The Barelas Podcaster’s Guild on 4th Street.
It is no secret the Land of Enchantment is making waves in the entertainment industry. We’ve all heard about the facilities being built by Netflix and NBCUniversal, but there’s something else growing in New Mexico and it’s homegrown: The Barelas Podcaster’s Guild.
Launched by local podcasters and creatives, The Barelas Podcaster’s Guild (BPG) has a mission best summed up by one of the BPG’s founders, Ryan P. Freeman:
“Some of us in the Barelas Podcaster’s Guild have been podcasting for over a decade,” Ryan told me. “Imagine if New Mexicans who wanted to get into podcasting didn’t have to have a hard start like the rest of us did.”
“Albuquerque is a creative town where if you get knocked down, you can get back up, try again, and people here will support you. New Mexicans don’t give up easily, and we like supporting each other.”
The BPG is located in the historic B. Rupee building on 4th St. in Barelas. “Barelas is the oldest neighborhood in Albuquerque,” Ryan said. “Local podcasters needed a quiet, dedicated, professional recording studio. A few of us had the skills to make this happen, and it felt like the right time.”
After several months, the BPG can boast fourteen different podcasts upcoming and current podcasts, including one of the biggest brands in the Duke City; New Mexico United just became a member.
Eric Carter-Landin of “True Consequences.”
The BPG has several tiers of membership for people wanting to produce their own podcast: the Red Chile tier at $99/year and the Green Chile tier at $49/year, with each providing different levels of access depending on needs and wants.
For those brand new to podcasting, BPG offers low-cost workshops and monthly seminars on specific topics related to podcasting.
BPG Memberships
Giovanna Anderson, “Brian & Gio Make a Podcast.”
Here are a few examples of the podcasts you’ll find as BPG members:
Fat Guy Eats: Supporting local food and the people who make it happen.
True Consequences: One of BPG’s original founders, Eric Carter-Landin, lost his brother who was murdered in 1986. True Consequences focuses on cold cases and active crime investigation in New Mexico.
What’s Up, ABQ? Everything and everybody Albuquerque!
Brian & Gio Made a Podcast: Brian Wenrich and BPG cofounder Giovanna Anderson draw ideas out of a hat and do a podcast about it.
The podcasts are as different as the hosts, and that’s by design. “We aren’t some kind of exclusive club that only professionals can participate in,” said Ryan with a smile. “We want to make it possible for anyone to start a podcast that wants to, right here in Albuquerque.”
Ryan P. Freeman “What’s up, ABQ?”
Early Success
In addition to more people becoming aware the BPG exists, advertisers have taken note as well. With a reach of over 300,000 listeners each week across their podcasts, the Downtown Grower’s Market at the Railyards tried advertising on BPG’s podcasts and ended up extending their purchase because of all the positive attention.
“We’re pretty proud of that,” Ryan told me. “As other advertisers in the state realize what we can offer them, we expect our advertising to grow, and when a podcaster joins the BPG, they can take advantage of the network effects and earn revenue for their podcasts.”
The Future
Ryan told me he isn’t surprised the BPG is growing. “Albuquerque is a creative town where if you get knocked down, you can get back up, try again, and people here will support you. New Mexicans don’t give up easily, and we like supporting each other. In a few short months we’ve seen growth across the board in the number of podcasts in our network and we’re getting attention from advertisers. We’re thrilled to be partnered with Homewise, and love our studio in the B. Rupee building.”
He paused, and summed it up:
“The future looks great for the Barelas Podcaster’s Guild.