podcasts – The Target Demographic.
The Target Demographic Podcast comprises of four guys who get together every week to record their thoughts on the latest movies, music and video game news.
Making up the team are… (I’ve taken the bios and pics from http://tdpodcast.com)
Wayne Richardson
Wayne “The Rock?” Richardson, was born in Prague to a male gypsy named Yakapoh and his bride, the foreman (forewoman…foreperson?) at the local smelting factory. At the age of 11, he was apprenticed to a small honey farm in Zurich, where his recreational visits to the local swiss banks gave him an appreciation of international finance and a burning desire to prove himself in the high-stakes game of international diplomacy.Frustrating FPS gamers for nearly ten years now, Wayne’s damn-near godlike abilities have gained him a reputation for being a cheater and a cheap-kill enthusiast, which he is most definitely not. Wayne’s uncanny propensity for mastering the “where the hell did that come from?” weapons of any FPS have made the “Dome-inator” notorious in many gaming communities, where his welted name is spoken with a mixture of fear and dread.Wayne currently resides in Sanger with his wife Rebekah, AKA “Lepekah.” He was recently awarded his special education teaching credential, and plans to use this document for reinforcing the wings and hull of his RC plane.
Jonathon Maher
Jonathan “Gattica” Maher has historically been the “Seinfeld Gamer” to the Kramer Gamers of the world (including Kramer Gamer patient zero–occasional TD guest host Ben Akina), often purchasing multiple consoles of each generation for the sheer thrill of letting his mooch-tacular neighbors and friends suckle on the proverbial teat of his very supple generosity. Nowadays, however, he is more well known for his wealth of marginally useful knowledge…a quirk that has earned him the title of, “smartest guy in the room, depending on the room.”
In a significant way, Jon paved the way for the Target Demographic Podcast to be formed–his weekly gatherings of 10 to 20 post-college/pre-career friends (usually self-funded) fostered the first video game/movie discussions among the four hosts and made Bryan the Master Chief-loving man he is today.
Jonathan and his wife Lisa currently reside in Kingsburg, California, a land flowing with windmills and poorly-designed intersections. Lisa’s virtual dog, Preston, has been missing for several years now. Jon loves steak and egg burritos.
Bryan Griffith
Bryan “Roast Beef ” Griffith was recently on the receiving end of a restraining order filed by Karl “Master Chief” Grissom, the real-life inspiration for the protagonist of Bungie’s multi-million dollar FPS franchise, the title of which escapes me at this moment. Details are, at present, privileged information that most likely will not be released to the general public, but the most reliable rumors claim Griffith was “stalking” Grissom with anonymous gifts of baked goods signed, “sticking to you like a plasma grenade, –your friendly neighborhood Dr Blunder.”
Bryan is the only sports fan (and therefore the closest thing to a normal man) among the Target Demographic’s “Knights of the Pool Table,” whose collective athletic experience is mostly limited to Hot Shots Golf and Wii Sports.
Bryan’s wife Kari recently gave birth to their first child–a beautiful baby girl that, thankfully, looks more like mom. Bryan lives in Fresno, California, and drives a truck with a bumper sticker that reads, “My other car is a Mongoose.”
Matt Elliott
Matthew “The Quiet Riot” Elliott, a die-hard hockey fan who, during his college years, occasionally took up residence in the hellishly-humid state of South Carolina, has forgotten more about great and unconventional music than the average American will ever know. His impressive media library (including the four male food groups: music, movies, video games, and comic books) has exponentially increased in size ever since he hit legal adulthood.
He is notorious around the pool table for his hockey super fan-dom, his tendency to leave 95% complete games unfinished, and leaving dishes soaking in the sink.
The only unmarried member of the podcast, Matthew is currently a card-carrying member of the eHarmony online community, where his sharp wit and expansive collection of Shadowrun memorabilia have caught the eye of hundreds of women across America. Matthew’s dog, Pierce, enjoys peeing on the rug every once in a while. Sidney Crosby rules!
So, let’s get it on!!!!!!
Okay, for the first part of the interview, I’m going to focus, predictably, on the early days of TD Podcast.
Origins…
Who came up with the idea of doing the Target Demographic?
Bryan came up with the idea of doing a podcast. Jonathan came up with the name.
Did any of you already have a background in radio or host any other podcast shows?
No, but we all were avid listeners of various video game podcasts, particularly 1UP Yours, GFW Radio, and some of the IGN podcasts.
At first, I’m presuming that you had very little listeners, what made you continue during those early days?
