Podcast appearances and mentions of Will Pearson

Peterborough Currents is going through some big changes. A key piece of our funding has dried up, which has necessitated some tough conversations about what lies ahead for our community-powered local news outlet. At the same time, we're transitioning to become a non-profit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. It's a lot! In this episode, karol orzechowski interviews Currents publisher-editor Will Pearson about everything that's going on at Currents. karol is the board chair of the Peterborough Association for Local News, the brand new non-profit that will be assuming ownership of Peterborough Currents in the coming weeks and months.We discuss the past, present and future of Currents, as well as how different journalism business models shape the content outlets produce. Have any questions? Email will@peterboroughcurrents.ca to get in touch.Thanks to Charlie Glasspool and 3C84 for the music on this episode.

Episode 94 with Cole Nowicki, skateboarder, writer and publisher based in Vancouver, BC.Together we discussed his life and career, from growing up and picking up his first skateboard in Lac La Biche, Alberta to releasing his most recent book “Laser Quit Smoking Massage” in 2024 and everything in between through surprise questions from friends of his. (00:13) – Intro(01:25) – Nathan Mader(04:20) – Fine. Press(06:07) – Mike Munzenrider (09:21) – Jen Sookfong Lee (10:11) – Carleigh Baker and Sean Cranbury(11:52) – Writing habits (13:59) – Paul O'Connor(19:44) – Dina Del Bucchia(21:12) – Farran Golding(25:29) – Sarah Berman (27:08) – John Dahlquist (33:30) – Alicia Tobin(34:55) – Stew Klein(37:35) – Deer Man from Barrier Kult(38:35) – First connection with the Barrier Kult(41:38) – Patrick Kigongo(44:15) – Aaron Read(45:54) – Will Pearson(51:52) – Stefen Ursulan (56:01) – Nikola Racan(56:54) – Michael Christie(01:00:07) – Ian Browning (01:06:14) – Hiller Goodspeed (01:07:34) – José Vadi(01:12:10) – Indigo Willing(01:17:05) – Norma Ibarra(01:19:24) – Matt Bowes(01:22:12) – Kyle Beachy (01:27:41) – ConclusionFor more information and resources: https://linktr.ee/beyondboardsHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Welcome to Peterborough Currents' podcast coverage of the city's 2025 budget process! In this episode, Brett Throop and Will Pearson discuss what's behind next year's proposed tax increase and how the city might solve its budget troubles without resorting to tax hikes. We also discuss a couple of key topics we've reported on, including the city's capital shortfall and discretionary benefits for social assistance recipients.TIMESTAMPS(0:00) Community rallies against cuts to arts and community grants(6:38) Why are citizens facing a big tax hike for the second year in  a row?(17:26) Councillors met for two days to bring the tax hike down. It went up instead.(29:24) Why Mayor Jeff Leal sees high taxes as an economic development issue(37:34)  Property taxes are over a century old. Is there a better way to fund cities?(42:10) The city's capital budget and  growing infrastructure backlog(56:55) Transit riders face higher fares for the same service next year(1:03:47) Should the city fund health benefits for people on social assistance?(1:14:56) Millions more for homelessness next year; is it sustainable?(1:23:52) A "beautiful vision" of what budget season could beSPECIAL THANKSThanks to Will Ward for the wonderful piano improvisations.Thanks to Eddy Sweeney from Trent Radio for audio of the Community Not Cuts rally.SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISMOur in-depth and community-centred journalism takes a lot of resources to produce. We can't do it without you. If you want to see Peterborough Currents grow (and make more podcasts!) please sign up as a financial supporter: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

In this enlightening episode, we welcome Will Pearson and Brent Cebulla, co-founders of Scalero, a lifecycle marketing services and software company.  With their extensive experience in the field, Will and Brent share valuable insights on using complex marketing tools, optimizing customer communications, and leveraging AI for improved efficiency. They discuss Scalero's approach to solving diverse lifecycle marketing challenges, their unique software offerings, and their vision for expanding into new service areas.  This episode is a must-listen for marketers seeking to enhance their customer engagement strategies and streamline their marketing processes.  

In this World Oceans Day special edition of Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations, host Richard Delevan dives deep into the pervasive issue of ocean plastic pollution. Joined by Will Pearson, founder of Ocean Bottle, they discuss the alarming increase in plastic production, the environmental and health impacts of microplastics, and the innovative solutions that Ocean Bottle is pioneering to tackle this global crisis.Key Topics Covered:* Interview with Will Pearson:* Background on Will Pearson and the founding of Ocean Bottle in 2018.* Discussion on the impact of microplastics on ocean ecosystems, particularly the reproduction of plankton.* Will Pearson's personal experiences that led him to tackle ocean plastic, including his time spent at sea and witnessing plastic pollution firsthand.Ocean Bottle's Mission and Achievements:* Ocean Bottle's innovative model: funding the collection of 1000 plastic bottles for each product sold.* Achievements: Reaching the milestone of collecting one billion plastic bottles.* Expansion of collection projects in coastal communities worldwide.Challenges and Future Goals:* Discussion on the challenges of creating a profitable business model that also delivers positive environmental impact.* The company's growth from a Kickstarter campaign to raising $9 million in funding.* Future goals: Expanding the product range and digital technology to further the mission of reducing ocean plastic.The Plastics Treaty and Recycling Issues:* Insight into the ongoing negotiations for a global plastics treaty.* The complexities and inefficiencies of current recycling systems.* Potential policy changes, such as extended producer responsibility, to incentivize better plastic management.Will Pearson's Catalysts:* Influences that shaped Will's approach to tackling ocean plastic, including the book "Net Positive" by Paul Polman.* The importance of understanding the problem and the power of innovation in creating solutions.Final Thoughts:* Optimistic outlook on the potential to address ocean plastic pollution through collective effort and innovation.* Encouragement for listeners to engage with and support initiatives that aim to protect the environment.Additional Resources:* Ocean Bottle: WebsiteCredits:* Hosted by Richard Delevan* Guest: Will Pearson* Production Assistance and Additional VO: Theo Delevan* Music by Suncharmer and in our Playlist:Support the Show: please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And wickedproblems.earth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In my kitchen this week I am joined by Will Pearson the Co-Founder of Ocean Bottle where we have a big discussion about the extent of the ocean's plastic pollution issue, what we are currently doing to reduce the amount of plastic going into our oceans and what more can be done!Will is interested in combining entrepreneurship with social and environmental impact. He's appeared on the Forbes 30 under 30 list and was named one of Norway's Top 10 Leaders under 30 for his work towards sustainable development goals. After his engineering degree, William spent a year working at sea in the Indian Ocean, where he experienced first hand the effects of pollution on the ocean, and decided to pursue a career in environmental impact and business.Ocean Bottle is a social impact brand first and, reusable bottle brand second. On a mission to prevent 7 billion plastic bottles in weight from entering the ocean by 2025, Ocean Bottle enables companies and individuals to have a global impact on stopping ocean plastic.Its core product, the world's most impactful reusable bottle, funds collection of 1000 ocean-bound plastic bottles in weight for every purchase. Ocean Bottle products stop ocean-bound plastic at the largest sources, setting up long-term infrastructure for plastic collection and supporting livelihoods in coastal communities worst affected.Ocean Bottle has recently launched new ventures based on its impact platform Ocean Co which offers customers full traceability of funding. Ocean Bottle gives over 15% of its revenue to impact and has so far prevented 14,164,500kg of ocean-bound plastic, equivalent to 1 billion plastic bottles from reaching the ocean.In this episode we discuss the following topics:The mission and concept around Ocean BottleThe pivotal moment of how Will then started Ocean Bottle Just how bad the global plastic pollution issue isHow did the team start to tackle such a vast global issue Plastic as currencyWhen the plastic is collected and recycled what happens to it? How the recycling system worksHow the UK deals with some of it's rubbish What more can we do to make a differenceWhat businesses can do E-confessionsSponsors:AXIS BIOTIX - Order your 28 day skin to gut sachets - hereCATCHUPS for 10% off your order This episode was hosted and produced by Georgia SymondsGeorgia's Instagram - click here!For more information and other interesting articles check out our website: www.catchupsinmykitchen.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcasting is exploding with listenership up year over year. In this episode,  Adam Torres and Will Pearson, President at iHeartPodcasts, explore the past, present and future of podcasting. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia

Podcasting is exploding with listenership up year over year. In this episode,  Adam Torres and Will Pearson, President at iHeartPodcasts, explore the past, present and future of podcasting. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia

In 2023, the City of Peterborough implemented two new initiatives to respond to homelessness in the city and to offer low-barrier services for people whose needs were not being met by the existing shelter system at the time.Those two initiatives were the modular housing community on Wolfe Street, where 50 sleeping cabins replaced a tent encampment, and the Trinity Community Centre, which was funded to provide overnight shelter for six months of the year and a daytime drop-in program year-round.In February 2024, four people who were instrumental in designing and delivering these two initiatives participated in a panel discussion to share what the process was like, what they learned, and what challenges remain. The panelists were: Alex Bierk, Christian Harvey, Auden Palmer, and Jessica Penner.The panel was part of the Community Symposium on Housing and Homelessness, which was hosted at Trent University by the Research for Social Change Lab, the Peterborough Drug Strategy, and United Way Peterborough and District. Peterborough Currents is sharing highlights from this panel discussion in this podcast episode.UPDATE: This discussion was recorded on February 23, 2024. At the time, the Trinity Centre's overnight shelter was set to close for the season on March 31, and mention of this closure is made a couple of times in this podcast. On March 25, 2024, One City Peterborough confirmed to Currents that the shelter will remain open until at least the end of April with support from United Way Peterborough and District.CREDITS: This episode was produced by Will Pearson. Audio recording by Ayesha Lye. Intro music by Jordan Cook.SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LOCAL JOURNALISM: At Peterborough Currents, our mission is to serve the citizens of Peterborough with in-depth and community centred news. If you value our work, please support us financially: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

Episode four of our series on the 2024 municipal budget, which we're producing in partnership with Arthur Newspaper. In this episode, we dive into the capital budget.We start this episode on Sherbrooke Street near the city's western limit, where there's stretch of road that is nasty to navigate as a pedestrian. Folks who walk along this part of Sherbrooke wish the city would build a sidewalk to make their commutes easier and safer.But it doesn't look like they'll get their sidewalk any time soon. That's because the city is struggling to keep up with its infrastructure costs and is prioritizing other road projects first. During November's budget talks, city councillors voted down a proposal to spend $1.8 million on a temporary sidewalk to help pedestrians out until the city pays for a more permanent fix.According to the city's budget documents, Peterborough faces a $70 million infrastructure shortfall every year. That's forcing councillors to make tough choices about which projects they fund and which ones they delay.In this episode of our 2024 Budget podcast series, Brett Throop and Will Pearson dive into the city's capital budget. We cover:The $70 million hole in Peterborough's capital budgetMajor capital projects for 2024, including the new twin pad arenaWhy councillors voted to kill Peterborough's traffic calming programThe sidewalk on Sherbrooke StreetShould we think of trees as capital assets?And more!City council is expected to give its final approval to the 2024 budget on December 11. We'll have a final wrap-up episode of the podcast series after that. Thanks for listening!CREDITS: This episode was produced by Brett Throop. It was hosted by Brett and Will Pearson.MUSIC: Thanks to Will Ward for his piano improvisations, which were recorded at The John, the event space at Sadleir House.PLEASE SUPPORT PETERBOROUGH CURRENTS: It's not just the city that is budgeting for 2024. So are we. We're making big decisions for the coming year right now. Can we afford to hire new staff and produce more journalism? Or will we have to cut back and produce less? Everything is on the table. If you want us to continue producing in-depth, community-centred journalism next year, please support us if you are able. Here's where you can sign up: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

City councillors went through the 2024 draft budget page by page and line by line last week. By the end of the process, they'd whittled the proposed property tax  increase down from 9.59 percent to 7.38 percent. But they accomplished that by shifting some of the tax burden away from residential property owners and on to business property owners — they didn't make any major cuts to the 2024 spending proposed by city staff.The budget process reveals so much about the city and how it works. In this episode of our podcast series on the 2024 municipal budget, we're covering five stories that came up during councillors' budget deliberations.Why is the city's airport losing millions of dollars every year? Why are city staff taking a "calculated risk" with funding for social assistance medical benefits? Will bus riders see any transit improvements next year? Is the city's bureaucracy too "top-heavy"?And why are the City of Peterborough and Trent University still at loggerheads over the development of campus employment lands?In this episode, Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay and Will Pearson will answer these five questions and share what your city councillors had to say about them as well.PRODUCED AND HOSTED by Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay, Abbigale Kernya, and Will PearsonMUSIC by Will WardTIMESTAMPS:0:00 — Intro2:44 — Peterborough Transit6:26 — Social Assistance Discretionary Benefits11:12 — The Organizational Structure of the City20:10 — Cleantech Commons27:40 — The Peterborough AirportPLEASE SUPPORT PETERBOROUGH CURRENTSWe're a grassroots, audience-funded journalism outlet serving the people of Peterborough, Ontario. To help us produce more journalism, sign up as a supporter here: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

How can everyone help towards fighting plastic pollution in the ocean across the world? Will Pearson, Co-Founder of Ocean Bottle, tells us the inspiration behind setting up the company, the extent of the damage caused by plastic pollution across the world, and how buying a reusable ocean bottle can make a real difference in coastal communities. Find out more about Ocean Bottle and how to buy one - https://oceanbottle.co/ NOC's research into the effects of plastics on our ocean - https://noc.ac.uk/under-the-surface/ocean-plastics Follow us on social media to keep up to date with new episode releases and latest news - https://linktr.ee/nocnews (Podcast artwork credit: Jorge Moya - https://www.instagram.com/storiesbytheocean/)

