Radio reigned for years as Puerto Rico's widest-reaching medium, but the digital era has reshaped the landscape, opening space for new voices to build their own platforms. According to the Puerto Rico Digital Trends Study de 2023, 17.4 percent of the Puerto Rican public has adopted the podcast as a regular source of information.
The Observatorio de Podcasts de Puerto Rico has reported, in recent years, the emergence of up to 500 active local podcast productions, a number that grows each year. That growth has been driven by public figures, businesses and independent creators, who have made the format their own to produce and distribute content that traditional radio does not cover in the same depth.
While we doubt podcasts will replace radio, these platforms represent a new landscape of personalized information worth exploring. With that in mind, we have put together a roundup of several productions that caught our attention and that we think you should check out.
1. Crimepod Puerto Rico
True crime
Crimepod Puerto Rico, created and hosted by Armando Torres, sets the standard for criminal storytelling in Puerto Rico. Through its investigations into crimes that have shaken the country, from gruesome murders to corruption scandals, it brings a singular focus to the people and events at the center of each case.
"I wanted to make a different podcast for a new audience," Torres told Platea. "Having studied criminology allowed me to use my knowledge to create relevant content about criminal cases in Puerto Rico," he added.
Each of its more than 200 episodes focuses on a specific event, provides the necessary historical context and details the investigations, the criminals and the victims, often through interviews, in a way that highlights the impact those events had on Puerto Rican society and culture.
"I always try to research cases thoroughly, I listen to audience feedback and adjust based on what works best for me. I also make sure the content is clear and easy to understand. I try to keep it relevant at all times."
Armando Torres, creator of Crimepod Puerto Rico
Featured episodes:
¿Quién mató al niño Lorenzo? | Ep. 147
25 de julio de 1978 | Ep. 43
Toño Bicicleta | Ep. 2
La historia de Moncha La Grilla | Ep. 158
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
2. Café on a Budget
Economics and finance
Manuel Vidal and Suhailly Matos worked in Washington, D.C., as technology consultants, where they applied their knowledge in finance, business administration, personal development and real estate to found the community and podcast Café on a Budget in 2019.
"It was through that process that we noticed more money does not always mean less financial anxiety, because managing money well is always a must. We saw that there was a need for this kind of education in Spanish, so we decided to share what we learned and applied, first in Spanish and, second, in plain terms," they explained.
Manuel and Suhailly moved back to Puerto Rico four years ago. The program, which covers topics ranging from debt management to stock market investing, mixes analysis of current events with practical guidance on healthy money habits, in an approachable and easy-to-follow format.
"Anyone with a message to share or a business should have a podcast. Why? Positioning. The audience that consumes podcasts tends to have post-secondary education and greater purchasing power. So if you manage to connect with your audience, you will have followers who become clients."
Manuel Vidal and Suhailly Matos, creators of Café on a Budget
Featured episodes:
Building an Empire…as a Couple (Víctor y Hilsies Infusion Investments) | Ep. 183
Financial Fragility in Puerto Rico: Is the Cost of Living to Blame? | Ep. 233
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
3. Plan de Contingencia
Sociopolitical analysis
Esteban Gómez Geo and Guarionex Padilla Marty, two specialists in Puerto Rican history, host Plan de Contingencia, a space for political and cultural analysis that looks at Puerto Rican reality beyond the metropolitan area.
The program, which has been running continuously since 2018, builds discussions around contemporary and historical topics, including Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States, the economy, and social movements on the Island. Along the same lines, it regularly features interviews with figures from the local political, academic and artistic spheres, from legislators such as Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana (MVC) representative Rafael Bernabe, to well-known economists such as Heriberto Martínez Otero.
Featured episodes:
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
4. Punto Aparte, from Platea
Platea also has its own podcast: Punto Aparte, where we aim to give a voice to entrepreneurs and agents of change who have built their legacy on the Island in their own way. Hosted by Selymar Colón, journalist and Managing Director of Platea Media, Punto Aparte publishes every two weeks.
In one of our most recent episodes, we spoke with Antonio Ortiz, co-founder and executive director of Connect Assistance, who talked about how he grew his initiative from a university startup into one of the fastest-growing companies on the Island. Take a look!
