Podcasts have become the audio platform people tune into for exploring useful topics like career advice and technology trends, as well as superfluous matters such as medieval conspiracy theories.
For Hillsborough County residents, information for taking care of essential businesses, like severe weather preparation and recovery or discovering the recreational and cultural offerings of the area, is now available via a new podcast called Hello Hillsborough.
New episodes will be released monthly, and the show is hosted by Hillsborough County communications and digital media team members Hilary Zalla and Tyler Adam, who use their talents to bring listeners the latest information about living here.
Besides their communication skills and expertise, the two hosts also reflect the perspectives and interests of newcomers and longtime residents. According to the county’s website, Zalla “is a Midwest girl living her dream Florida life,” and Adams “is born and raised in the Tampa Bay area.”
Hello Hillsborough reflects the county’s effort to communicate in a way that is effective and convenient, according to Terri Cordova-Hewitt, director of the county’s communications and digital media efforts.
“The podcast is a new way for us to connect with our residents and for residents to learn about the resources, programs and activities available to them in Hillsborough County,” Cordova-Hewitt wrote in an email.
“The podcast dives into topics that residents will want to know in a fun, personable format that also introduces residents to the people who are passionate about our community. Our first episode is with Chely, a librarian who talks about all things back-to-school and the best library resources for families,” said Cordova-Hewitt.
That first episode of Hello Hillsborough is already available online at https://hcfl.gov/, where you can navigate to links providing access to the podcast via the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartMedia and YouTube digital media platforms.
For civic-minded podcast enthusiasts who want to help solve murder investigations that have gone cold, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office produces the Unfinished Business podcast, with episodes available at https://teamhcso.com/ as well as on popular digital audio content platforms.
According to Statista, an online data analysis company, a survey conducted this year showed that nearly half of the U.S. adult population, 47 percent, has listened to a podcast within the last month.