This episode of Podversations features Kathryn Nicolai, host of the podcast Nothing Much Happens and iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson. With years of experience as a yoga and meditation teacher, Kathryn has created the perfect podcast for falling asleep at night with Nothing Much Happens. Typically, podcasts are filled with epic sound design and cliffhangers to keep listeners engaged, but this one, nope, it's filled with calmness that will send you into a state of tranquility. It's a unique concept - how often do we listen to a podcast designed for us to actually zone out while listening? Kathryn joins Will to talk about how and why she came up with this podcast idea and where she sees it going in the future. With her calm voice and entire world of the Village of Nothing Much, adult bedtime stories have never been so calm and cool.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of our podcast series covering Peterborough's 2024 municipal budget deliberations, we discuss the November 14 and November 15 finance committee meetings, where citizens and community groups addressed city council about the draft budget.What happened? A variety of community groups pleaded with councillors to reverse a proposed cut to their municipal grants. The proposed 3.6% cut to community service grants would save the median household $0.67 on their tax bill next year. Meanwhile, Chief of Police Stuart Betts made the case for a 15.3% police budget increase that would cost the same household about $106 in additional taxes next year.EPISODE HOSTS: Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay, Will Pearson and Evan Robins.APPEARING ON THIS EPISODE: Will Pearson, Evan Robins, Leslie Menagh, Patricia Wilson, Tegan Moss, Andy Cragg, Tricia Clarkson, Su Ditta, Rob Hailman, Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay, Drew Merrett, Stuart Betts, Nicola Koyanagi, Camila Duarte, Keith Riel, Alex Bierk, Joy Lachica, Randy Mellow.MUSIC: Will WardPLEASE SUPPORT PETERBOROUGH CURRENTS: We rely on audience funding to produce our journalism. If you value what we do, please contribute financially so we can continue serving the community this way. Here's where you can sign up: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/ 

Peterborough city staff presented councillors with a draft of the 2024 municipal budget on November 6. The budget proposes hiking property taxes by 9.6 percent next year to continue delivering municipal services.What's behind the increase? Inflation is one cause. Another is a big budget ask from the Peterborough Police — they're asking for $4.6 million more in 2024 than they received in 2023.But the budget isn't set in stone. Councillors will debate it over the next month before  giving it final approval. Peterborough Currents has teamed up with Arthur Newspaper to bring you a podcast series covering the municipal budget deliberations. In this first episode of the series, we discuss our initial reactions to the draft budget and we also check in with Harry Kitchen, a retired Trent University economics professor with an interest in municipal finance.Kitchen argues that of all the taxes we pay in Canada, municipal property taxes offer the most bang for your buck. He says it's the “lowest of all the taxes you pay, and you're getting the most services for that tax.” We hope this podcast helps you understand this year's municipal budget process better. Got any questions? Send them our way and we'll try to answer them on future episodes.CREDITS: Written and produced by Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay and Brett Throop. Hosted by Sebastian, Brett, and Will Pearson. Music by Jordan Cook.PLEASE SUPPORT PETERBOROUGH CURRENTS: Peterborough Currents relies on local community members to fund our work. To continue producing journalism in 2024, we need more support. Can you pitch in $15 per month? Here's where you can sign up: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

On this episode of "Podversations", iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson sits down with Allan Coye, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development and GM at Interval Presents, Warner Music Group. Allan joins Will to talk all about the Interval Presents slate.  In 2022, Allan Coye spearheaded the launch of Warner Music Group's in-house podcast network called Interval Presents with a mission to produce multi-format audio content at the intersection of music, pop culture, and social impact.  A little over a year ago, Interval Presents and iHeartPodcasts teamed up to showcase an amazing slate of shows. In this week's episode, Allan points Will toward the future, discussing shows coming down the pipeline.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the sonic truth, Will Pearson of iHeart Media joins Veritonic's Kristin Charron to discuss the rise of podcast consumption, what brands can do to successfully harness the intimacy and reach of the channel, the measurability and innovations that are driving it's continued growth, and more. Thank you for joining us, and […] The post Why Everyone Should ‘Heart’ Podcasts with Will Pearson from iHeart Media appeared first on The Sonic Truth.

On this week's episode of Podversations, iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson sits down with Rachael Swan-Krasnoff, iHeartMedia's Senior Director of Marketing, Custom Podcasts, to discuss iHeart's Branded Podcast Studio, Ruby.   This week's episode is a little different. Instead of talking to one of our favorite podcasters, this week we are talking to a member of our custom podcast team to help break down what Ruby is all about. Ruby is the iHeartMedia audio studio dedicated to crafting meaningful, impactful, and culturally relevant stories with brand partners. Rachael joins Will to talk about what it means to make a branded podcast, how brands can measure success with their podcasts, and what brands should consider before diving into this world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode of Podversations features Andrea Gunning and Ashley Lytton. Andrea Gunning is the host and executive producer of the chart-topping podcast, Betrayal, where she explores stories of everyday people who experience the deepest forms of deceptions by those closest to them. After an extremely successful Season 1, Season 2 comes back with the story of Ashley Lytton. After discovering some extremely disturbing information about her husband, Ashley chose to speak out and tell her story on the Betrayal podcast.  The duo joins iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson, to talk about the fragility of making true crime shows, how Ashley was inspired to reach out to Andrea to share her story for Season 2, and what they have learned together through this process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A conversation about growing up and fighting for what you believe in featuring two generations of young people from Peterborough.Ella Cunningham and Eloise Harvey are two local teenagers who are members of the cast of Give 'Em Hell, a new play about the efforts waged by students to save PCVS during the school's final year. Collin Chepeka and Sara Farley are both PCVS alumni — they were students at the highschool during its last year and they participated in the protests.Together, Ella, Eloise, Collin and Sara discuss growing up, finding a place to belong, and the role that activism can play in those processes.Give 'Em Hell was written by Madeleine Brown. It runs from September 15 to 17 and September 21 to 23 at the former PCVS auditorium.MUSIC: Thanks to Jordan Cook for providing the music used in this episode.CREDITS: This episode was produced by Will Pearson, the publisher and editor of Peterborough Currents.SUPPORT US: Peterborough Currents relies on  contributions from our audience to keep producing local journalism. If you value our work and want to see us grow, please support us: www.peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us

Experience the excitement of POP-UP SUBMISSIONS, the internet's first ever live manuscript submission event. Each week, Peter Cox, a literary agent, and his publishing guests, as well as the members of the Pop-Up Genius Room, will review manuscripts sent in by aspiring authors. _________________________________________________________ Join us live in the YouTube chat room every Sunday at 5pm UK / 12noon EST _________________________________________________________ 0:00 Featured on today's show: 00:06:33 Holly Katherine is an author and creative writer who has "Heart to Heart" as her first published work. She has been writing since childhood and wrote "Heart to Heart" when she was 16. Her writing is inspired by real-life events, such as an article about a woman who met the recipient of her child's organ. Young Adult Mystery/Romance / Narrated by Geoff Sullivan 00:22:23 Jeffery Smith is a "jack of all trades" and a husband, father of three, musician, role-play and board gamer, and curriculum developer. His debut novel, "No One", combines his creative writing and instructional design skills, and is sure to be a hit! Fantasy / Narrated by Alison Gardiner 00:42:15 Bec Teri is a thirty-two-year-old mother of two young children from southern Ontario who has written the exciting new novel "Silverbloods". Her unique blend of fantasy and adventure will keep readers captivated from the first page to the last. Get ready to be swept away into a thrilling new world! Young Adult Urban Fantasy / Narrated by Hannah Faoileán 00:55:10 N. A. is "the comeback kid" of the literary world. By day, they manage K-pop news and by night, they create outlandish costumes, creepy portraits, and write the "next great Canadian novel." "COMEBACK" is their debut novel, a story of redemption and resilience. Speculative fiction / Narrated by Emily Rainsford _________________________________________________________ Starring on this week's panel… bestselling author WILL PEARSON! Together with Esteemed Litopian BEV DALTON! _________________________________________________________ Check out Will Pearson's website: WillPearsonBooks.Com Make a submission⇛ https://subs.litopia.com Audio podcast⇛ https://pop.litopia.com Our Narrators⇛ https://voice.litopia.com We're doing something exciting, a little bit risky, and very new… Please support us by subscribing to our channel and by spreading the word on your social media! ✪ POP-UP GEAR ✪ Microphones⇛ Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/3wJ62uo Preamp⇛ ART TPS II 2-channel Tube Microphone Preamp https://amzn.to/3kG11Af Audio interface⇛ Marian Seraph 8 MKII TRS https://www.thomann.de/gb/marian_seraph_8_mkii_trs.htm Cameras⇛ Sony Vlog ZV-1 https://amzn.to/3MDDU2i Lighting⇛ Elgato Key Light - Professional 2800 lumens Studio Light with desk clamp https://amzn.to/3wKLwtr Vision Mixing⇛ Elgato Stream Deck XL – Advanced Studio Controller https://amzn.to/38Fzl96 Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 White https://amzn.to/3MQtbo4 #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #books #author

On this episode of “Podversations”, Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni, hosts of the podcast “Frugal Friends” join iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson. Since 2018 Jen and Jill have been helping listeners gain a little more control over the countless directions their money is being pulled toward through frugality and a few laughs. If you're trying to save money, spend less, adopt minimalism, pay off debt or reach financial independence, we think you'll love their show!   Listen in on this conversation about what it's been like for Jen and Jill over their 5 years making Frugal Friends, the community of listeners they've grown along the way, and some of their best advice for achieving your personal financial goals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of "Podversations" iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson, chats with Raven-Symoné and Miranda Maday, hosts of The Best Podcast Ever.   Married couple Raven and Miranda join Will to discuss The Best Podcast Ever, where each week they spin a wheel with random words to determine where the conversation starts...but you never quite know where it will go. The possibilities are endless with these two! Each week, the hosts welcome a celebrity friend, a famous guest, and with the spin of the wheel and trusting fate, the conversation begins. Think this sounds impossible? You haven't heard these two talk.   Tune in to hear Raven, Miranda, and Will discuss how The Best Podcast Ever actually is the best podcast ever and how working together as a married couple has affected their relationship and their content.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's “Podversations”, iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson is joined by MeMe Walker, host of the podcast, “Hand Me My Purse.”.   "Hand Me My Purse" provides a comprehensive approach to understanding and tackling social emotional well-being, cultural matters, mental health, and everyday life experiences in the Black community. In her purse she has everything you need to approach these experiences from a transparent, relatable, authentic, and funny perspective. MeMe works in the educational field supporting young people with an emphasis on mentoring girls. It was authenticity and resilience that pathed her way to becoming a storyteller.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's “Podversations” episode features Raquel Willis, executive producer and creator for the Outspoken Podcast Network, iHeartPodcast's LGBTQIA+ slate, and iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson.   Raquel Willis is an award-winning activist, author, and media strategist dedicated to Black transgender liberation who is now focusing on marrying together storytelling and social justice through podcasting with the launch of Outspoken. The Outspoken Podcast Network is meant to elevate the voices of marginalized communities and give the voices back to people in the queer community rather than allowing others to speak on their behalf. As both a producer and a creator herself, Raquel has a lot of insight and experience to share with listeners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dahlia calls up her FAVORITE PRESIDENT - AKA WILL PEARSON - PRESIDENT OF THE IHEART PODCAST NETWORK - to ask for his brilliant advice on how to best put on her live theatre "OH MY GOD PARTICLE SHOW!" at the Edinburgh Festival August 2-27, 2023 as Will is the wizard of live events as well as podcasts and everything else! Dahlia also tells Will that the man who discovered the HIGGS BOSON (AKA THE GOD PARTICLE) - SIR PETER HIGGS - lives in Edinburgh and teaches at University of Edinburgh. Dahlia promises to keep hunting for the iHEART PARTICLE!  Thank you Will Pearson! Best President ever! The "OH MY GOD PARTICLE SHOW!" is Executive Produced by Dahlia Wilde and iHEART Media. Please follow me at @DahliaWildeOfficial Audio Design by Paul Mercier. Music by Ivo Moring. Keep looking up! We are the stars!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Come join Peter Cox, a literary agent, and his publishing industry friends for POP-UP SUBMISSIONS, the online manuscript submission event! Every week, Peter and his guests, along with the Pop-Up Genius Room, will review submissions from hopeful authors. Don't miss your chance to get your manuscript seen and heard! _________________________________________________________ Join us live in the YouTube chat room every Sunday at 5pm UK / 12noon EST _________________________________________________________ 0:00 Featured on today's show: 00:02:12 Rajat Narula, a World Bank lead financial management specialist, brings his global experience to life in his second novel, "Azalea Heights". Literary Thriller / Narrated by Emily Rainsford 00:16:53 Robert Peterson is a non-binary writer living between Florence and London. Their debut novel, "Voluptuaries," explores the nuances of two of the world's most iconic cities. Peterson's work is an exploration of identity and relationships in the modern world. Literary Fiction / Narrated by Emily Rainsford 00:37:05 It's a crime thriller called “Going, Going, Gone Bad” by Jack Henley. Psychological Thriller / Narrated by Geoff Sullivan 00:59:07 Adrian Bagley is the author of "The Electropop Appreciation Society", a novel about a woman's journey to self-discovery. A 49-year-old living in Surrey, Adrian has been housebound due to a severe ME/CFS diagnosis since he was 14. Writing since his teens, Adrian has honed his craft through short stories, running a writers group, and volunteering. Science fiction / Narrated by Beverley Dalton _________________________________________________________ Starring on this week's panel… No. 1 bestselling author WILL PEARSON! Together with Esteemed Litopian ANDY DICKENSON! _________________________________________________________ Check out Will Pearson's website: WillPearsonBooks.Com Make a submission⇛ https://subs.litopia.com Audio podcast⇛ https://pop.litopia.com Our Narrators⇛ https://voice.litopia.com We're doing something exciting, a little bit risky, and very new… Please support us by subscribing to our channel and by spreading the word on your social media! ✪ POP-UP GEAR ✪ Microphones⇛ Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/3wJ62uo Preamp⇛ ART TPS II 2-channel Tube Microphone Preamp https://amzn.to/3kG11Af Audio interface⇛ Marian Seraph 8 MKII TRS https://www.thomann.de/gb/marian_seraph_8_mkii_trs.htm Cameras⇛ Sony Vlog ZV-1 https://amzn.to/3MDDU2i Lighting⇛ Elgato Key Light - Professional 2800 lumens Studio Light with desk clamp https://amzn.to/3wKLwtr Vision Mixing⇛ Elgato Stream Deck XL – Advanced Studio Controller https://amzn.to/38Fzl96 Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 White https://amzn.to/3MQtbo4 #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #books #author