Find it here: Spotify | Youtube
Featured episodes:
5. Hablándole a las Paredes
Music and art
Although it does not publish on a regular schedule like some of the other podcasts on this list, Hablándole a las Paredes, hosted by Dani EMT, offers a close look at Puerto Rico's independent music scene beyond the traditional names.
"I started working on the subject I cover after going to a show where several bands performed that, at the time, I didn't know. When I heard them, they opened my ears and my mind, and I knew I had to use my platform to highlight these wonderful artists and tell their stories," the young host says.
The space offers interviews with emerging musicians, including bands such as Chuwi, Sebimor and Los Berets, and combines music criticism with broader discussions about popular culture, functioning as a platform for both artists and audiences to share their creative processes and shared experiences.
"The independent music scene in Puerto Rico is bigger than anyone would think. It's full of artists who are starting to release their music and veterans who have been involved for years. People should take the risk of seeing and hearing something new because, like it did for me, it changed the direction of my page forever and for the better."
Dani EMT, creator of Hablándole a las Paredes
Featured episodes:
"I let myself be carried by ideas. I don't think about it too much." | Interview with Aurelio Adasme
"We learned more about ourselves recording this album." | Interview with Sebimor
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
6. Mentores en Línea
Entrepreneurship
Jayson Rivera, a young entrepreneur and social media consultant based in the metropolitan area, started Mentores en Línea with the goal of providing a platform to spotlight business owners, fellow entrepreneurs, athletes and influencers who have made a mark on the local scene through their ingenuity or creativity.
The podcast, which is approaching its 300th episode, has featured guests ranging from startup executives and directors of creative incubators to architects, artists and journalists.
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
Featured episodes:
"Yo hablo desde mi verdad desde lo que yo represento" (Interview with Bryan Villarini)
"Cuando haces la diferencia, cobra sentido ser periodista" (Interview with Luis Guardiola)
7. Hablemos de Comida
Gastronomy
Daniel "Orly" Martínez is a self-described "restaurant coach," meaning an expert who works to educate owners and entrepreneurs in the food industry on how to improve both their business and culinary practices.
His platform Hablemos de Comida, which focuses on local and international cuisine alike, highlights the experiences of well-known chefs and food enthusiasts to offer a look at how the industry works from the inside, as well as exploring what continues to transform Puerto Rican food culture.
"In 2020, I started the podcast out of a need in the industry to know what was happening around the best chefs and cooks. Knowing the power that stories have for people, I focused on spreading what those chefs were doing and, at the same time, showing people the difficulties that come with running a restaurant or food business," Martínez said.
I came across the podcast because, when I was distributing local vegetables to restaurants, I would run into Chente Ydrach at one of them and he was just getting his platform started. He once told me, 'This will be the new radio.' That was around 2012."
Daniel "Orly" Martínez, creator of Hablando de Comida
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
Featured episodes:
Interview with Iván Mulero (Borilicious) | Ep. 113
Interview with Brandon Peña (787 Coffee) | Ep. 109
The future of the food industry | Ep. 137
8. Baseball Ahora
Sports
For fans of Major League Baseball and Latin American baseball, Baseball Ahora offers in-depth analytical coverage of everything from day-to-day action, individual games and the regular season to historical perspectives on baseball's legacy as a sport and the people who have shaped it.
The Baseball Ahora team, led by Ponce photojournalist Raúl Ramos, is known for its focus on statistics, strategy and the technical side of the game, giving listeners a detailed look at the sport through weekly episodes that run about an hour.
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
Featured episodes:
9. Radio Breve
Comedy
With Radio Breve, the artistic collective Teatro Breve brought its distinctive comedy style from Santurce to your phone. This comedy and variety podcast is a dose of anecdotes and jokes about everyday Puerto Rican life.
Among its more than 100 episodes, you can also hear perspectives from figures including comedians like Sunshine Logroño, journalists like Celimar Adamés and politicians like Juan Dalmau, in a relaxed setting that lets you get to know them beyond the curtain.
Featured episodes:
Find it here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