Right from the start we had a small, yet vocal group of listeners that would comment on our site regularly. As the comments began to come from a wider audience (including people we didn’t actually know in real life) it became more and more exciting to do the show.
Did any of you express any doubts as to whether or not you were wasting your time?
I think that we have all had times where we wondered if we were wasting our time. One of the main reasons why we started doing our show was so that we would have a reason to hang out with each other on a regular basis. So really our time isn’t being wasted at all its just that sometimes we would rather just play video games instead of recording a show.
You seem like a pretty close unit, were you all friends before The Target Demographic?
Actually Jonathan and Wayne knew each other in high school. After high school we all attended college together but the 4 of us never really hung out together until after college when we started doing weekly Halo nights together.
Technical – You run a pretty slick show, who does the editing?
Wayne does most of the editing. When he’s gone Bryan takes over. Much of the editing is done during the show, unless we do a live show in which case notes in the program are made and then Wayne goes back and edits. All the programs used are free, Audacity being the recording software, and we use a four channel sound board since we all record in the same room.
Who’s responsible for each segment’s content?
Intro and General Host = Bryan
Around the Pool Table = All
News = Jon Maher
Album of the Week= Matt Elliott
Main Topic= All
Community = Wayne
With the music it’s pretty clear that it’s Matt’s responsibility, what about Topic of the Week? Who comes up with those or are they more organic in their origins, like perhaps extensions of off-air debates between you guys?
The topics are often organic from off-air or sometime on-air debates or community suggestions and conversations. Also, There are times when the main topic is brought by one person who will usually lead the discussion.
The news, do you all bring info to the table or is that the responsibility of just one of you?
Jon is almost entirely responsible for the news, we all have the opportunity to give input.
What software are you using to currently record the show?
Audacity
How many programs did you go through before you settled on the one you’re using now?
We started with Audacity, but have checked out others like Adobe’s Soundbooth. We use Pamela to record Skype calls.
If our readers wanted to start podcasting their own shows, what do they need to get up and running?
There are a lot of podcast out there. It really helps to have a niche to approach a subject that you’re covering. In terms of technical requirements, we are fortunate to sit in the same room so we use a 4 channel soundboard, 4 mics and mic stands, and some other misc. cables. If you’re going to record with people seperately then a good headset, a computer capable of recording, and a good internet connection. You will also need a website/blog to allow people to access your content and to have it pulled to itunes, zune, or other podcast directories.
Opportunities
Although you cover music and movies, it seems to me that primarily you’re a video game-centric podcast, with this is mind; do you ever get contacted by industry folk like Sony etc, to discuss or advertise any of their products?
We get regular press releases, and have been able to attend some gaming events (including E3). So far, very little free stuff, but we kind of like it that way. It is going to be a challenge to stay “real” if we start getting games given to us, or trips paid for.
Matt = I have played received two free games up to this point and that is honestly 2 more then i expected.
Finally… Why should anyone listen to your show?
We’ve heard a couple of different times from listeners “man, I wish I had a group of friends like you guys!” We know we’re lucky to have a group of friends with similar interests. As corny as it sounds, we invite people for a long hour and half each show to be a part of that group. It’s definitely not for everyone, but its worth a listen to find out if it’s for you.
What advice can you give to any of the Nerdles readers who want to start their own podcast?
Wayne= be honest with co-hosts about strengths and weaknesses. Originally I was to host the show – but was stuttering fool, we have the bloopers to prove it. The show runs so much smoother with Bryan running point. To find this out, record several times without posting. The first show you officially release should be your best.
Jon= I don’t think that everyone should listen to our show. Everyone should just try it out. Ultimately, we are four friends who are going to just be ourselves as we talk about the stuff we love. Either we will be the kind of guys you like to hear from or not. We have a great time, and if you click with our crew you will too.
Going along with that, I think the best advice I can give to people who want to start a show is to just be yourselves. Trying to make your show appeal to everyone, will end up with something that appeals to no one. Of course, if your group has something that can work as a unique “hook” (e.g. one of you is from a different country, you are all married with kids, etc) that is a nice thing to leverage. We’re just four assorted nerds, so we had to work with what we had. : – )
Matt= Use the podcast as an excuse to hang out with good company. And try not to get into to many discussions before the recording.
Bryan= Don’t bother spending money on “good” mics, instead by a decent sound board. We run a small Behringer sound board (less than $100), 4 mics that cost like $8 each, and we record in Audacity (free).
Anything to plug?
Platform Nation (www.platformnation.com) ; The Married Gamers (Podcasting God Parents)
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