Listen to this episode of “Podversations” with iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson, and Jemma Sbeg, host of the podcast, “The Psychology of Your 20s”. Jemma is a Psychology graduate and mental health advocate from Sydney, Australia. Now, she is bringing what she has learned to you in an approachable and accessible way! Your 20s are a decade full of lessons, opportunities, challenges and growth, tune in to uncover how psychology can guide you through the ups and downs of your 20s. If you want to learn how to navigate experiences like breakups, changing careers, taking risks, friendships, and so much more be sure to tune in!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, founders of Ocean Bottle, Nick Doman and Will Pearson dive deep into their mission of combating ocean plastic pollution, and their dream of creating a consumer brand devoted to ocean preservation. With their sustainable business model, they emphasise the reduction of plastic waste through the creation of reusable water bottles. They advocate for consumer, corporate, and governmental responsibility towards environmental sustainability, positioning themselves at the forefront of this crusade. We talk about the intricate challenge of managing plastic waste and the critical need for alternatives to single-use plastics. Nick and Will call out for stringent regulations, endorsing the need for intensified governmental action. Beyond the realm of environmentalism, Nick and Will talk about how they met each other and what makes their business partnership successful. They also share their tips on how to find balance in work and life. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in sustainability, environmental conservation, and social entrepreneurship. Join the fight against ocean plastic pollution with Ocean Bottle - ⁠https://oceanbottle.co/⁠⁠ Buy the Books: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman: https://amzn.to/3oGeb2P Four Futures by Peter Frase: https://amzn.to/3qtEERB We Discuss: 00:00 – Trailer 02:06 – Ocean Bottle Mission 06:01 – Motivating People to Reduce Plastic Consumption 08:16 – Leveraging Business for Good 11:58 – Addressing Plastic Pollution & Closing the Collection Gap 15:56 – Partnership with Local Organisations and Plastic Collection Programs 17:53 – Importance of Government Action & Regulation 19:23 – Launch and Design Process 21:37 – Misconceptions About Starting an Impact Business 29:20 – Taking Action Against Plastic Pollution 32:16 – Finding the Right Business Partner 34:56 – Benefits of Having a Co-Founder 38:06 – Celebrating Wins 40:30 – Dealing with Disagreements 44:19 – Peer Learning and Mentorship in Entrepreneurship 52:06 – Balancing Work & Personal Life for Energy and Productivity 56:30 – Prioritising Personal Life & Well-Being 01:09:54 – Business Advice for Starting a Business Ocean Bottle: Will Pearson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wppearson/ Nick Doman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-doman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theoceanbottle TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oceanbottle Ocean Bottle: https://oceanbottle.co/ Follow me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/ LEAVE A REVIEW: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

In Episode 54, founders of Ocean Bottle, Nick Doman and Will Pearson dive deep into their mission of combating ocean plastic pollution, and their dream of creating a consumer brand devoted to ocean preservation. With their sustainable business model, they emphasise the reduction of plastic waste through the creation of reusable water bottles. They advocate for consumer, corporate, and governmental responsibility towards environmental sustainability, positioning themselves at the forefront of this crusade. We talk about the intricate challenge of managing plastic waste and the critical need for alternatives to single-use plastics. Nick and Will call out for stringent regulations, endorsing the need for intensified governmental action. Beyond the realm of environmentalism, Nick and Will talk about how they met each other and what makes their business partnership successful. They also share their tips on how to find balance in work and life. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in sustainability, environmental conservation, and social entrepreneurship. Join the fight against ocean plastic pollution with Ocean Bottle - https://oceanbottle.co/⁠ Buy the Books: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman: https://amzn.to/3oGeb2P Four Futures by Peter Frase: https://amzn.to/3qtEERB Ocean Bottle: Will Pearson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wppearson/ Nick Doman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-doman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theoceanbottle TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oceanbottle Ocean Bottle: https://oceanbottle.co/ Follow me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com/ LEAVE A REVIEW: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Dahlia Wilde goes on a journey with her Wonder Dog to better understand the universe. She calls up Will Pearson, the President of the iHEART Podcast Network to ask him for help in making the best podcast ever. “OH MY GOD PARTICLE SHOW!” is Executive Produced by Dahlia Wilde and iHEART Media and is part of the Seneca Women Podcast Network. Please follow me at @DahliaWildeOfficial Thanks for tuning in! Keep looking up! We are the stars! Sound Design by Paul Mercier. Music by Ivo Moring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of “Podversations”, listen to Christine Taylor and David Lascher, hosts of the podcast, “Hey Dude...The 90's Called!” and iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson.   Grab your flip phone and choker necklace, tune in and go back in time to the 90's. Christine and David met on the set of Nickelodeon's, Hey Dude, over 30 years ago. These longtime friends are now revisiting everything 90's and bringing it to you! If you loved 90's Television (Beverly Hills 90210, Saved by the Bell, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), 90's Movies (White Squall, The Brady Bunch Movie, There's Something About Mary) and 90's Music (Counting Crows and Lisa Loeb) you don't want to miss this!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson, and host of the Intimate Knowledge podcast, Meghan King.   Meghan King was a cast member on the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County, and is the outspoken host of Intimate Knowledge, a podcast about intimacy, relationships, marriage, divorce, and finding the one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join iHeartPodcasts President, Will Pearson and host of the Noble Blood and Stealing Superman podcasts, Dana Schwartz.   Dana Schwartz is host and creator of the chart-topping weekly history podcast Noble Blood. She's also hosting the latest iHeart Original podcast, Stealing Superman, about the bizarre theft of priceless comic books from a party at Nicolas Cage's Bel Air mansion. Dana is the author of several books, including the New York Times best-seller Anatomy: A Love Story. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, Bustle, Mental Floss, and more. Dana is one of the most dynamic people working in podcasting today, and she is excited to discuss where the industry is headed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's show, I am interviewing Will Pearson, the co-founder and co-CEO of Ocean Bottle, a truly phenomenal entrepreneur who was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30, and one of Norway's top ten leaders under 30 for his work towards the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. After completing an engineering degree, Will spent a year working at sea in the Indian Ocean, where he experienced firsthand the effects of pollution on the ocean. His belief is that everybody should have the right to a clean environment and that business has a fundamental role to play in solving the challenges it has created. With experience in environmental impact and business strategy, Will has nurtured an obsession to create products and services that give more to the world and environment than they take from it. This led to the development of Ocean Bottle in 2018, a social impact brand with a mission to prevent 7 billion plastic bottles. In this episode, I spoke to Will about the highs and lows of creating a company and how his relationship with his mental health has changed over the years. Find more information on Ocean Bottle: Website: https://oceanbottle.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanbottle/ Follow Poppy:Instagram: @poppyjamieWe'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, please email contact@notperfectpodcast.comProduced by Georgie RutherfordEdited by George Drake Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chiquis, host of the Chiquis and Chill podcast, part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, chats with iHeartPodcasts COO, Will Pearson. Chiquis and Chill allows audiences to hear Chiquis like never before. The Latin Grammy winner shares her experience growing up in a famous household, how she's managed to be successful in a male-dominated music industry, how she navigates relationships, and much more. She also opens up about personal and often taboo topics like infertility, mental health struggles, and coping with grief.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Opening Thought, Matt looks at what would be his ideal summer on the first official day of summer. From the Argos to wining to Mark Cuban's humanitarian efforts he has it all. Can the Raptors get better? Will Pearson make an impact on the field at some point? Matt has a game plan and lays it out for you here.

With less than a week to go until the 2021 federal election, housing continues to be one of the most important issues facing Canada. And it's a key issue in Peterborough, too. According to United Way Peterborough, average rents have risen so much recently that there are no longer any types of apartment in the city which are affordable to someone who makes $30,000 per year. Meanwhile, the local hot housing market is pushing renters out of their homes and the City of Peterborough has measured a 20 percent increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in the first six months of 2021. With this in mind, Peterborough Currents co-publisher Will Pearson sat down with the local candidates for the Conservative, Liberal and New Democratic parties to learn how they understand the housing crisis and what new measures they're proposing to get more affordable housing built in Peterborough.

Pearson Cycles is the oldest bike shop in the world having first opened its doors back in 1860. And after 161 years of trading, these past 18 months have been its toughest.James and Joe are joined by Pearson owner Will Pearson who talks about the big bike boom of the pandemic, why the industry is struggling to keep up with demand and why online retail giants may struggle to offer the massive discounts of the past.If you liked this episode, please remember to leave us a review, comment and make sure to share with your cycling friends!In association with Jaybird.Cyclist Magazine Podcast sponsor Jaybird Sport is offering listeners 15% off its VISTA wireless headphones with the code 'cyclist15'. Visit jaybirdsport.com for moreFor more on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast - https://www.cyclist.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcastSubscribe to Cyclist Magazine now - https://cyclistmag.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcast

Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, are extending the worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants with two original podcasts for loyal fans who grew up on the beloved franchises. Hosted by original series voice actors Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko), Avatar: Braving the Elements will explore the Avatarverse, while super-fans Frankie Grande and Hector Navarro will take fans down to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob BingePants. Co-produced by Nickelodeon and iHeartRadio, these companion podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever else podcasts are found starting this summer. "The family podcast market is still nascent, and we're thrilled to be working closely with our good friends at iHeartRadio producing exciting new content for all audio platforms," said Douglas Rosen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Digital Products, Nickelodeon. "Not only are we extending our beloved franchises and IP to the audio landscape, but we're also working with creative talent to produce new ideas and concepts for all audiences." "We're thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nickelodeon to bring such incredibly fun shows to audiences everywhere," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartPodcast Network. "I'm not sure you could pick two better franchises to kick things off, and there's much more to come. We can't wait for fans to hear these shows." Additional podcasts featuring beloved Nickelodeon titles from its library are currently in development and will be announced in the coming months. Avatar: Braving the Elements (40 episodes, premieres Tuesday, June 22, 2021) - Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life. Avatar: Braving the Elements and SpongeBob BingePants are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, are extending the worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants with two original podcasts for loyal fans who grew up on the beloved franchises. Hosted by original series voice actors Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko), Avatar: Braving the Elements will explore the Avatarverse, while super-fans Frankie Grande and Hector Navarro will take fans down to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob BingePants. Co-produced by Nickelodeon and iHeartRadio, these companion podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever else podcasts are found starting this summer. "The family podcast market is still nascent, and we're thrilled to be working closely with our good friends at iHeartRadio producing exciting new content for all audio platforms," said Douglas Rosen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Digital Products, Nickelodeon. "Not only are we extending our beloved franchises and IP to the audio landscape, but we're also working with creative talent to produce new ideas and concepts for all audiences." "We're thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nickelodeon to bring such incredibly fun shows to audiences everywhere," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartPodcast Network. "I'm not sure you could pick two better franchises to kick things off, and there's much more to come. We can't wait for fans to hear these shows." Additional podcasts featuring beloved Nickelodeon titles from its library are currently in development and will be announced in the coming months. Avatar: Braving the Elements (40 episodes, premieres Tuesday, June 22, 2021) - Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life. Avatar: Braving the Elements and SpongeBob BingePants are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, are extending the worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants with two original podcasts for loyal fans who grew up on the beloved franchises. Hosted by original series voice actors Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko), Avatar: Braving the Elements will explore the Avatarverse, while super-fans Frankie Grande and Hector Navarro will take fans down to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob BingePants. Co-produced by Nickelodeon and iHeartRadio, these companion podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever else podcasts are found starting this summer. "The family podcast market is still nascent, and we're thrilled to be working closely with our good friends at iHeartRadio producing exciting new content for all audio platforms," said Douglas Rosen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Digital Products, Nickelodeon. "Not only are we extending our beloved franchises and IP to the audio landscape, but we're also working with creative talent to produce new ideas and concepts for all audiences." "We're thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nickelodeon to bring such incredibly fun shows to audiences everywhere," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartPodcast Network. "I'm not sure you could pick two better franchises to kick things off, and there's much more to come. We can't wait for fans to hear these shows."Additional podcasts featuring beloved Nickelodeon titles from its library are currently in development and will be announced in the coming months. Avatar: Braving the Elements (40 episodes, premieres Tuesday, June 22, 2021) - Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life. Avatar: Braving the Elements and SpongeBob BingePants are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, are extending the worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants with two original podcasts for loyal fans who grew up on the beloved franchises. Hosted by original series voice actors Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko), Avatar: Braving the Elements will explore the Avatarverse, while super-fans Frankie Grande and Hector Navarro will take fans down to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob BingePants. Co-produced by Nickelodeon and iHeartRadio, these companion podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever else podcasts are found starting this summer. "The family podcast market is still nascent, and we're thrilled to be working closely with our good friends at iHeartRadio producing exciting new content for all audio platforms," said Douglas Rosen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Digital Products, Nickelodeon. "Not only are we extending our beloved franchises and IP to the audio landscape, but we're also working with creative talent to produce new ideas and concepts for all audiences." "We're thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nickelodeon to bring such incredibly fun shows to audiences everywhere," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartPodcast Network. "I'm not sure you could pick two better franchises to kick things off, and there's much more to come. We can't wait for fans to hear these shows." Additional podcasts featuring beloved Nickelodeon titles from its library are currently in development and will be announced in the coming months. Avatar: Braving the Elements (40 episodes, premieres Tuesday, June 22, 2021) - Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life. Avatar: Braving the Elements and SpongeBob BingePants are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

Leading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance (Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls. The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners. "My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Break tackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride." The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery. With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Break episodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa. "The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling." "We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings. "iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it." Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Break will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities.

