By Kate Edenborg
If you’re looking for something to listen to on your drive to Chippewa Falls or Eau Claire, you might want to consider a podcast that gives you new insights about people and places in Menomonie. Dustyn Dubuque and Becca Schoenborn started Downtown Menom: The Podcast earlier this year.
“I had the idea when the Menomonie Library podcast went defunct," said Dustyn, executive director of Downtown Menomonie. “I felt there was an untapped market.” He recruited Becca, outreach and education director at Menomonie Market Food Co-op, to co-host.
Becca noted that they both work in outreach positions so they’ve chosen people they think would be a good fit for the podcast. “I personally want to hear all the goofy stories that make this town unique while also using this platform to promote our local businesses and the people behind them,” she said.
Past guests have included John Christiansen of Zymurgy Brewing Company, Menomonie’s police chief Eric Atkinson, UW-Stout’s chancellor Katherine Frank and Dunn County Historical Society’s executive director Melissa Kneeland.
Dustyn said they want to give their listeners a chance to know some of the people they’ve gotten to know in their community roles. “Right now, it is all about interesting people,” he said. “We are guest centric.”
They don’t have a script when they go in to record the podcast. “Our goal is to have a natural conversation and riff off each other and the guest, so we try not to have too much structure,” said Becca.
The only part of the podcast that is planned is the final two questions the hosts ask. Dustyn asks what the guest’s favorite movie is and Becca asks what the best thing the guest has eaten recently.
“It is well established in the podcast that Becca loves food and I love movies,” Dustyn said.
Becca said they’ve been joking that they’ll never come up with a good intro or outro music. “I would personally love a theme song instead. If you know someone or have ideas, please share!”
All the Downtown Menom: The Podcast episodes can be found here: https://www.echometownradio.com/menomonie or https://www.facebook.com/downtownmenomonie
Kate Edenborg is a Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
