by Heather Howe [Coral Toe]

This month’s featured Podcast is Gamer Girls Radio, the first all-female only hosted gaming podcast. We spoke with hostesses Gameinatrix, Dangerdoll and PeaChi, who filled us in on what drove them to create a podcast and gaming website for, and by, women, and what they hope to accomplish through podcasting.

The Blue Skittle (TBS): How did each of you get started in podcasting?

Cori Roberts (Gameinatrix): For me it was a call from Danger Doll. She said simply, “Hey, we’re doing a podcast―you want in?” I said “Sure!” and here we are four, going on five, years later.

Dangerdoll: For me, I guess, it sounded like fun? But for real, I got the opportunity to put together an all-female gaming podcast over two years ago through PMS1 and Gameshout2 contacts. Once Gameshout moved in a different direction, away from podcasting, an independent, new and improved Gamer Girls Radio was born.

PeaChi: Being the latest edition to Gamer Girls Radio, the show was pretty much established when I jumped in. However, I understand as a gamer that sometimes the best way to reach other gamers, is to be accessible whenever they have a moment to put down the controller and get online. Podcasting is the best platform to reach our target audience.

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TBS: Why did you feel like there needed to be a podcast for, and by, female gamers?

Cori Roberts (Gameinatrix): There are tons of podcasts on the internet, mostly geared towards, or primarily run by, males. Our fellow female gamers need a voice too, so we figured why not us? We all have big mouths and larger-than-life personalities.

Dangerdoll: I felt that many of the podcasts out there were great but just missing the female factor that I could relate to. Many had a female that they played off of intermittently throughout the show, but she would usually be a pawn or a small part of the show.

PeaChi: It’s clear that there isn’t a solid voice for the women out there gaming just as hard and as often as the boys. I enjoy the podcast because it shows the boys that we’re here to play too, and can banter with the best of them. Also, we address topics a little differently than a male-dominated podcast would: we put the girl spin on it (i.e. talking about which guy is cuter).

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TBS: What do you hope to accomplish through podcasting?

Cori Roberts (Gameinatrix): I can’t speak for my co-hosts, but I hope that we are one of the definitive voices in the female portion of the games industry. There are other female podcasts out there, to be sure, but we’re really trying to push the envelope. Though we are against certain stereotypes aimed at female gamers, we embrace them in the hopes that we can slowly begin to steer them in a different direction. Other times we’re just straightforward and militant―whatever gets the job done.

Dangerdoll: Honestly, my goal is just to give a good, entertaining show every time. Gaming is a passion and I love to speak about it, so for those who will listen, I am here to do just that.

PeaChi: I hope that our podcast is viewed as entertaining and informative, but mostly entertaining. We want people to tune in and listen because they enjoy our take on games and gaming in general, not just because we’re women.

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TBS: How do you think podcasting has changed the gaming community?

Cori Roberts (Gameinatrix): We’re more in tune with each other and what we all like and want from our community. It’s strange, but most non-gamers, don’t even realize we ARE a community. Podcasting is a little easier for most people to take in when first visiting our community. They start to change their view of us as outsiders hiding in the basement and say, “Hey these are real people just like me, and if they can game then so can I!” At least that’s what we hope they’ll say.

Dangerdoll: It makes the information readily available in a form for which all you have to do is listen (not that I don’t like reading). Via podcasting, the sky’s the limit! The same information can be delivered many different ways. Some podcasts are tech-y, others not so much; some are very broad and others are super-specific; therefore you can choose from a variety of styles to supplement your gaming passion

PeaChi: I believe it’s hit a different target audience, and podcasts are available all the time which, in itself, is invaluable to an audience that sometimes don’t even surface from their games for dinner.

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Now all of you know that there is a little estrogen in the podcast world! Being a female gamer myself – and often forgoing dinner just to get through that last set list in Rock Band . . . I highly recommend checking out Gamer Girls Radio for your next gaming podcast fix. The ladies also run a sister website geared toward the female gamer: http://gameinatrix.com, which is updated daily, and has links to the podcast.

1 PMS – Pandora’s Mighty Soldiers; the world’s largest multi-platform online gaming group
2 Gameshout – Gaming news website