ABOUT AVATAR: BRAVING THE ELEMENTSNickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, are extending the worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants with two original podcasts for loyal fans who grew up on the beloved franchises. Hosted by original series voice actors Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko), Avatar: Braving the Elements will explore the Avatarverse, while super-fans Frankie Grande and Hector Navarro will take fans down to Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob BingePants. Co-produced by Nickelodeon and iHeartRadio, these companion podcasts will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever else podcasts are found starting this summer."The family podcast market is still nascent, and we're thrilled to be working closely with our good friends at iHeartRadio producing exciting new content for all audio platforms," said Douglas Rosen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Digital Products, Nickelodeon. "Not only are we extending our beloved franchises and IP to the audio landscape, but we're also working with creative talent to produce new ideas and concepts for all audiences.""We're thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nickelodeon to bring such incredibly fun shows to audiences everywhere," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartPodcast Network. "I'm not sure you could pick two better franchises to kick things off, and there's much more to come. We can't wait for fans to hear these shows."Additional podcasts featuring beloved Nickelodeon titles from its library are currently in development and will be announced in the coming months.Avatar: Braving the Elements (40 episodes, premieres Tuesday, June 22, 2021) - Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Prince Zuko) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender and break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life.Avatar: Braving the Elements and SpongeBob BingePants are distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.ABOUT AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDERNickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender emerged from its three-season run (61 episodes), from February 2005 to July 2008, as one of the most beloved animated properties in history. Honored with a Peabody Award and Primetime Emmy, along with multiple Annie Awards and Genesis Awards, the series follows the adventures of the main protagonist Aang and his friends, who must save the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai and ending the destructive war with the Fire Nation.In addition to the series' success, the property has spawned into several bestselling book series, which continue to roll out new original stories. The graphic novel series most recently spent two months on the New York Times Graphic Books Bestseller list in 2020, and the young adult novels have spent 22 cumulative weeks on the New York Times Young Adult Bestseller list and have shipped over a quarter million copies. The DVD and Blu-rays are also incredibly successful, with the "Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Series" generating nearly $38MM in retail sales since its 2015 release.Check out the trailer PLUS this Entertainment Weekly interview with Janet and Dante:https://ew.com/tv/avatar-the-last-airbender-braving-the-elements-trailer/JANET VARNEY BIOJanet Varney is an Emmy-Nominated actor, comedian, writer and producer. In the animation world, she's the award-winning voice of Korra on Nickelodeon's (now on Netflix) The Legend of Korra. On Hulu, she can be seen fighting dark forces opposite John C. McGinley in Stan Against Evil and as the entitled Becca on FXX's You're the Worst. She also created, wrote, produced and starred in the critically-acclaimed IFC online series Fortune Rookie. For the past 8 years, JV has hosted her podcast The JV Club with Janet Varney, where she interviews celebrities about their awkward teenage years. JV can also be heard as the AI "Sorry" on the improvised sci-fi comedy podcast Voyage to the Stars. On the development and production side, Janet co-created, co-wrote and co-produced Neil's Puppet Dreams, a series featuring Neil Patrick Harris and his puppet-filled dreams. She is co-founder/creative director/producer of one of the largest and most acclaimed comedy festivals in North America, SF Sketchfest: the San Francisco Comedy Festival, now in its 20th year.https://twitter.com/janetvarneyDANTE BASCO BIO Dante Basco was first introduced in Steve Spielberg's fairytale movie Hook, as "Rufio", the leader of the Lost Boys. Recently, Dante starred in Newline's Take the Lead, opposite Antonio Banderas, and starred in a pilot for Touchstone/ABC, The Chang Family Saves the World, written and produced by John Ridley and directed by Paris Barclay. He is also the new voice Disney's animated series American Dragon: Jake Long, as well as the voice of villain Prince Zuko in Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender. Dante has also starred in his share of feature films: Biker Boyz (with Laurence Fishburne, Kid Rock and Derek Luke), Naked Brown Men (which he co-produced and stars in with his brothers), Extreme Days, But I'm a Cheerleader (with Natasha Lyonne, Cathy Moriarty and Clea Duvall), The Debut, Fakin' Da Funk (with Pam Greer and Tatiana Ali), Rave, and Showtime's critically acclaimed Riot - just to name a few. Dante has also appeared on Entourage, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Nash Bridges, Touched by an Angel, Providence, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Moesha, and The Proud Family Dante recently made his directorial debut at SXSW with Fabulous Filipino Brothers. https://twitter.com/dantebascoAvatar: Braving the Elements:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-avatar-braving-the-elemen-83488502/

Leading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance (Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls.The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners."My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Break tackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride."The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery.With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Break episodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa."The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling.""We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings."iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it."Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Break will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities.

Leading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance (Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls. The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners. "My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Break tackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride." The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery. With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Break episodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa. "The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling." "We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings. "iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it." Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Break will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities.

Leading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance (Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls. The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners. "My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Break tackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride." The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery. With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Break episodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa. "The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling." "We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings. "iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it." Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Break will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities.

ABOUT ASANTE BLACKK AND HERE COMES THE BREAKLeading music podcast company, Double Elvis Productions; iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac; and Def Jam Recordings today announced the premiere of Here Comes the Break, a serialized hip-hop music breaking podcast, launching on May 13. Here Comes the Break fuses a fictional scripted narrative with real artist interviews and exclusive music releases, introducing listeners to some of hip-hop's most talented emerging artists from Def Jam Recordings' stellar roster within the fictional story. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.Here Comes the Break stars Emmy-nominated actor Asante Blackk, best known for his roles in When They See Us (Netflix), This is Us (NBC), and Social Distance(Netflix), who is also an executive producer on the show, and rising star Daniella Perkins. Perkins is also a producer on the show and Nickelodeon's first multi-racial princess starring as Ciara in Knight Squad with past credits including co-hosting Drop That Seat with Kida The Great from executive producer Nick Cannon and the animated miniseries Middle School Moguls.The podcast series explores life and music through the mind of Ruben (voiced by Blackk), a young creator hustling to find an audience, and to find himself. Ruben is an avid hip-hop fan growing up in the suburbs of NYC, struggling with family pressure and anxiety issues. With the help of his friends, he anonymously launches a podcast that goes viral and quickly finds his voice as an interviewer and host. Ruben's podcast also becomes a must stop for emerging hip hop artists to be interviewed and within the fictional story, will feature and promote Def Jam artists. A groundbreaking podcast about self-identity, creator culture, family, and friendships, the show aims to entertain, while raising awareness about mental health to its listeners."My whole life I've had a passion for acting, music, and helping people be their best selves," said Asante Blackk. "My new podcast, Here Comes The Break, was the perfect opportunity to blend all three, and I can't wait to share it with everybody. The show brings together music and media in a way that's new and exciting, while also sparking positive conversations around mental health and self-expression through art. Here Comes The Breaktackles those crazy, sad, stagnant, and beautiful moments we all have growing up as teens and young adults. I hope you'll tune in and hop on for a wild ride."The series represents a new wave of artist promotion for record labels and a pioneering approach to artist discovery for fans rooted in unique musician interaction. Social media has fostered a closer connection between artist and listener, with fans craving deeper interaction and relation with artists. The convergence between podcasting and artist promotion in Here Comes the Break allows fans to get to know artists on a deeper level, providing a format for the artists to communicate who they are, what they stand for, and to be vulnerable, all within the same vehicle that introduces listeners to their new music. The intimacy of podcasting combined with the power of music and storytelling provides a unique platform for Here Comes the Break to foster the connection fans crave along with new music discovery.With new episodes dropping every Thursday beginning May 13th, each of the ten Here Comes the Breakepisodes will feature an interview with one emerging Def Jam artist and exclusively premiere one of their songs, with a full soundtrack on Def Jam to follow featuring music from all artists in the series. Artists featured in the first season include: Nevaeh Jolie, Masio Gunz, Ohno, Stephen Moses, LA the GOAT, Saint Bodhi, Bino Rideaux, Nasty C, Bobby Sessions, and Oompa."The convergence of podcasting and the music business is opening up new avenues of exposure for artists, and innovations for creators," said Brady Sadler, co-founder of Double Elvis. "Music is at the core of all our content and partnering with iHeartRadio and Def Jam on this series allows us to introduce our audience of music fans to an emerging generation of new talent and explore opportunities for music discovery and promotion, all while chronicling important topics like mental health and self-expression through storytelling.""We are always seeking to find innovative ways to connect our artists with fans. This groundbreaking partnership offers a unique approach to music discovery, through not only scripted narratives but exclusive music premieres and artist interviews in an emerging and exciting new medium," said Rich Isaacson, GM/EVP of Def Jam Recordings."iHeartRadio is built on the foundation of music discovery and connecting fans to new artists they will love. It's energizing to be able to fuse this core into a podcast by teaming up with Def Jam and Double Elvis Productions to launch Here Comes The Break. I've loved watching our teams develop a concept that bridges podcasting and music for a unique storytelling experience," said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer for the iHeartPodcast Network. "This podcast is a relatable coming-of-age tale that brilliantly combines real artists, their personal stories, new and emerging music, and a sense of vulnerability in each episode. I think our audiences will embrace it."Here Comes The Break is the latest podcast combining music and storytelling from Double Elvis, the music-focused, audio-first media company led by Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan, creator of Disgraceland, the #1 most downloaded music podcast according to Podtrac, 27 Club, and Blood On The Tracks. Here Comes the Breakwill be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, leveraging their industry-leading podcast network, proven podcast-to-broadcast promotional strategy, digital platforms, and radio personalities. The show will be available on iHeartRadio and wherever you listen to podcasts on May 13th.Episodes available here: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-here-comes-the-break-81762038/THIS IS US ENDING AFTER ITS 6TH SEASON IN 2022 (FROM PEOPLEIs Us will be wrapping after season 6.On Friday, days after the initial news of the hit NBC drama concluding with its sixth season, the show's creator Dan Fogelman confirmed the series' ending on Twitter. "Whoever casually first said 'All good things must come to an end' never had to end their favorite thing," Fogelman wrote."While sad to have just 1 season left, also grateful to NBC for letting us end the show how, and when, we always intended. We'll work hard to stick the landing. #ThisIsUs," he concluded.The show's Twitter account also shared Fogelman's tweet along with photos from the five seasons so far.Mandy Moore, who stars as Rebecca Pearson on the show, also addressed the upcoming conclusion on her Instagram Story. "I'm already VERY emotional about my favorite job coming to an end. BUT.... We have a whole season to wrap things up the way it was always intended," she wrote.NBC announced its fall schedule on Friday and the premiere of season 6 of This Is Us, which will be delayed for the midseason lineup in early 2022, with 18 episodes airing uninterrupted.On Wednesday, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that season 6 of This Is Us will be the last for the time-jumping drama, which first premiered on Sept. 20, 2016, and has featured actors Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson and Chris Sullivan.In January 2020, Fogelman spoke about the show's eventual ending to the Los Angeles Times, telling the outlet about the progression of storylines ultimately wrapping with an episode that will "have a lot of the information about what's happened to this family, and what will be left is some resolution," adding, "I think when the show eventually comes to an end, I think in the best way, it'll be very quiet and normal. That's always been the plan because, at the end of the day, it's a story about this kind of regular family."NBC previously renewed the show in May 2019 through season 6. However, the current season 5 of This Is Uswas cut short by two episodes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed production multiple times throughout 2020 and caused a late start last fall.The final two episodes of season 5 will air May 18 (9 p.m. ET) and May 25 (10 p.m. ET), both on NBC.

