Struggling to find something to listen to on the way to class? Want to learn about topics you actually care about?
Good thing one of your very own ’Canes has decided to bless your ears and fill that awkward silence with her latest endeavor — a brand-new podcast called “By Popular Demand” with Mia Housman.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill yap-fest podcast. This is a show designed, “for you, by you.”
Meet Housman: 21, from Framingham, Massachusetts. She’s a broadcast journalism major with minors in marketing and sports Administration. In four years, she’s built an impressive résumé at UM.
She’s been a junior reporter, lead reporter, host of Inside Pitch, women’s basketball analyst on Hurricane Hangtime, a package reporter for Pulse and now, co-anchor of UMTV’s Sportsdesk.
And if her experience isn’t enough, trust me she’s got the voice for it.
The podcast wasn’t something Mia had been planning for months. Instead, it grew out of a chance moment. A friend was heading to a podcast meeting, and Mia tagged along. Sitting there, listening to other students pitch their ideas, she thought about how she could make hers stand out.
What she came up with: an audience-driven podcast where topics are chosen biweekly from a spin wheel. The result is a show that’s unpredictable, interactive and designed to spark conversations.
“It’s barely started, and I already have people begging to be on the pod,” Housman said. She’s dreamed of making a space where the audience feels welcome to share their own opinions.
At its core, “By Popular Demand” is about community. It’s a passion project for Housman, one she hopes will keep growing and evolving as more students get involved. Every episode brings something new, inspired by the masses.
The next episode? A conversation on “Living in Spain: An Abroad Experience,” featuring two UM seniors as special guests..
Episodes drop biweekly, and you can find “By Popular Demand” streaming on Spotify. She has plans to expand to YouTube soon.
For Housman, this podcast is more than a hobby. It’s a creative outlet, a way to foster new ideas and, most importantly, a community-building project.
“Because it’s audience-driven, it matters so much that people are engaged,” Housman said. “It would be so fun to see this continue to grow.”
“By Popular Demand” is just getting started, but Mia’s passion and the podcast’s unique, student-driven concept make it clear that this is one to tune into.