Steve Jones is the president of Stingray Radio. If you're at all in touch with the radio world, you will know him from his time working in places like Boston, Halifax, Toronto and the Cayman Islands. If you have been following him on LinkedIn (and you should), you have been presented with many wild examples of what qualifies as Canadian content on the radio. We all have our favourites. Matt's are the collection of songs circa 1991 like Rod Stewart's Rhythm of my Heart and Bonnie Raitt's Something to Talk About qualifying as Cancon, while the entire album of Bryan Adams' Waking Up The Neighbours is not. Over the years the list has grown, and now that our planet is more connected than ever with technology, I think we can all agree it's time for a major overhaul of Cancon regulations. Steve recognizes the lack of Canadian content recognition on streaming platforms and calls for a collaborative approach to modernize Canadian content rules. I also suggest that the regulations for radio should also include spoken word content; the regs are already in place for television. Yes, this episode goes for close to an hour, and likely could have gone another hour. I think it's important to clarify, though, that we are not calling for the complete removal of Cancon regulations- the idea behind them is certainly sound. But as Steve attests in our conversation, they're currently doing more to hold back Canadian content than they're doing to prop it up. Steve has a vision for how Canadian music can truly be celebrated and supported in the digital age. And who better to spearhead such a discussion than the President of one of the most forward-thinking radio companies in the country? Watch the Show for Free! We do post the shows to YouTube. Apparently it really helps your show get discovered. To that we say MEH... but we do it anyway .... What do you Think? Since this episode has been released - we have received a few responses and suggestions about creating a fair and equitable system for all involved. (Including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube) If you would like to contribute, you can either send me an email to matt@soundoffpodcast.com - Or go HERE an use your voice to record your response . We will likely use it on a future episode. Or write your comments below.

Valerie Geller is back with an updated edition of Beyond Powerful Radio , a must-have guide for today’s audio communicators navigating podcasting, social media, storytelling, and AI. Six years in the making, the book will continue to act as a companion for any content creator. Staying true to her core principles—tell the truth, never be boring, and make it matter—Valerie urges content creators to focus on authenticity, listener relevance, and compelling storytelling. We dove into th "prism method," a storytelling technique that adds depth by exploring multiple perspectives. We also covered the rise of AI and reaffirm the need for human creativity to be apart of that process. I zeroed in carefully on what has been lacking in radio and broadcasting over the last decade, and that's risk-taking. Valerie's words offer actionable advice for podcasters, including how to craft promos, conduct meaningful interviews through deep listening, and how to build a consistent content strategy. She emphasizes the importance of refining content before promotion and understanding the difference between writing for the eye and the ear. Drawing on her work with over 500 radio and TV stations and 100 podcasts, Beyond Powerful Radio is invigorating and inspiring—ideal for broadcasters, podcasters, and journalists adapting to new platforms and striving to truly connect with their audiences. You can get your copy of the book through the publisher, Routledge or Amazon. If you teach or train? There’s a full accompanying Instructor Manual available for download here:     If you would like Valerie to work with your performers and creators, please contact her through her website.

Carlota G is the midday host at 107.5 XTreme Radio in Vegas. We discussed her early career path in radio, starting as a vinyl collector in high school and later transitioning from a medical billing job and then into broadcasting. She was inspired by DJs like Dusty Street and Doug "Sluggo" Roberts of KROQ fame. Carlota shared stories of her early days in radio, including moving from Southern California to smaller markets like Porterville and Fresno to get her start. She quickly moved up to doing overnight shifts at age 22. We discussed the music scene in the 1990s, including the diversity of alternative radio and the impact of Napster. Carlota honed her interviewing and programming skills over the years, including a long tenure at KCRW. Carlota opened up about the challenges she faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including losing her job and suffering long-term health effects. She praised her current boss, Cat Thomas, for his forward-thinking leadership. We also talked about the potential for revitalizing rock radio by blending alternative and rock music, and Carlota shared her experience of turning around the struggling X107.5 station in Las Vegas. She believes radio can make a comeback by focusing on community engagement, personality, and great music. A video and transcription of this episode can be found on our network page. I mentioned the "Dear Carlota" segment on the show. Here is an example: I totally forgot about this appearance Carlotta made on Jon Gay's Crazy Radio Stories. Listen how Carlota had her ex-program director arrested. [12 minute listen] Carlota was working in Fresno at a rock station. Let's just say she and her boss didn't see eye to eye. Following her dismissal, she was immediately hired at the radio station across the street. When the old boss "ran into" her at a concert, he ended up in the back of a police cruiser.