On Monday, Peterborough's city council sat for the last meeting of 2020 and voted to approve the budget documents drafted by city staff with amendments. Peterborough Currents has been covering these deliberations for the past month and in this episode, co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson go over the highlights of this meeting so you can hear what happened. Episode transcript Ayesha 0:00 Hey – Ayesha here, before we get into the podcast, I wanted to let you know about something that we're trying at Peterborough Currents. As we look ahead into 2021, things are still uncertain and 2020 has been a heck of a year for Will and I to try and start a business. And the one thing that we're realizing is that to become a sustainable operation, we need the financial support from our audience. And that's why we're asking folks to support our work for 2021 by becoming monthly sustainers. If you head over to peterboroughcurrents.ca/supportus you can sign up to support our work. It really means a lot to us if you'd consider contributing. And thank you! Ayesha 0:45 Hello you're listening to Peterborough Currents. I'm Ayesha Barmania. This is the final episode of our Budget Week Podcast and to help me wrap up our coverage of the 2021 Budget deliberations, I'm here again with Currents' co-publisher Will Pearson. Will Pearson 0:55 Hello. Ayesha 0:56 And so today, Will and in this episode, we're going to go over some of the highlights of the City Council meeting on Monday when council voted to approve the budget documents which we've been going into over this series. And before we get into some of the clips we want to play, I just want to say that this was the last City Council meeting of the year, and the budget was just one item on a pretty long agenda and pretty much all of the amendments to the document had been proposed, debated and voted on during the Finance Committee meeting at the end of November, which we covered in episode 5. But there was one thing added at this council meeting but there were also 27 citizen delegations that spoke to council about the budget. And to kick us off, Will, there was one in particular you wanted to talk about. Will Pearson 1:36 Yeah, so I want to bring up a delegation that was delivered by Reverend Brad Smith from St. John's Anglican Church on Hunter Street. St. John's runs the One Roof Community Center, which is a meal program and a drop in center for people that are marginalized or homeless in Peterborough. And funding for the One Roof Community Center was always kind of baked into the homelessness budget all along. But it only came up at this last city council meeting because throughout November, there were some negotiations going on about what the service agreement would look like in 2021. And basically what was going on in those negotiations was One Roof was trying to secure some extra municipal funding to make up for a drop in the fundraising that it's been able to do because of the pandemic. Currently, the City funds One Roof, but with $208,000 a year and the expectation is that they'll deliver one meal per day, One Roof has been able to fundraise and through its own resources deliver two meals a day as well as additional activities, social supports, and like a community center. And so when One Roof was trying to get more funding so that during the pandemic who could continue to offer that enhanced service, it seems like the city wasn't interested in increasing its support. And so the recommendation was to hold it steady at $208,000. Despite the fact that there is no increased need, especially for food programs, right now, during the pandemic. Rev. Bradley Smith 2:58 The issue of food and security is not going away. In fact, as we've already seen, in the last six months, the number of community members accessing the meal program at One Roof is increasing as people's financial resources are hit hard by the pandemic. If the city is going to issue a request for proposals for a meal program, it must do so seriously, including a credible amount of funding. Will Pearson 3:23 So that was Brad Smith from St. John's One Roof had asked for $450,000. So more than double the funding of 2020. They kind of lowered their bid to $375,000 when the city balked at that, but then the city kind of held firm at $208,000. So Reverend Smith, on Monday night, told city council that he signed the agreement, even though he didn't feel like it was the best thing for the community. Rev. Bradley Smith 3:54 When I was informed that our first and revised proposals would not be accepted and that the City would accept a new one year agreement. I felt compelled to accept the terms. With less than two months left in the current agreement, there wasn't sufficient time to rebuild One Roof Community Centers model without the City as a partner. So this was the only way to keep the program alive. Otherwise, all of the community members who rely on us for meals would be left with nothing from the first January. Will Pearson 4:23 So Smith was there on Monday night to ask council to reconsider, perhaps up to $375,000 for example. But yeah, city council didn't accept that suggestion from Reverend Smith. So the result is that there's only going to be there's going to continue to be just one meal a day – it's going to be takeout it's not gonna be a sit down meal (sit down meals aren't possible due to the pandemic right now anyway, but presumably, hopefully sometime in 2021 they would be). Yeah, and there's not going to be social activities unless the church can find more fundraising resources. It's too bad. I think that the community center is a really important hub for some people in the community, for socializing, and for just being included in the community. So I really hope that the church is able to find those fundraising dollars to be able to continue to offer that community space to folks. Ayesha 5:18 Yeah, absolutely. Will Pearson 5:19 So the other thing that I noticed in the delegations on Monday night was that there were a lot of youth speaking. Can you tell me about what the youth were at City Hall to talk about? Ayesha 5:28 Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So a good chunk of the delegations at the meeting were students from local high schools, particularly grade 11 and 12 [students], from Thomas A Stewart Secondary School and Adam Scott. And some of them spoke to housing, but the majority of them spoke to climate change and wanting to see some more of an investment particularly in climate mitigation projects from Council. So I have a little montage of some of what they had to say. Jasmine Barnes 5:55 Imagine a world filled with empty bellies and diseases sweeping everyone on the streets; storms occurring as frequent snow falling on a cold winter's day;, sea levels rising and rising, flooding cities, like a braking dam on a river slowly but dangerously; boiling hot days, forcing people to evacuate their homes; deadly heat waves occurring without warning, crops will be dwindling, resulting in 100 more million people to be forced into poverty; water is now something that is prized as we are, we have very little. This is where our future is heading. You have the power to make a difference by putting the City's money into climate change action. Please choose where your money goes wisely. As I know, nobody wants this to be our future. Thank you. Gabriel Trozzi Stamou 6:44 My name is Gabriel Trozzi Stamou, I'm here to speak on the need for new funding towards climate action as COVID-19 has highlighted the importance for building back better. Currently, there is no money allocated for such new climate mitigation efforts, but rather for things that seek to deal with the effects when they happen, such as flood mitigation, water management, during drought and so on, which are no doubt important, but they don't reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As global temperature averages are set to rise higher than the worst scenario, two degree increase, youth like myself, will be disproportionately affected by this. I am asking that the council show it is serious about reducing emissions in our city before finalizing the budget. Juliette Arbrioux 7:30 Your Worship and councillors, thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Juliette Arbrioux. I'm a grade 11 student from Adam Scott. And I'm here today to speak on the lack of money being spent on climate mitigation in Peterborough. I'm not talking about the millions of dollars spent on climate related action that for the better part would have happened anyway. I'm speaking on the lack of new commitments the city has yet to put in place and the mindset there is facing this crisis. Peterborough has a Climate Action Plan that involves projects that focus specifically to help combat the climate crisis. This is where we need to be investing the better part of our money. We need to make it a priority, or at least a bigger importance than a proposed arena that I've heard more talk about than climate action. Katryna Jacobs 8:18 My name is Katryna Jacobs, a grade 11 Indigenous student from Thomas A Stewar. In a city that prides itself on its efforts to incorporate indigenous culture on a regular basis. I would have expected more climate funds in the 2021 budget. Reconciliation and climate related issues are often seen as separate and under federal jurisdiction. However, this should not stop Peterborough from making advanced advancements within the community. I hope to see funding towards new climate mitigation efforts within the budget, something that is not currently represented. Thank you for your time. Ayesha 8:55 Those were clips from four of the nine students who spoke on Monday. That was Jasmine Barnes, Gabriel Trozzi Stamou, Juliette Arbrioux and Katryna Jacobs, from TASSS and Adam Scott Secondary. And in a few of the presentations there were specific references to Peterborough's Climate Change Action Plan and particularly on climate mitigation projects. We did a whole episode on the Climate Change Action Plan and what's included in there, so if you'd like to know more about that I'd recommend checking out our roundup of climate projects on our website or the podcast episode where I interview Michael Papadacos. But all of these students who spoke to climate change essentially called on council for greater investment in projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions more quickly. Another citizen spoke on climate change later in the evening and that was Trisha Clarkson from the Peterborough Alliance on Climate Action. That group had written a letter with four climate mitigation projects that they wanted to see in 2021 – three of which are referenced in the budget documents and those have to do with traffic signal synchronization, anti-idling bylaws, and the installation of electric vehicle charging stations for City vehicles. Here's a bit of what she had to say. Trisha Clarkson 10:11 These initiatives are a great start on reducing some of the carbon fuel emissions in Peterborough. So on behalf of PACA, we thank you very much for these. However, these initiatives alone will not reduce emissions by 5% annually to meet the IPCC target of 45% by 2030. In order to reach this recommended target, the city has to transition from gas fueled and diesel fuel vehicles to electric city vehicles and e-buses in 2021. E-buses should be purchased in 2021, because it will take one year from the date of purchase to the date of delivery due to the high demand and not enough battery suppliers. So even if the city purchased two e-buses in 2021, they won't be delivered until 2022. That's why they need to be purchased as soon as possible. Ayesha 10:56 So that electric bus proposal was the fourth thing that PACA was looking for. And Clarkson spent much of her time making the case for making that purchase in 2021. But ultimately, council didn't debate the idea and nothing new was added to the budget with regards to climate change. Will Pearson 11:12 But there is the alternative fuel study. Ayesha 11:13 Yeah, the alternative fuel study is being funded for 2021. And there's a couple other projects, like the electric vehicle charging stations for the city fleet that are happening in 2021. So we'll see. So there is some investment being made on that front. Will Pearson 11:31 Yeah, I guess what Clarkson is just getting at though is we kind of know what the alternative fuels study will say. It'll say yes, it's a good thing to transition to electric buses here, so people can do it. And I guess, gonna say we might as well start the investment now. Ayesha 11:44 Yeah, absolutely. Um, and so yeah, like I said, council didn't debate this at all. But there was one thing that they debated and added – what was that, Will? Will Pearson 11:53 Yeah, so really, the big story from the city council meeting is that the budget was basically accepted by city council, in the same form that they approved it when they were sitting as the Finance Committee a few weeks earlier. There was one thing that came up in the discussions though, where a change was made. And that is regarding a capital project on Lansdowne Street, which is kind of like rebuilding Lansdowne Street between Spillsbury and Clonsilla. And this was not funded in 2021. It was something that was approved to be funded and built years ago, I think, like, maybe even five years ago. And it's just been delayed and delayed, and it hasn't received the funds that it needs to get done. And a couple of weeks ago, some members of the public address city council saying they really wanted to see this project get done, because that stretch of Lansdowne is quite dangerous, because cars go quite fast. And I think that by changing the built environment, we might be able to make that stretch of the street a little bit safer. And so and that was brought up again, in delegations from the public on Monday night. And so Councillor Parnell moved for a pre-commitment of money in 2022. So not this budget, but the next budget to start funding this project. Lesley Parnell 13:02 So it's a project that definitely needs to be done, staff have acknowledged that it is a high priority capital project. And we need to just solidify it and give our word to these people that we will have shovels in the ground in 2022, completed at least by 2023. And so that is what I am asking for, please. Will Pearson 13:22 And Councillor Zippel, who is Councillor Parnell's ward mate down in Otonabee Ward agreed, pointing out that this kind of the one of the reasons why this hasn't been built is just the lack of funding in the budget for capital projects. Kim Zippel 13:38 Councillor Parnell mentioned that this has been delayed for many reasons. And one of those reasons is, as Councillor Reil has said, infrastructure funding, and we have had a challenge getting capital dollars into our budget and making that commitment and we continue to see the impacts on our community. Will Pearson 13:59 And so listeners to previous episodes of the Budget Week Podcast know that Councillor Zippel had already moved that the increase in the tax rate be increased by a little bit to fund more capital projects in 2021. So that's something that Zippel is concerned about. And she did something interesting with this motion to pre-commit funds for this project, which is request a recorded vote, which means that there's a record of who votes what, which is not always the case. And she said that the reason she did that is so that when budget week comes next year, she knows who voted in favor of this project, and so she knows what councillor she can go to, again to say presumably we need to raise taxes to build this project because pre-committing the funds, doesn't find the money in 2022. It just commits to spending the money. And so a year from now, city council will need to find how it's going to fund this project. So I thought that was an interesting sort of illustration of Councillor Zippel's priority to build infrastructure and to find funding in the tax base to do that. Not every councillor was on board with pre-committing the money for 2022. Councillor Beamer, for example, said that as a Northcrest councillor, he was more concerned about getting Chemong Road rebuilt than than this stretch of Lansdowne Andrew Beamer 15:20 And so tonight I'm going to be a Northcrest Ward Councillor over the city councilor. And you know, I do have my eye on Chemong Road. Now I know northebd roads tend to be expensive and controversial. So I'm well aware Chemong Road is a big one. And there was another one we won't mention that was also expensive. But Chemong Road does need to get done. And I'll be honest, Councillor Parnell, Councillor Zippel, Councillor Riel and Councillor Vassiliadis, I am just concerned that this will take funds from Chemong Road, because, you know, the north end has been patiently waiting for Chemong Road and there has been some significant road work done in the southend over the past eight years, so. Will Pearson 16:02 And that was something that Councillor Pappas agreed with saying that, considering that the Parkway is looking very unlikely that that will be built anytime soon. Councillor Pappas is also concerned about getting Chemong Road reconstruction built as a sort of North-South corridor. Dean Pappas 16:19 If we're not building the Parkway, we are getting a transportation master plan come in at the end of this year, and dollars to donuts Chemong Road is our north south corridor, it's got to get done. We all know that if you don't vote for the parkway, you've got to vote for Chemong Road. Will Pearson 16:36 And so those two councillors as well as three other councillors voted against this plan, but it did pass six to five. And so that money is pre committed for 2022. And so that project should be able to get underway. But yeah, other than that there weren't any other changes to the budget. So if you have been listening to the budget podcast, you are all caught up. That's not to say that we covered everything that's in the budget. It's a big document, we kind of picked out what we thought was the most important to discuss on this podcast. If there's anything that you're curious to learn more about, reach out to us, we can probably help you to find the answers. Ayesha 17:10 Mm hmm. And the budget is something that cross cuts so much of city life, and it has impacts on all sorts of different things, we're gonna still be referencing this document in our future coverage, even though we're kind of wrapping up our budget week series. So yeah, please reach out. Will Pearson 17:27 This was a fun podcast to make. Ayesha 17:29 Yeah, I learned a lot. Will Pearson 17:31 I feel like I have been following the budget deliberations each year for a couple of years now. I've never covered them as a journalist. And I feel like, man, that document is hard to parse, it's hard to understand. And I feel like every year I get a little bit better at it. I feel like this year, I've learned a lot more about how the city works, how the budget works. I hope that I've translated some of that for our listeners. Yeah, but I think it was a good exercise in civic literacy. Ayesha 18:02 Yeah, I totally agree. It's been really nice to interview a lot of the city officials who don't get into the spotlight very often and just learn about the work that they do, how they do it, and what's kind of motivating them and what's important to them with regards to this one document, and so we're gonna keep up these relationships and keep doing this kind of civic reporting, Will Pearson 18:24 What are you keeping an eye on for next year, Ayesha? Ayesha 18:26 Yeah, I'm really excited to learn more about the climate change action plan, we've got a report coming in 2021, about how we're doing towards reaching the goal of reduced emissions by 2030. So I'm really looking forward to reading that. As well as – so one thing I learned in my conversation with Michael Papadacos about climate change was that the kind of spending for climate change action in 2020, was deferred back in March. And so that never actually got really resolved this year. So there's going to be a report coming in the second quarter of next year about how that money is going to be spent. So I'm looking forward to seeing how that money gets meted out next year. How about you, Will? Will Pearson 19:11 Well, something that I think we should update listeners on is the rapid housing initiative. And that doesn't really affect the municipal budget too much because it's federal money. But there has been an application – or city council approved putting in an application for that project on Monaghan Rd for 10 modular housing units for people in families experiencing homelessness. Ayesha 19:29 Yeah, that also happened at the City Council meeting on Monday, right? Will Pearson 19:32 Yes. Yeah. So I'm keen to see whether that application gets approved. I think that would be a great step forward in providing affordable housing to folks. And yeah, I'm also I'm just very interested in watching how this issue of funding the infrastructure projects that the backlog of infrastructure projects that the city has gets resolved. Ayesha 19:56 Yeah. And I think that's all I think we're going to talk about in this podcast. Maybe we'll do another budget week podcast next year looking at the 2022 budget. Will Pearson 20:04 The next budget will be the last one that this council. Ayesha 20:07 Yes. Yeah, so maybe we'll be back again next year. But thanks so much for listening this year. Music In this episode comes courtesy of the Mayhemingways. Thanks for being with me, Will, on this journey into the budget. Will Pearson 20:18 Thank you as well and have a good holiday to you and all of our listeners. Ayesha 20:22 Thanks. See ya.

On Monday, Peterborough’s city council sat for the last meeting of 2020 and voted to approve the budget documents drafted by city staff with amendments. Peterborough Currents has been covering these deliberations for the past month and in this episode, co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson go over the highlights of this meeting so you can hear what happened.

