Florida is a dynamic state.
With more than 20 million residents and over 100 million visitors each year, Florida faces some big issues ranging from the environment, to economic development, to educating our children.
For those who care about the Sunshine State, keeping up with the matters they deem important in their lives can seem daunting. But a new online service launched Tuesday is aimed at helping people learn more about the issues affecting Florida from those who are most knowledgeable.
It’s called Fluent in Floridian and it features a series of podcasts hosted by Florida leaders who talk about the issues most important to them. Featured speakers on the podcasts’ debut include Florida State University President John Thrasher, Florida Audubon Executive Director Eric Draper, Tampa Bay Times Political Editor Adam Smith and Sally Bradshaw, longtime senior advisor to former Gov. Jeb Bush.
The podcasts are the production of the SalterMitchell public relations firm in Tallahassee and are hosted by Chris Cate, the firms senior public affairs director.
“Podcasts are an amazing new medium for storytelling, and we’re using it to tell Florida’s story. Every episode features a conversation with a prominent Florida leader about their background and vision for our state,” Cate said. “The goal is to give listeners a chance to better understand the people leading our state and the motivations for their decisions.”
In the series first interview, Cate talks with Thrasher about the issues facing FSU, what he wish he would have known about higher education when he was a state legislator, making FSU better known internationally and his role on the College Football Playoffs Board of Managers.
Each week a new lineup of speakers will be posted. Some of the big names on the list of future podcasts include Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon, Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman, FloridaPolitics.com Publisher Peter Schorsch, and Florida Chamber of Commerce Chairman Syd Kitson.
The interviews are available on the program’s website. You can also subscribe to them on Apple podcasts, or on Android devices.