I recently spoke with Michael Osborne, co-host of the podcast Famous and Gravy - a podcast that explores the lives of deceased celebrities, going beyond typical obituaries to uncover lesser-known aspects of their stories. Co-created with Ahmed Kapoor during the COVID-19 lockdown, the podcast aims to understand celebrities as symbolic representations of societal dreams and fears. As the bio says on their website, they are "close friends and back patio academics who are not what they once thought they were." Michael shares his story from being a PhD student in climate science to becoming a podcast creator. Starting with early inspirations like "This American Life" and Marc Maron, he developed a passion for storytelling through audio. After gaining traction as an independent show, "Famous and Gravy" was picked up by Wondery, a major podcast network. Osborne emphasizes the importance of thorough research, engaging storytelling, and maintaining creative control while providing inspiration for emerging podcast creators. Something we discussed which I thought was interesting was the fuss around the title of the show. Does it describe what the show is about. (Maybe a little?) Is it searchable (Somewhat..) Is it a cool name? (Yes) For those detractors who think the name is not doing the show any favours... I present to you, my lessons from radio. I've been in board rooms and brain storms trying to come up with names for radio stations and if you let enough losers into the meeting, it winds up becing call Clear, Fab, The Breeze, Fresh, Power, Q, X, Z, or The Fox. None of those things mean anything to anyone. If anything - the first 5 could be laundry detergent or fabric softener or toilet paper, or body wash. A name or brand needs to be defined by its content, it's visual promotion and definitely it's audio promotion. So hire amazing voice talent like me , or her , or him , or her. Also give the show a follow here. And you can watch our conversation here.

Elsie Escobar is, without question, one of the pioneers of podcasting. All the way back in 2006, she started one of the original yoga podcasts: Elsie's Yoga Class , which garnered 4 million downloads in its lifetime. She stuck with it until 2013, when she joined Libsyn, and she's been co-hosting their official podcast The Feed ever since. Check out their latest episode below. She also happens to be the first Latina ever inducted into the Academy of Podcasters' Hall of Fame. That's about as fruitful of a career as any podcaster could hope for, but like most of us, Elsie had another life before embracing the world of online audio. She pivoted from her Hollywood acting career after growing tired of feeling tokenized, thinking podcasting might finally let her stretch her creative legs - and boy, did it ever - but of course, not without a struggle. Getting into podcasting is hard enough today, even with the massive online infrastructure and endless number of tools & resources we have access to. Can you imagine how daunting it must have been in 2006? And yet, Elsie endured, and has an Everest-sized mountain of successes to show for it. As someone who's been around since the dawn of podcasting, and has seen just about every evolution the medium has gone through, Elsie brought an incredible (and very rare) perspective to the show. Between her thoughts on things like monetization, adapting to new platforms, adding a video component, the importance of promos, and the future of the industry, anyone looking to make a living in this business will no doubt find something incredibly valuable in this episode. Elsie is also the co-founder and co-host of She Podcasts , the largest online community for women and non binary podcasters on Facebook with over 20,000 members. She continues to make the podcasting space safer and more connected every day, and even shares her future plans to create a better ecosystem for her audience. Do you have a podcast and would like some free promotion? You can email Elsie at the Feed, Libsyn's Official podcast. They will play your promo during their show. There are a few ways to get in touch with them. Call 412-573-1934 Email thefeed@libsyn.com Use our Speakpipe Page

At least once a year I get the urge to do an episode about career management and what to do when there are mass layoffs from the impactful culprits like Bell, Audacy, iHeart, Corus, Rogers, or Cumulus. Yes these aren't the only companies that lay off staff but it feels worse when public companies do it. Over the last few months, Corus and Audacy have faced restructuring and rumours abound of being de-listed from their local stock exchange. If you are thinking a career change is inevitable, I have an episode 8 years in the making. I met Mac Prichard back in 2016 at Podcast Movement in Chicago. He had just started his podcast "Find Your Dream Job". Although the podcast is Portland, OR based, all the strategies and tactics to finding your dream job apply universally. In this episode, we will flashback to 2016 when I had no idea WTF I was going to do for work, and I appeared on Mac's show and they helped point me in the right direction. You'll also pick up some strategies on networking, applying for jobs, and managing your online presence. Yes, you need a LinkedIn Page. With that said, please connect to mine right now.   PLEASE - share this episode with a friends who can benefit from all this amazing career advice. Please subscribe to Mac's Podcast "Find Your Dream Job". Build a career that matters to you with job search strategies and career advice from Find Your Dream Job. Every week, we share insider secrets and job search tips on how to get a great job and develop a purposeful career. Looking for your first job, searching for direction in your career, or just need tools to find a job? Join Mac Prichard, the Mac's List team, and our expert guests every week for job search inspiration, empathy, and actionable advice to help you find work that matters! A complete transcription is available on our network website.