In our sixth episode of the Budget Week podcast, co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson go over how the draft 2021 municipal budget addresses the issue of affordable housing and homelessness. In particular, we look at funding for the city's shelters, rent supplements, incentives for affordable housing, and changes to funding from higher levels of government. Episode transcript Ayesha Barmania 0:02 Hello, you're listening to Peterborough Currents. I'm Ayesha Barmania. In this episode of the Budget Week podcast, we're going to talk about the thing that came at the top of the list of the survey of citizens' priorities for the 2021 budget. And that's housing and accommodation. So my colleague and co-publisher Will Pearson has been following the developments on affordable housing and homelessness. And he's with me now to tell us about it. Hi, Will. Will Pearson 0:24 Hello. Ayesha Barmania 0:26 Um, so take us through the broad strokes of what we're going to talk about today. Will Pearson 0:29 Sure, so there's a couple things in the 2021 budget that jumped out at me when I first looked at it. The first is a pretty significant increase to the amount of money this city is spending on homelessness services. I also noticed an increase to the rent supplement program, which is great to see. But not everything that the City does around housing and affordable housing does get reflected in the 2021 budget. Either because it gets funded by other levels of government or because some of the ways that the City, you know, encourages affordable housing development, for example, is not really through funding, but more through softer measures like incentives to encourage development. So I think we'll maybe in this conversation stray from the budget itself a little bit to talk about those areas. But those first, the two things I mentioned are what jumped out at me and the budget document itself. Ayesha Barmania 1:23 Yeah, absolutely. And so we talked a little bit during our last episode about the funding increase that's drafted in the budget for the shelter system. So for folks who missed that episode, what's that going to pay for? Will Pearson 1:40 Sure, yeah. So the first thing to say is just that the shelter system continues to be experiencing a lot of pressures, there's just a high level of need in the community for the shelter services. So during budget week, Council approved a plan to increase the base funding for the Youth Emergency Shelter by about $60,000 as well as increase the starting wage for shelter workers to bring it up to a living wage. So that's kind of two of the ways that homelessness money is being increased and how that money has been spent. Most of the money increased in the homelessness program this year is going to the shelter system itself. Ayesha Barmania 2:16 Okay, gotcha. There was a little bit of conversation about this during the finance committee meetings, right? Will Pearson 2:21 Yeah, there wasn't really a lot of debate about whether this budget line should increase. I think the councillors are pretty well on board with the idea of increasing the funding. But instead, they really used the budget meeting as an opportunity to – some councillors at least – to voice their support for the shelter system. And I think this comes– I think there's a little bit of frustration on council for some of the ways that the media have been covering homelessness in the city. I think that they sense that maybe the media is focusing on negative stories and bad news stories and ignoring the good news. Keith Riel spoke about his wish that the media covered some of the successes of the city a little bit more, for example. Keith Riel 3:02 Get your story straight. This council is committed to helping the less fortunate. This council has put money where their mouth is. And we continue to do the job and to help the people that are marginalized who need the help. So why don't we have a good news story about what we're doing. Will Pearson 3:23 And then Diane Therrien spoke, you know, again, just to support the shelters, and in particular, the shelter workers. Diane Therrien 3:31 Of course, there's a lot of work to do. There's a lot, you know, a lot of work still to be done. Our shelter system, our housing and homelessness system is not perfect. You know, we do hear a lot of concerns about the Brock Mission and why the Brock Mission are doing, you know, running this service. And that it's also important to note that there aren't a lot of organizations that are wanting to do this work. It's, you know, these frontline workers are not paid a living wage, they're not paid nearly enough for the amount of time and energy that they put into trying to help people. So it's really easy to criticize. It's, you know, but there are people that are working in the Brock Mission, at YES, at all of our frontline shelter services that put in everything that they have for minimum wage, really, and it and so, you know, it's easy to say, ‘do this, do that' but folks don't realize how much is happening behind the scenes. Will Pearson 4:37 So that took up most of the conversation around the budget at the budget meetings. You know, it must be frustrating because this is not the first year in recent memory that the city has increased its funding of the shelter system, right. And this comes as you know, every city official and every community partner will tell you that homeless shelters aren't the solution to homelessness. Housing is the solution to homelessness. And, yeah, it just must be frustrating every year to see the level of need in the community for these emergency responses and the need to continue to increase funding for them when that funding could be used to fund more long term solutions, if we could just pivot to pursue some of those longer term solutions a little bit more easily. When I spoke to Dorothy Olver who's the program manager for homelessness in the city, she said that– Dorothy Olver 5:30 We would eventually love to see that, you know, all the funding that we have going into emergency shelters could be used very, very differently in our system if we didn't need emergency shelters. But I think we need to acknowledge that we're going to need to have some level of response. Our shelters will openly say to anybody, they'd gladly work themselves out of business and not need to have homeless shelters. But we're going to be a while before we get there. Will Pearson 5:52 So you know, there's a desire to get out of the shelter business, as Keith Riel has said a couple of times, but we're not there yet. It would seem– And so yeah, the city is continuing to increase the amount of money that it puts into the shelter system. Ayesha Barmania 6:06 Mm hmm. Yeah, for sure. And so getting out of the kind of emergency shelter system, there's that other level of helping folks stay in housing, what are some programs that we can see the city contributing to now that do that? Will Pearson 6:20 So it seems that every year during budget week, rent supplements come up. It's usually a topic of conversation. And I think in the past three or four years, at least, council has made it the practice to boost the level of support for rent supplements each year. And that's happening again this year. Ayesha Barmania 6:36 Yeah, so what is a rent supplement? What are we talking about there? Will Pearson 6:39 Right, a rent supplement is a payment that the city makes to help bridge the gap between what an apartment costs for a tenant and what they can afford. And they're usually made directly to landlords. And so the money goes to the landlord from the city, and then the tenant is able to pay that much less rent, and there's a few different kinds, some of them are rent-geared-to-income rent supplements, some are like a flat fee. So I think the Housing Choice rent supplement average is around $250 a month. Ayesha Barmania 7:11 And is that tied to the apartment unit? Or is that tied to the family that's moving in? Will Pearson 7:15 There's a couple of different programs, some of the rent supplements are portable, so you can move with them and they aren't tied to particular units. And some are tied to particular units. And yeah, and so this year, we're seeing a $50,000 increase for the Housing Choice rent supplement, and that's a rent supplement that is worth – that's the one I just mentioned – that's worth about $250 a month. That's the average anyway, and it's portable. And I spoke to Rebecca Morgan Quin about it, she's the manager of housing at the City. She expects that about 10 new households will be able to access that rent supplement in 2021, because of the increase. So that's good news. One of the drawbacks of supplements is that often the ones that are funded by other levels of government anyway, usually have expiry dates. And so we've seen in the past actually situations where the City had to increase its own spending on rent supplements, not to increase how many supplements that are, but actually just to cover expiring programs, which is too bad. And the draft budget does point out that there were a few rent supplement funding programs from the provincial and federal government that are set to expire over the next five years. And that's putting about 100 households at risk of losing the rent supplement. Councillor Kemi Akapo noticed that and asked about it during deliberations. Here's what Commissioner of Community Services Sheldon Laidman responded. Sheldon Laidman 8:37 So that is a very important risk I think to the long term future of the rent supplement program and the social housing program in general, is that, as Coun. Akapo mentioned, a number of these programs are about to sunset, and they expire. And they're leaving a large number of units in a precarious situation. So housing managers across Ontario, I know have been lobbying the government, the provincial government for many years to give some certainty to that going forward, because it is a risk. Will Pearson 9:11 So that's, that's something to keep an eye on in the coming years. I think it's not until 2023 that the first batch of these supplements expire. So there's a little bit of time for senior levels of government to develop programs, hopefully to replace them, but we'll see what happens. Ayesha Barmania 9:27 Right. But until then, in this budget, the $50,000 that you mentioned, that's just increased service money. Will Pearson 9:33 That's new municipal money for new supplements. Yeah. Ayesha Barmania 9:37 Right. So these rent supplements are kind of about getting people into and keeping their housing. What about getting more affordable housing built, like just getting more units on the market? What's the city's role in that? And is there any investment on that front? Will Pearson 9:50 Yeah. So, you know, that's not actually something that we see reflected in the budget document a whole lot. And I think that's just a reflection of the fact that the City of Peterborough is not really in the business of building affordable housing and doesn't really have the resources to do that. And it's not traditionally something that's within the scope of municipalities, that's more something that gets funded by senior levels of government. That's not to say that the city doesn't do anything. Our listeners might remember that this year, the City took a couple of properties that it owns that are in the Parkway corridor. So they're not going to be used for the Parkway anytime soon. And so the City kind of renovated them to create some affordable housing. So there's a couple of examples where the city has taken properties that it owned, and turned them into affordable housing. But it's not very significant or large projects, it's usually pretty small ones. But one thing that the city does do to encourage the development of affordable housing is offer incentives to developers. So if someone wants to build an affordable housing project, they can apply to, for example, have the development charge that would usually be charged waived, or maybe the city can offer them reduced parking, minimum parking requirements, things like that. So just little things that the city can do to make it easier and more cost effective to build affordable housing. And that you do see that reflected in the budget. It's a program that's set to continue in 2021, to the tune of about $1.1 million. Ayesha Barmania 11:16 Okay, so that's money that the city is foregoing. Right? They would have received it if they'd not been offering this program, but they're choosing to not receive this money. So that affordable housing gets built. Will Pearson 11:26 Yeah, that's right. It's foregone revenue. So other developers would be expected to pay those fees, but a few, including affordable units, then you can have them waived. Ayesha Barmania 11:36 Okay, but aren't there – so this isn't necessarily about the budget, but aren't they're like – can't the City, you know, talk to all the developers that are working in the city and force them to make a certain percentage affordable? Will Pearson 11:49 No, I think there's a lot of people in Peterborough that wish that city council could force developers to include affordable units and the developments. So the sort of planning speak for that is called inclusionary zoning, so you zone a part of the city and say that any development in this part of the city needs to have, you know, this proportion of affordable units. And under the current provincial regulations, that's only possible in major transit areas, which is kind of a planning designation that Peterborough doesn't have any of those, it's more like Toronto would be allowed to do it around a subway station, for example. Yeah, but that's new regulations that were brought in by the provincial government a couple of years ago that really do curtail municipalities ability to pursue inclusionary zoning. And I know that even though it is possible in Toronto, I know that advocates for affordable housing are really pushing the government to reconsider this rule around transit areas, because it really just limits where you can pursue inclusionary zoning. And in a city like Peterborough, where these transit areas don't exist, it's not possible. Ayesha Barmania 13:04 Yeah. And I think that really echoes a lot of what I've been hearing in these interviews I'm doing for this podcast about the different constraints on the city budget based on these higher levels of government. So there's these regulations that you're talking about. But there's also just different types of funding available. So what funding is the city counting on to pay for the initiatives that we've just talked about? Will Pearson 13:25 Yeah, funding from other levels of government is definitely a big part of how housing works at the municipal level, and during budget deliberations Mayor Therrien brought this up and really called on the provincial government in particular to come to the table with more funding for housing and homelessness. Diane Therrien 13:43 These services, it is also important to note, have been downloaded from senior levels of government over the years. There's three levels of government that we deal with, when we're dealing with housing as a municipality, that's the federal government, ourselves, and the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. And so I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it that we do need to be putting pressure on them to come to the table to help with these projects. Will Pearson 14:11 So there is a little bit of extra operating money coming from the province. And I thought that I noticed it in the budget. When I asked Olver about that, well, first she literally started to laugh. And then she said yes, there is a little bit more money, but she called it quite modest. Dorothy Olver 14:28 There is a little little little bit of additional funding. That's part of the kind of our ongoing consistent funding that we get from the province. So we generally have a couple of pots. The community homelessness prevention initiative is probably our largest. And then we have the Home For Good funding. There's not been any change in the Home For Good funding since we started it a couple years ago, and we don't anticipate anything so it never changes year to year. And that's basically for some of our supportive housing programs. The community homeless prevention initiative is like the funding we use for shelter funding housing, some rent supplements, and we had a very, very modest increase for this year. Will Pearson 15:06 And so I think that the City would, you know, could really benefit from what was funding. Ayesha Barmania 15:12 But I think if I'm following the news correctly, and there have been a number of provincial and federal announcements at a couple different moments this past year about funding, what's up with that? Are we getting any of that money? Will Pearson 15:23 Right. So you're right, that there has been so there have been some provincial announcements about funding, and that's mainly through the Social Services Relief Fund. And, yeah, you're right to bring that up and Olver did bring that up too and said, where the province has really come through in 2020, is with one time funding in response to COVID-19. And so the city did get, I'm not sure exactly what the number is, but it's in the millions of dollars through the Social Services Relief Fund. And what that has been used for is really expenses related to COVID-19, like securing motel rooms, so that people in the shelter system can isolate if they might have COVID, moving the shelters to the Wellness Center, and then moving them back, paying for PPE, things like that. Also, expenses associated with the new 24-7 overflow shelter. So you're right, that there is new provincial money. It's more like a one time funding for COVID-19. And I think that Yeah, what, perhaps Mayor Therrien and Olver were speaking about is the need for or how the city could really benefit from more long term operating funding. Ayesha Barmania 16:34 Sure, yeah. And so things like that one time COVID funding we might start seeing in the 2020 budget actuals? Will Pearson 16:42 I don't know I'm not an accountant. So I can't answer that question. Ayesha Barmania 16:45 That's okay. But I think what I'm trying to say here is that it's not in the 2021 draft budget. Will Pearson 16:53 Yeah. And I think that there are a lot there are other opportunities right now for capital funding for housing projects. So the federal government's National Housing strategy, which was announced a couple of years ago, and has been used so far in Peterborough anyway to fund the Brock Mission development and the Habitat for Humanity development at Leahy's Lane, that's still in existence. So there's still opportunities to apply for that, too, to get funding for affordable housing. And then there's a couple of new opportunities too, I think that that is a capital component of the provinces Social Services Relief Fund, so that might be accessible to the City, or organizations in the city to build housing. And then there's the federal government's new rapid housing initiative, which is probably the biggest opportunity right now. That's I think it is $500 million available to cities like Peterborough. So I know that the city is working with community partners to apply for that funding. Dorothy Olver 17:45 We're trying really hard to do what we can to build our housing stock that we can actually dedicate to homelessness, that's part of our challenges is, we have a binding priority list. And we need more resources actually dedicated specifically to that work to try to house people. So I think what we're trying to do is we're trying to expand any housing opportunities we have, where we have the opportunity to apply for any provincial or federal funding, we're doing that with all of our community partners, or developers or folks who are able to work with us. And we're able to meet the eligibility criteria for those programs. So there's a heavy focus on capital funding opportunities, and we get to really have to be ready to jump on those when we can. We're trying really hard to work with folks in the community to make sure that we jump on those opportunities. Will Pearson 18:34 So we'll see if the City or some organization in the city is able to access funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative. I was interested when I was speaking with Olver about that – she brought up an interesting, not criticism, but there is a barrier with that program. And it's that it doesn't come with any additional money for support services. When you think of someone that might be moving from homelessness into housing, what do they need to get into housing? I think they really need three things. The first is housing, there needs to be a place for them to move into. And that's what initiatives like this respond to. There also needs to be rent supplements to help them pay the rent at this housing, because as we have spoken about before, even the most affordable housing developments these days are not really affordable for someone that for example, only has their Ontario Works cheque to pay rent. So secondly, someone would need a rent supplement to help them pay the rent. And then, in many cases, someone that's exiting homelessness likely needs a little extra support when they're in their housing to to live successfully in that housing, if it's either because they have mental health challenges, or they have addictions, or maybe they've just been homeless for a long time and need some supports settling into and learning how to live successfully in housing. That can be a challenge if you've been homeless for a long time. And that kind of support costs money. And so the Rapid Housing initiative doesn't come with that kind of money. Olver says that that's something that the federal government is aware of and working on. Dorothy Olver 20:08 Yeah. And in particular, like I think one of the biggest – hero might be a lofty term, but it's probably not the right word I'm looking for right now but – the best spokesperson that we have around homelessness right now is Adam Vaughn, [Member of Parliament for Spadina—Fort York]. And he pursues every opportunity he has in the federal government. He is pushing for this funding in terms of capital. But he's also really always pushing for the provincial levels of government to kick in the support dollars to make these units. He's hearing loud and clear from everyone that we really appreciate the capital dollars, that you're asking us to, to help with our high security level people that need support to help them to stay where they are. So he's really pushing the federal government to push other levels of government to make sure that the support dollars are coming. So we'll see if that happened, hopefully, guys, because we need to support dollars for many of the programs that we would like to continue to do as we go along. Will Pearson 21:06 So I thought that was really interesting to hear that the federal government is currently pushing the provincial governments in Canada to step up and provide funding for support services to help make the Rapid Housing Initiative more successful, because without that funding, it might not help the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in Peterborough. It might not be just simply because yeah, those individuals need extra support and just giving them a house but not giving them access to put isn't setting them up for success. Ayesha Barmania 21:39 Sure. And this is a program that the city does run called Home for Good if I'm not mistaken. Will Pearson 21:44 Right. One of the ways that the city funds supportive housing is a provincial program called Home for Good. And that that funding has flatlined, I think since 2017, it hasn't been increased. Ayesha Barmania 21:53 Right, yeah. So we might be developing this capacity on all these other fronts but there's still one area that's not getting a boost. Will Pearson 22:01 Yeah, you know, it's a puzzle. There's a lot of pieces that go towards solving homelessness. And yeah, it's a matter of funding them all sufficiently at the same time, and then delivering them all sufficiently. Ayesha Barmania 22:17 Yeah, absolutely. So I think that's all we really wanted to talk about today. Will, is there anything else you wanted to add? Will Pearson 22:22 No, I think that's all the most important things. And that's sort of what I'm keeping an eye on for 2021. Ayesha Barmania 22:28 And not to spoil it, but we're gonna have some coverage tracking all of these different developments on the Peterborough Currents website. So thanks for joining me today, Will. That's all for today's episode of Peterborough Currents. You can find more of our city budget coverage at Peterborough Currents dot CA. We've also got episode transcripts of all the episodes up there. Music in this episode comes courtesy of Mayhemingways. My name is Ayesha Barmania. And thanks so much for taking the time to listen. Bye for now.

