What LatAm Podcasting Can Teach European Creators 🌎 with Julio (JP) Ponce Marín

Eurowaves #28 Interview

Julio (JP) Ponce Marín is a bilingual podcast professional based in Puerto Rico with a decade of experience in production, strategy, and community building across the Spanish-speaking podcast industry. He’s worked with companies like Blue Wire Podcasts, Podchaser, and Evergreen Podcasts, and currently runs Tropical Podcasting and Qué Está Pasando en el Podcasting, a weekly newsletter and podcast covering news and trends for LatAm podcasters. He’s passionate about helping creators professionalize their work and building bridges across the Spanish-speaking podcast ecosystem.

You can connect with Julio on LinkedIn here.

What’s your podcasting journey?

My journey began in late 2005 when I discovered podcasts. I had just joined the US Navy and was miles away from home, looking for a way to feel connected. When I bought my first iPod, I found I could download episodes of my favorite morning radio show directly to it. I rediscovered them in 2009 with my first iPhone and consumed them constantly.

After working in radio, I knew I wanted to start my own podcast. In 2016, I launched Click Deportes Podcast, talking to Spanish-speaking marketing and social media pros in sports. In 2018 I launched Wapa Podcasts, the first podcast network affiliated to a TV channel in Puerto Rico with 5 shows. This was a passion project that came to life and I was involved in everything, from hiring hosts, production, and distribution.

This strengthened my conviction to work in podcasting professionally. When decision-makers at the channel didn’t see the appeal of podcasts, I started to pivot in 2020. This led to roles at Blue Wire Podcasts, Podchaser and Evergreen Podcasts, as well as freelance work.

In 2024, I launched Tropical Podcasting, a weekly newsletter covering news, trends and strategies for Spanish-speaking podcasters with a focus in Latin America, Spain and the US. I also launched the companion podcast Qué Está Pasando en el Podcasting, where my co-host Mayra Ortiz, co-founder of Podcasteras Media, and I discuss the topics in the newsletter and chat with others in podcasting.

Reaching an engaged audience and connecting with industry experts has been incredibly rewarding. Same with the conversations and the projects we’ve been able to share from creators. They are two projects I’m very proud of.

You position yourself as a ‘Bilingual Generalist’ based in Puerto Rico. For European podcasters who feel limited by their local language, what is your biggest lesson on producing content that travels language barriers? Do you focus more on translation or cultural adaptation?

Although I think both translation and cultural adaptation should be carefully balanced, one should not suffer because of the other. If everything is translated perfectly but the cultural references or humor or context is missed by the audience, you’ve lost them. Cultural adaptation should be part of the production process. Regionalization of content should also be something to consider. It is more work upfront to tailor versions of your content for other markets, but this could be a powerful tool as well.

Universal emotions and experience should be the way for podcasters to begin reaching audiences outside their languages. These emotions can then be wrapped around in specific cultural context. We should identify what makes our content unique and why it works in our language and then keep that because that authenticity is what travels across language barriers.

How collaborative is the LatAm audio industry? What’s in place (like networks, festivals, digital communities) to connect LatAm podcasters? And what’s missing?

Podcasting as a whole is incredibly collaborative and the LatAm industry is no different. Digital communities in places like Whatsapp and Facebook have kept us close, learning from one another and sharing resources and experiences. As podcast consumption grows in LatAm, so does collaboration. Big networks in Europe like PRISA Radio or Acast also have a presence in Latin America. But local networks like Revolver Podcasts, Posta, or Genuina Media help creators turn podcasting into sustainable careers.

LatAm also hosts plenty of listening parties for podcasts. Radio Ambulante’s Clubes de Escucha ( Listening Clubs) is a great example of a way of growing their audience but creating community. Events are also gaining momentum in the area. There are locally produced shows like Festival Estéreo in Argentina, Festival Sonora in Uruguay, and Premios Gabo. But big companies like Spotify have also celebrated their Spotify Podcast Awards and even the US-based event Podfest have had presence in the region.

One of the things the region is missing and I’m eager to see change is better data and research in consumption and listening habits. Most of the industry data is US-centric, and although this can give us data US-based latino consumption, it would be very interesting to see how Latin American countries are listening to podcasts.

LatAm shares a language (mostly), but the cultural differences are still there. When you are producing or consulting, how do you handle these differences?

When working with projects, it’s important to always begin by remembering that “Spanish-speaking” doesn’t mean that a joke that lands in Puerto Rico will also land in Argentina. Sometimes shows may need to lean into specificity. In our podcast, Mayra and I are generally neutral in our language since we know we are speaking to a broader audience of people in podcasting. But that approach won’t work for every show. Sometimes they may have to be unapologetically Mexican or Colombian and that authenticity can draw an audience too.

The key is knowing your audience but also being aware how your content may be received beyond your own circle. For bigger productions this is why diversity is also very important.

If you could pick one specific mindset or strategy from the LatAm podcasting scene and bring it to European creators to help them connect, what would it be?

One mindset from this region I’d share with European creators is think globally but act local. LatAm creators love to keep their roots and show off their culture. They know that they are creating content for their neighbors in their countries, but also for the huge community that’s all over the world. That diaspora will always want to connect with their roots also, so they may find value in that podcast of friends talking about everyday life in their country, TV, or music. Find your authenticity and share it!

Share 1-2 podcast recommendations with us!

For recommendations, I’d start with La Brega by WNYC Studios and Futuro Studios. With episodes in English and Spanish it captures Puertorican experience and essence in a brilliant way. Season 2 is called “The Puertorican Experience in Eight Songs” and it’s an incredible look at our culture. But my favorite episode is S1E5 “Basketball Warriors”, telling the story of when the Puertorican Basketball National Team played, and beat, Team USA in Athens 2004.

If you’re into music, NPR’s ALT.Latino is also a great show. It showcases new music and discusses the culture and history of the countries behind it.

Thank you, Julio!