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Florida Matters

WUSF Public Media
Florida
Tampa Bay
Hurricane Milton
Tampa
St. Petersburg
Climate Change
Tampa Bay Rays
University Of South Florida
Mental Health
Hurricane Helene
Everglades
Gaza
Emergency Management
Hillsborough County
Florida State Parks
Chitlin Circuit
Vaccination Rates
Pinellas County
Inflation
Community Support

Your spot for real, daily conversations. Where neighbors become storytellers, newsmakers explain why and how changes happen and where locals — natives to the area and newcomers — discover and delight in the community they share.

PublishesDailyEpisodes500Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Florida Matters

Latest Episodes

Our series of hurricane prep programs covers legal questions and important home documents. How do you pick up the pieces after the storm is gone?

Then, why was a local emergency manager put on leave? Tampa’s firefighters and police battle it out for... more

Whether you’re a longtime Floridian or a newbie to this godforsaken hurricane business, preparing for storm season can be quite intimidating. What do you store in a survival kit? How can you protect your home? When should you evacuate? We rein in a p... more

Forecasters are expecting eight to 14 storms this hurricane season, which starts Monday and runs through November. And while last year was relatively quiet, you may still be recovering from Helene, Milton and Debby if you were here for 2024.

On “Flo... more

Simple questions: What is a love bug? And why do they give their lives for a little smooch with our car grilles? We have someone on “Florida Matters: Live & Local” with the facts.

Website: www.wusf.org

Sign up for our daily newsletter: http... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Debbie Castle
Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at USF
University of South Florida
Episode: Bugs we love to hate, inside Florida’s Everglades fight, private art goes public, baseball therapy
Virginia Shearer
Executive Director, Sarasota Art Museum
Sarasota Art Museum
Episode: Bugs we love to hate, inside Florida’s Everglades fight, private art goes public, baseball therapy
Jessica Rios
Licensed clinical social worker; author
Private practice / author of Grief, Hope, and Baseball
Episode: Bugs we love to hate, inside Florida’s Everglades fight, private art goes public, baseball therapy
Jim Large
St. Petersburg mayoral candidate, former fire chief
St. Petersburg government (candidate)
Episode: A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Elizabeth Statser
Pasco Program Director for Vincent House
Vincent House
Episode: A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Hattie Pessitz
Future resident of Vincent House
Vincent House
Episode: A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Michael Kovacev
Assistant Police Chief, St. Pete Police Department
St. Petersburg Police Department
Episode: A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Dr. Jason Zyrimsky
Director of UF Health's Throwing Clinic
UF Health
Episode: He's not a fan of the stadium plan, pitching till it hurts, utility shutoff surge, winning on cue
Josh Wostal
Hillsborough County Commissioner, District 7
Hillsborough County
Episode: He's not a fan of the stadium plan, pitching till it hurts, utility shutoff surge, winning on cue

Host

Matthew Petty
Host of Florida Matters Live and Local; public media journalist

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 19 ratings
  • Great host!

    Amazing host who does a fantastic job with the interviews.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Green in Orange
    United States7 months ago
  • Volume too low

    I enjoy the episodes but would listen to it a lot more if the volume was raised. I typically can only listen to this podcast with headphones in and my volume turned all the way up. In the car it’s almost impossible to hear the speakers clearly. Other than that, good content pertaining to FL politics.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    bettadenu1
    United Statesa year ago
  • Needs to take on issues at a higher level if it is going to stay a weekly

    Ok source of news and info particular to Florida. Unexceptional. I get why other reviewers comment on the podcast being behind the news, though I don’t think it is that bad. The podcast does get into the larger issues which are not really time sensitive.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    aihpcfl
    United States3 years ago
  • SLOW

    either the podcaster is 2-3 days behind the news or the podcaster is 2-3 days slow on posting the podcast to the public?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Oymcneil
    United States3 years ago
  • OK but the content is very Tampa heavy

    It says it’s about Florida in general but the content is very Tampa region heavy.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Biggest of the big Bobs
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Host brings strong local context and multiple expert voices.
Sound levels and pacing vary across episodes.
Coverage can feel Tampa-region heavy at times.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Q: What is your elevator pitch to voters?
With 18 years of executive leadership and a career public servant mindset, I emphasize serving all residents, removing politics from City Hall, and applying crisis-management experience to city leadership.
A Large vision for St. Pete, housing for folks with mental health issues, unsolved mysteries
Q: Is public safety lacking? Should infrastructure be improved? And how well prepared is St. Pete for the next hurricane?
The candidate stresses being proactive rather than reactive, with emphasis on infrastructure upgrades, better communication with residents during storms, and prioritizing aggressive but coordinated improvements.
He's not a fan of the stadium plan, pitching till it hurts, utility shutoff surge, winning on cue
Q: What is the potential impact of the Rays stadium funding on taxpayers?
The discussion questions the financing structure, noting missing documentation and the risk that tax dollars and local revenues could be diverted with uncertain long-term returns for residents.
He's not a fan of the stadium plan, pitching till it hurts, utility shutoff surge, winning on cue
Q: What is causing the surge in elbow and shoulder injuries among young pitchers?
Experts point to a combination of overuse, year-round throwing, specialization at younger ages, and higher velocity demands that stress the elbow joints, with data showing rising Tommy John surgeries.
The Haitian assassination case, Everglades countdown begins, solutions for teen takeovers
Q: What was the moment like when the verdict came down?
The guests described a mixture of disappointment and respect for the system, noting that the sheer volume of evidence made the verdicts unsurprising to seasoned defense attorneys, even as some convictions were surprising to the public.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Matters

What is Florida Matters about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program focuses on Florida-focused news, policy, and community issues with a regional lens. Episodes regularly cover local government, transportation, public safety, environmental policy, healthcare, education, and culture, often pairing reporters and subject-matter experts to unpack how decisions affect daily life. Listeners likely include professionals in government, journalism, nonprofit work, and business who want practical context on state and regional developments, along with residents seeking grounded insight into local dynamics. The show often features diverse guest voices—from policymakers and journalists to researchers and community advocates—providing timely, issue-driven conversations anchored in the Tampa Bay region and br... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Florida Matters?

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How many listeners does Florida Matters get?

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How many subscribers and views does Florida Matters have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Florida Matters has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Florida Matters?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Florida Matters:

1. The Florida Roundup
2. The Florida Roundup
3. The Bay Blend
4. Hidden Brain
5. On with Kara Swisher

How many episodes of Florida Matters are there?

Florida Matters launched 5 years ago and published 500 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Florida Matters?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Florida Matters?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Florida Matters from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Florida Matters?

Recent guests on Florida Matters include:

1. Debbie Castle
2. Virginia Shearer
3. Jessica Rios
4. Jim Large
5. Elizabeth Statser
6. Hattie Pessitz
7. Michael Kovacev
8. Dr. Jason Zyrimsky

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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