In our sixth episode of the Budget Week podcast, co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson go over how the draft 2021 municipal budget addresses the issue of affordable housing and homelessness. In particular, we look at funding for the city’s shelters, rent supplements, incentives for affordable housing, and changes to funding from higher levels of government.

Last week, Peterborough city councillors sat as the finance committee to review each page of the 2021 draft municipal budget highlights book. This year, it was three evenings of deliberations and discussion, which gave councillors an opportunity to ask questions about city operations and propose amendments to the draft budget put forward by staff. Co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson have collected the highlights from each meeting so you can hear what happened. To hear the highlights from Monday's meeting about the City's corporate and legislative department, skip to minute 2:15; for the highlights of the infrastructure and planning department from Tuesday's meeting, skip to minute 9:30; and for the highlights on the community services department from Wednesday, skip to minute 19:05. The 2021 budget will be voted to be approved on December 14 at a city council meeting, and things in the draft documents may change between now and then. Citizens can review the documents, communicate with their city councillors and register to speak at the city council meeting. To learn more click here. And if you have any questions about the municipal budget, you can also ask us! Episode transcript coming soon.

Last week, Peterborough city councillors sat as the finance committee to review each page of the 2021 draft municipal budget highlights book. This year, it was three evenings of deliberations and discussion, which gave councillors an opportunity to ask questions about city operations and propose amendments to the draft budget put forward by staff. Co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson have collected the highlights from each meeting so you can hear what happened.

For our third episode of the Budget Week podcast, Peterborough Currents co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson dive into the proposed changes to the budget for the City's Social Services Division. Read an article write-up of the changes to the division by clicking here. Episode transcript 0:01 Ayesha Hello, you're listening to Peterborough Currents. I'm Ayesha Barmania. This is episode three of the Budget Week podcast, and today we're going to dive into what's been proposed for the 2021 Social Services Division budget. And to tell us about it, I'm bringing in my colleague and co-publisher, Will Pearson. Hi Will. 0:20 Will Hello. 0:21 Ayesha So Will, can you just walk me through — why are we taking a look at the Social Services Division in particular? Like, why does this interest you? 0:28 Will Pearson There's a few reasons. I think that followers of Peterborough Currents know that both you and I have a particular interest in tracing how government decisions impact people who have the least resources and have the least opportunity. And I think that the social services division does that in particular. I think that people who live on a low income have perhaps the most to gain from decisions that get made during budget week, and also the most to lose. So I think it's important to keep an eye on it for that reason. It's also just a very big division within the City. With projected expenditures of $85 million next year, that's the biggest division that is in the city. That doesn't necessarily mean that the city it's the biggest sort of drain on the city's own finances, because a lot of the money for social services does come from the province. But still, it's certainly by far the biggest division. And, you know, when the city did its budget consultations this year, they did a survey and asked folks what their top priorities were, and social services was the number two priority after housing. So citizens care about this as well. 1:29 Ayesha Yeah, absolutely. You talk a bit about how big it is. What falls within the scope of social services? 1:37 Will Pearson Yeah, there's three main sort of sub-programs. The first one is social assistance, so administering Ontario Works. Children's services. And then housing and homelessness is also within the Social Services Division. 1:51 Ayesha So when you're looking at the, when you're looking at the division's budget, what are you seeing changing this year? What are the most important things that stand out? 2:00 Will Pearson There's a few. So this is coming from my own read on the budget. But also I called Ellen Armstrong, who's the division manager of social services to get her take on it as well. And she highlighted a couple different things. The first one is revenue reductions from the province. So there's a couple key areas where the province is reducing funding, and that's putting pressure on the budget in this division this year. Continued pressure on the homelessness system, there's a lot of need for shelter in Peterborough. And I think that the people that are accessing shelter are showing more complex needs, especially during the pandemic, and that's driving expenses up. And then yeah, and as a result of that, there's a couple of places where cuts are being proposed by city staff in the draft budget this year, which we can talk about a little later. 2:45 Ayesha Yeah, absolutely. And so you mentioned the kind of revenue reductions from the province. In the midst of all this COVID stuff, there have been some major transformations announced for the Peterborough area in particular. I wonder if you could get into how the province funding is changing on things like employment services? 3:02 Will Pearson Sure, yeah. So this actually dates back to before COVID-19. But the province is trying to do a pretty big overhaul of how it delivers employment services to people who are on social assistance. And they are kind of piloting that in the Peterborough region before they roll it out across the rest of the province. And so what that involves is– Under the old model, which is still in operation in most of the province, municipalities deliver employment services to people on social assistance. So that's things like– 3:27 Ayesha That's Ontario Works, right? 3:30 Will Pearson Yeah. So things like I guess, you know, help with your resume help getting connected to appropriate jobs help, you know, finding the training that you might need to access the labor market so that you can get off social assistance and get into employment. So municipalities used to deliver that, and under the new model, that will be open to a competitive process, and any organization can bid to deliver those services. And while the city of Peterborough and a couple of neighboring municipalities did apply to continue delivering those services, Fleming College was chosen as the operator so we're kind of in the midst right now of making that transition. And the city has received a pretty significant budget cut, because they'll no longer be delivering that service. The province is cutting $1.6 million from the city's budget. Most of that gets recouped by layoffs, because the city will be laying off people that used to deliver those services. But that doesn't quite cover it; there's still about $100,000 left over that the city will be on the hook for. 4:33 Ayesha Right so the city is no longer providing the employment services that are part of the Ontario Works program, but there's — what are they continuing to operate? 4:42 Will Pearson So they would still, you know, administer the benefits that people receive through social assistance. And then they also will continue to provide life — what's called life stabilization supports. And so, as you can imagine, not everyone who's on social assistance is ready to go get a job and is ready to access the labor market. Either because they have mental health challenges or addictions or maybe they don't have housing. And for those individuals, it doesn't, you know, they need to, they need help with those kinds of challenges before they can access the labor market, and so municipalities will continue to deliver addiction services, homelessness services, mental health referrals, but they'll no longer be involved in really connecting people to the labor market once they're ready. 5:30 Ayesha Okay. And that'll be that's an interesting conversation to dig into more at a later time. But how we can kind of see this in the budget is we can see the Ontario Works Administration and Employment Services line. It's being reduced by about 13%. If I'm reading this, right, and 5:50 Will Pearson The expenditures are being reduced by about 13%. Yeah, if you look at the provincial revenues are decreasing by 22%. And that's the $1.6 million cut. But what you referred to is the expenditures, which is only decreasing by $1.5 million, and that's so 6:08 Ayesha The city's making that up? 6:09 Will Pearson Yeah, so the city's getting $1.6 million dollars less from the province, they're only spending $1.5 million less. And so there's $100,000, that is contributing to these budget pressures that Armstrong was discussing with me. 6:22 Ayesha Gotcha. So to kind of move out of social assistance for a second, there's also been some changes to Children's Services Administration. Do you wanna talk about that a little bit? 6:32 Will Pearson Yeah. So there's a couple changes coming down the line from the province in how particularly the administration of Children's Services gets funded. Previously, the province funded 100% of administration costs for delivering children's services. And starting in 2021, the province will only fund 50% of those costs. And so the city has to come up with that 50%, the County contributes a little bit to this as well. So the County is going to be upping its contribution to these expenses. But at the end of the day, this is actually another example of– it works out to about $100,000, again, that the city is going to have to find additional dollars to cover those expenses. 7:11 Ayesha Mm hmm. Yeah. And you'd mentioned that Ellen Armstrong said that this was a tough budget year, in particular, because of these provincial funding changes. What are some of the service cuts that have been proposed for 2021? 7:22 Will Pearson There's two main service cuts that are being proposed in social services. The first one is a change to discretionary benefits. So there's a proposed cut to the recreation benefit that people on social assistance receive. And then the other cut is to a program called poverty reduction initiatives. And that is proposed to be cut by 50%. 7:43 Ayesha So just to talk about the first one first: discretionary benefits, what are those? 7:52 Will Pearson So there's two kinds of benefits that people on social assistance receive mandatory and discretionary. Mandatory benefits are just what they sound like: the municipality has to provide them. And those are you know what people usually associate with social assistance, which is a shelter allowance, so money to help you pay for your housing, and basic living allowance, so money for food. Mandatory benefits also include some prescription drugs, eye exams, and mandatory benefits are 100% funded by the province, and so that doesn't have an impact on the municipal budget. There are other benefits that municipalities can decide to offer to their social assistance clients. And if they do provide them, the province only funds them up to a maximum of $10 per case per month. And currently, Peterborough provides about $15 per case per month in discretionary benefits. And so that extra $5 is paid by the city. 8:51 Ayesha I see. So what kind of falls under discretionary benefits, what are we talking about? 8:55 Will Pearson So discretionary benefits are also health benefits. At the public meeting for public delegations on Monday night, a couple of people spoke that were concerned about discretionary benefits. One of them was Joanne Bazak-Brokking. 9:10 Joanne Bazak-Brokking Discretionary benefits are only called discretionary because it requires a worker to make a decision. They cover health items such as eyeglasses, dentures and emergency dental care and hearing aids. Discretionary benefits also cover subsidized bus passes and contribute to basic funeral expenses. Budget 2021 will remove $142,568 from the discretionary benefit budget, that's on page 171. This policy change will significantly reduce the capacity to meet essential health needs for people already hit very hard by COVID-19. 9:53 Will Pearson So this the city spends about $700,000 on its contribution to providing discretionary benefits and city staff in the draft budget of proposing a cut to that and the benefit in particular that they're planning on, or proposing to cut is the recreation benefit. And this provided and continues to provide today I guess, up to $200 per child per year to families to help those kids access recreation activities and social activities. 10:23 Ayesha Okay, and that's being wiped out completely? Or will there still be access to recreation services? 10:30 Will Pearson So about 1500 children accessed this benefit in 2019, I should say. And, yes, to your question, the city is trying to mitigate the impact of this cut in one key way, Armtrong explains to me and that's — the recreation department, which is outside of social services, has its own subsidies for people who are on low income. And starting next year, the plan is to broaden the eligibility for those subsidies to include people that are on social assistance. And so someone who is losing access to this benefit will be able to go to a city run recreation facility and access this subsidy. So that's one way that they're kind of mitigating that impact and the budget for the recreation department is being increased by $75,000, to anticipate that demand that there might be more people coming, that are losing access to that benefit. I should say, though, that the amount that the recreation benefit for people on social assistance is being cut is more than $75,000. So while the city is trying to mitigate the impact of this, you know, still amounts to a service reduction, it still amounts to a cut. 11:40 Ayesha Okay. But it's part of this larger pot of money that also includes health benefits, right? 11:46 Will Pearson Mm hmm. And the city — one of the reasons why I spoke to Ellen Armstrong about this, and she pointed out that one of the reasons why, or an additional thing that's happening this year is the city really wants to prioritize health benefits in its discretionary benefits. When the discretionary benefit program was reviewed, the division noticed that the amount of money that they were providing folks to access you know, dental care or dentures just wasn't enough to cover the actual costs of dentist work right now. Because I think that those rates were developed about 10 years ago, and dentist work has gotten more expensive since then. And so while, they are cutting this recreation benefit, they're not — They're taking some of the money that they save from that cut and actually investing it in other health benefits like dental benefits and denture benefits. 12:38 Ayesha So that's discretionary benefits, getting a cut. You also talked about poverty reduction initiatives. What are those? 12:44 Will Pearson Yeah, good question. And an important question. When I saw that in the budget, I didn't know what they were. And I think that just is an example of how important it is to ask questions and dig a little bit deeper into this document, because you don't always know from the document itself. And so I asked Armstrong what this program is, and she gave me a pretty, pretty good explanation of it. 13:04 Ellen Armstrong There are many items that we cover, we have the provision of baby supply, both for social assistance recipients and low income residents. And we have a fund called Helping Hands, which uses small amounts to cover emergencies, such as if somebody runs out of food in a month and there's no access to a food bank, or over the counter medication, bus fare, taxi fares. When somebody comes in and there's an emergency that they need something for, we have a bit of money set aside for that. The baby supplies that can be covered are things like car seats, cribs and booster seats. You can imagine if someone's in receipt of social assistance, and has a baby that they have to have that just to get the baby home from the hospital. So that's what we use some of that money for. The remaining amount was used to support other funding applications that reduce poverty and promote social inclusion in the City and County. And so things like the recent rural transportation pilot, the completion of the Age Friendly plan, the pilot site that worked out of — that created a Havelock hub. We funded that for the first year, the initial One City program in downtown we gave them some startup funding for that for the first year. We also supported the low income dental clinic at the health unit and keeping kids healthy program. So if there's something where somebody needs a bit of extra money to get something that's socially beneficial going, we would seed fund it I guess is the best word. 14:51 Will Pearson So it's as Armstrong said it helps people to get baby supplies, grocery cards, taxi rides, if they need them, and then this other seed funding for other poverty reduction projects in the city. don't exactly know how this cut is going to affect those different programs. In 2019, the baby supplies were $30,000, the helping hands fund so that's like grocery help things like that, was $35,000. And then the seed funding was $75,000. So that all added up to about $140,000. And that's the number that's going to cut by 50%. So it'll be about $70,000. And I'm not sure which of those programs is going to be, receive that cut. 15:39 Ayesha Right. Okay, so those are the cuts. There's also a couple areas that are getting a little bit of a boost. In this draft budget. Can you talk a little bit about what we know about that? I think it's in the housing portfolio in particular. 15:50 Will Pearson Yeah, homelessness. That's one area where the city is planning or the draft budget proposes to spend a little bit more money. As I said earlier in our conversation, that's just a reflection of the increased need, and the increased severity of homelessness in our city right now, especially during COVID-19. And so the city's contribution to its homelessness programs is expected to rise by about 28%. 16:17 Ayesha And what do we know about why those costs might be going up, especially around homelessness? 16:24 Will Pearson Well the city is planning on opening a new 24-seven overflow shelter. And the overflow shelter is currently only run at night. And so staffing it for an extra 12 hours a day is going to be more expensive. I think that social distancing is just reducing the capacity of some of the shelters in Peterborough, and that's driving up costs. And there's more information about this is – we're recording this on Tuesday, November 17, and my understanding is that a report is coming to council next week and will be released this Thursday about how funding of the shelter system is changing. And so I'm looking forward to that report and learning a little bit more about how and why funding of the shelter system is changing. 17:09 Ayesha Mm-hmm, and that's on homelessness, there's also affordable housing initiatives in this portfolio, but we're going to give that it's own episode. So we'll dive in the coming weeks… But this has been a look at the draft budget – all of the things we've been talking about are draft changes that staff is proposing. What are you looking at in the next week as Council deliberates? What do you think might change? 17:33 Will Pearson Yeah. So next week, council gets to take a look at this budget and decide how they feel about it. And I'm yeah, I'm really interested to see how council responds in particular to these, the two service reductions or cuts that are happening in the social services. If we remember back to last year when one of the proposed cuts was the closure of city-run daycares. And, yeah, Council was just not comfortable with that. And so I'm interested to see how this plays out next week. 18:03 Ayesha Yeah, absolutely. I think like talking to Dean a bit about the pressures council's facing, especially because of this year because of COVID. Like, childcare is particularly a pressure point for a lot of families and folks hurting because of a lack of employment due to this recession. It's an interesting budget to consider, and I think it'll be interesting to watch as it plays out. So thanks for walking us through it, Will, super appreciate your time. Any final thoughts? 18:31 Will Pearson No. 18:32 Ayesha Okay, well, thanks. 18:38 Ayesha That's all for Peterborough Currents this week. On our website you'll find an article write-up of all the information shared in this episode, as well as a transcript in the show notes. Coming up next week, we'll be talking about the climate change action plan, affordable housing and more. I hope you can join us for that. Music in this episode comes courtesy of the Mayhemingways. My name is Ayesha Barmania. Thanks very much for being with us today, and I'll talk to you more later. Have a great weekend.