Jordan Blair first fell in love with the storytelling in podcasts. Then she started a bedtime story podcast called Dreamful, initially for her children, but unexpectedly evolving to attract a diverse audience of adults seeking relaxing content. Her podcasting journey involved extensive research like listener surveya and using Buzzsprout's resources and community. She experimented with monetization strategies like listener support, affiliate marketing, and sponsorships, always prioritizing brand alignment. Jordan became deeply involved with Buzzsprout, first as a community moderator and later as a co-host of the Buzzcast podcast. She is a big fan of the Rodecaster Duo and we spent a litte time at the end of the show geeking out over a few tech toys. Buzzsprout is a great places to host your podcast, especially if you are starting out. There is an excellent Facebook Group (where you can find Jordan moderating), a great Tuesday Newsletter and companion podcast, and now a Reddit group. Bedtime Stories for Slumber. Each episode is a dreamy story accompanied by music to help you drift into a deep sleep. Jordan began her podcast by immersing herself in research, exploring podcasting resources and learning through YouTube tutorials. Encouraged by her husband—she launched the show with the intention of creating something meaningful for her kids. Over time, the podcast’s reach grew, resonating with a wider audience.

I catch up with Jeremy White, who left his position at Montreal's 92.5 The Beat in January 2023. He spoke at length about the challenges and limitations he faced while working at 92.5 The Beat in Montreal. After leaving the station, he transitioned to creating his own independent media platform, focusing on his YouTube channel and podcast that features in-depth interviews with music artists. Jeremy spoke of the restrictive nature of traditional radio, where talent is undervalued and creativity is secondary. He describes his experiences voice tracking for stations, creating a professional video setup, and ultimately breaking free from corporate constraints. His move to fill in on talk radio at 640 Toronto was an unexpected but enlightening experience that showcased his versatility as a broadcaster. We got into it over the music industry's gatekeeping practices, sharing frustrating experiences of booking interviews and promoting artists. He emphasizes the importance of building a personal brand and creating high-quality content that transcends traditional media limitations. Currently, Jeremy can be found running the Mohawk Market with his family and producing great online content. He remains passionate about disrupting radio's traditional models, advocating for more support of talent and innovative approaches to broadcasting. His story is a testament to breaking rules, staying true to one's roots, and creating opportunities outside of conventional media structures. You can find a transcript of the episode on our Network Page here. And please - if you love music and entertainment - subscribe to his YouTube Channel. Currently, you can hear Jeremy on great radio stations like 105.5 WJYY in New Hampshire ,  or on his podcast,

When it comes to careers in radio, it's not about whether or not you'll get fired someday- you will. It's about how you bounce back. And I can't think of a more perfect example of bouncing back than Bob Willette. A radio veteran of 25+ years, Bob recently joined Indie 88 in Toronto after being let go from his program director role in Kingston. We discuss the challenges facing the radio industry, including corporate consolidation, content repurposing, and Canadian content regulations. As a former award-winning program director, and now a full-time announcer, Bob had a whole lot of ideas for Indie 88. He shares exactly what they were and how he managed to integrate them, emphasizing the importance of creativity and live radio. We explore the changing media landscape, the role of the CRTC, and the need for radio stations to adapt to new technologies and audience preferences. We also dive into Bob's storied radio history, beginning all the way back with Humble and Fred on 102.1 The Edge, one of Toronto's most beloved Alternative stations. If you like listening to Bob (and why wouldn't you), you should know he's got a podcast of his own: Bob's Basement , "A show about change." I'll let you discover the rest for yourself, but if you enjoy music, movies, comedy, live shows, radio, TV or cinema, Bob's got you covered. Check out the most recent episode below, featuring Kids in the Hall 's Scott Thompson. You can also connect with Bob on Instagram, LinkedIn , Twitter/X and Facebook.

Ashley Greco's radio career is an obsession. Admittingly shy as a high school student, she discovered her calling in broadcasting through a small school radio station that broadcast to the cafeteria. Her first job was not in radio, but at a medical supply store with a radio locked on the venerable CHFI. Graduating from Humber College's radio program, Greco navigated her early career through traffic reporting and weekend shifts, gradually building her skills and reputation. Her breakthrough came at Z103, where she transitioned from a traffic reporter to a morning show host, learning the nuances of radio entertainment from mentors like Scott Fox. Her 12-year tenure at CHUM marked a significant period of professional development, including a national radio role that required adapting to broader audience engagement through social media trends. The pinnacle of her career came with a bold move to Ottawa, joining Pure Country radio and partnering with Gord St. Denis after a carefully considered personal audition. Throughout her journey, Greco embraced continuous learning, working with coaches like Angela Pirelli and exploring voiceover work. Her story illustrates the importance of taking calculated risks, maintaining passion, and remaining adaptable in the ever-changing media landscape.