For our third episode of the Budget Week podcast, Peterborough Currents co-publishers Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson dive into the proposed changes to the budget for the City’s Social Services Division.

To round off Plastic Free July, today on REV On Air Cora speaks to Ocean Bottle co-founder and plastic pollution activist Will Pearson. They discuss the threats plastic pollution pose to both human and planetary health, the detrimental effects of micro plastics to our air and oceans and what we can all do to help stop our individual plastic consumption. This is a topic we at Rêve En Vert are extremely keen to highlight and help you all to navigate, so we are thrilled to be bringing you this proactive conversation today.

Sarah Stewart: Hello and welcome to the GDS Podcast. I’m Sarah Stewart. Today’s podcast, the final one of 2019, is a special one, it’s GDS’s Year in Review. Last year, Angus and I went through the year very methodically picking out our highlights. It was quite fun. It’s my last podcast, so I wanted to do something better than quite fun. And what’s better than quite fun? A quiz! I’m going to host a quiz!   So I’m going to be asking 24 questions about GDS, 2 for each month. Obviously, the person with the most points will win. Producer Emily is going to keep score. So let’s meet our contestants.   Contestant number one, what’s your name, what do you do and where are you from?   Laura Stevens: So my name is Laura Stevens. I’m a writer here at GDS. And I’m from a small village in Surrey called Tadworth.   Sarah Stewart: What’s Tadworth known for?   Laura Stevens: So it’s not known for very much, so I had to look this up before I came on the podcast. But it was referenced in the ‘Doomsday Book’ so it’s very old. In the ‘Doomsday Book’ it was known as having woodland worth 4 hogs. So you know, I don’t really know like what --   Sarah Stewart: What a sum!    Laura Stevens: Yeah, like I don’t really know what that equates to but I thought it was quite a fun fact.   Sarah Stewart: You don’t see hogs very much anymore.   Angus Montgomery: How many trees per hog?   Sarah Stewart: And what kind of tree?   Laura Stevens: Yeah, and what kind of hog? I mean...   Angus Montgomery: All good questions.   Sarah Stewart: And Laura, what is your specialist subject at GDS would you say?   Laura Stevens: So I would say my specialist subject would be design here at GDS. But I am wary of saying that because I know that Angus is also very into design and I feel like he may you know, show me up in this quiz and take all the design answers.    Sarah Stewart: Which is a good segue into asking contestant number two, what’s your name and where do you come from?   Angus Montgomery: Hello. I’m Angus Montgomery. I’m a Strategy Advisor and I live in Woodbridge in Suffolk.    Sarah Stewart: Woodbridge. Isn’t that where the celebrities live?    Angus Montgomery: Yeah. Well, it depends on your definition of celebrity, I suppose. So Woodbridge’s most famous son was Thomas Seckford, who was an advisor to Elizabeth I. More contemporary famous sons include Brian Eno and Charlie from Busted.   Sarah Stewart: Oh my gosh.    Laura Stevens: Is Charlie the one with the eyebrows?   Angus Montgomery: I think so, yeah. The handsome one. He did a solo career.   Sarah Stewart: Yes. Fightstar.   Angus Montgomery: That’s it, yeah.    Laura Stevens: That’s excellent Busted knowledge.   Sarah Stewart: So Angus, what’s your specialist subject at GDS?   Angus Montgomery: I don’t know, it sounds a bit creepy if I’m going to say it out loud but the people at GDS. Like I think that’s the thing that I’m most interested in, is all the people who work here and the things that they do.   Sarah Stewart: So it’s good to meet you contestants.    Angus Montgomery: Good to be here.   Sarah Stewart: I need you to press the buzzer when you have the correct answer.    Cue the tense intro music Emily, Producer Emily. Let’s do this.    In January, we recorded a podcast with the Global Digital Marketplace team. They are helping to tackle corruption – a $2.6 trillion problem. The team visited 5 countries, talking to people at state and local level. Can you name all 5 countries? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Okay. I think I’ve got this: South Africa, Malaysia, Colombia, Indonesia… I’m going to fall down on the last one!   Angus Montgomery: I think I know the last one.   Laura Stevens: What’s the last one?    Sarah Stewart: No no no no, we can’t do that.    Angus Montgomery: Oh.    Laura Stevens: Oh so do I just..?   Sarah Stewart: You’re compromising the integrity of the quiz.    Laura Stevens: Do I get a hint or do I just…?   Sarah Stewart: Here’s your clue. Its name also features in the name of its capital city. Massive clue...   The answer was Mexico.   Laura Stevens: That’s really annoying.   Sarah Stewart: Mexico City. Okay. So, I’m afraid no one can take a point from that.    Okay, next question. The first ever Services Week took place from 28th January to 1st February. It was a nationwide, cross-government event that explored how people could work together to deliver end-to-end user-focused services. Now, one of the workshops during Services Week was designed to improve online forms. It was a sell-out workshop but what was the name of that workshop? Angus.   Angus Montgomery: Was it called Formapalooza?    Sarah Stewart: Correct! One point to Angus.    Angus Montgomery: Boom.   Laura Stevens: First one on the scoreboard, you know.    Angus Montgomery: Yeah.   Sarah Stewart: Okay, moving onto February now. In February, the GDS Academy turned 5 and launched a new course – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence [AI] in Government. Can you name an example of where AI is already being used in government? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Aren’t we using it here at GDS to do supervised machine learning on GOV.UK?   Sarah Stewart: Excellent, Laura. One point.   Laura Stevens: Yes! Back in the game.   Sarah Stewart: Next question. GovWifi is a common component that we all know and love. It provides free, secure wifi in public sector buildings. It’s used 2 million times a month. We noticed that it was also being accessed through which surprising device?   Laura Stevens: Is it a device you would find in a home?   Sarah Stewart: Yes, perhaps in the home of a teenager.   Laura Stevens: PlayStation.   Sarah Stewart: Correct answer. And actually, there were 6 PlayStations that were recorded.   Angus Montgomery: Who’s brought a PlayStation in?   Sarah Stewart: I don’t know. It could be in any public sector building.    Next question. The 11th competition for the GovTech Catalyst opened in March. Technology firms were invited to apply to develop innovative solutions for a challenge submitted by Oxfordshire County Council but what was that challenge?   Laura Stevens: Was it something to do with the traffic system?    Sarah Stewart: Yes.   Laura Stevens: And driverless cars..?   Sarah Stewart: Yes! Yes! Well done. Next question.   A team, a new team was created for GOV.UK to maintain and operate the GOV.UK platform. What was the new team called? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Is it the Platform Health team?    Sarah Stewart: Correct.   Sprint is GDS’s flagship conference. In April, we announced the agenda and that we would travel to 5 locations across the UK to discuss the impact of digital transformation on public services. Name those cities. Angus.   Angus Montgomery: In order: Edinburgh, Cardiff, Leeds, Belfast and London.    Sarah Stewart: One point to Angus. I almost said Laura then.   Laura Stevens: Give me all the points.    Angus Montgomery: Shall we have a check in on the scores?   Sarah Stewart: Yeah, let’s check in on the scores. Wow. Okay. Laura’s ahead.    In April, there was an Unconference at GDS. People were invited to pitch and present on topics of their choosing. Richard Towers held a discussion on making coding more accessible to people at GDS. Which of the following is a programming language that we do not use at GDS? Ruby, Python, Node.js, Go, Java, C#, Scala. Angus.    Angus Montgomery: C#?   Sarah Stewart: Correct!   Laura Stevens: Did you know that?   Angus Montgomery: I don’t know that much about programming languages. But I’ve heard people talking about the other ones.   Sarah Stewart: Okay. Well just to say, there was a trick answer in there as well. So for those people who really know their programming, we don’t use Scala anymore but there is an old project that’s still is in Scala but it’s not maintained.    Laura Stevens: Ooh I like that, a trick question.   Sarah Stewart: Okay so this is May. GOV.UK Pay – a free and secure online payment service for government and public sector organisations – took its first payment for a service in a language other than English. For half a point, what was that language? And, for the full point, how do you say seamless integration in that language? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Welsh. I’m just going for the half point. I don’t, I don’t have the other half of it.    Angus Montgomery: Not confident?   Laura Stevens: I’m not confident. I’ve never spoken Welsh so I wouldn’t want to offend anybody. Do you have, do you know it?   Angus Montgomery: No.   Laura Stevens: I don’t know. You knew about programming languages, so I thought you might also have-   Angus Montgomery: Welsh knowledge?    Laura: Yeah, Welsh knowledge..   Angus Montgomery: The two don’t always go together.    Sarah Stewart: Okay. Well, I’ve got it written down here and I don’t want to offend anyone either. It’s been quite a good year for common components, has it not?   Angus Montgomery: It has. So, I mean, as well as GOV.UK Pay, you’ve got GOV.UK Notify, which is a great success and is used by more than half the local authorities across the UK.   Laura Stevens: Yeah. It helps them do things like sending letters, which can be really time-consuming and where mistakes can be made.   Sarah Stewart: Okay. With changing regulations affecting public sector accessibility requirements, we advised how to publish an accessibility statement but where can you find that? Angus.   Angus Montgomery: GOV.UK.   Sarah Stewart: Yes! In June, we’re halfway through.   Laura Stevens: Yeah!   Sarah Stewart: How fun.    In June, a strategy and a guide were published. What was the name of that strategy and what was the name of the guide? I need the official names, please.    Laura Stevens: I think the first one is the Government Technology Innovation Strategy then it’s ‘A Guide to Using AI in the Public Sector’?   Sarah Stewart: Correct. Laura has got the full point.    In June, Kevin Cunnington, GDS’s Director General stepped down after 3 years leading the organisation. He took a new role on, at the International Government Service, and Alison Pritchard was named as Interim DG [Director General]. Can you tell me where in the world she was when she was offered the job? Angus.   Angus Montgomery: I think she was near Madagascar, wasn’t she, in the Indian Ocean?   Sarah Stewart: I...I don’t think I can accept that.   Angus Montgomery: Oh. She was on a boat in in, at sea.    Sarah Stewart: And well it...I’m going to accept Indian Ocean because she was sailing on a boat somewhere between Darwin and Christmas Island. So I would have accepted Timor Sea or the Indian Ocean.    Okay, so technically this happened in June, July was a little bit quiet.    So GDS’s step by step work on GOV.UK won a D&AD Award for Service Design. Please can you name my favourite step by step journey on GOV.UK? Angus.   Angus Montgomery: Is it Reporting Found Treasure?   Sarah Stewart: Correct!   Laura Stevens: I mean, even if I’d got in first, I would have actually been wrong. I thought it was actually Bring Your Pet to the UK.   Sarah Stewart: Where would I be bringing it from?   Laura Stevens: I don’t know. You might have bought your pet abroad.   Sarah Stewart: Oh yeah. I actually did look into dog rescue in Greece.   Laura Stevens: So you know, clearly I could have been right. But alas, it was more finding treasure.   Sarah Stewart: So what’s so good about step by step?   Laura Stevens: Well, there are now 47 live, and obviously, it’s really good that they are winning awards and everything but also they’re being, they’re really helping people. They are also helping the other parts of GOV.UK like our voice assistant work. So now you can ask your Alexa or Google Home if you want to learn to drive a car. And yeah, it's helping people where they need it.   And it’s quite like, when I spoke to Kate [Ivey-Williams] and Sam [Dub] about it, Kate was saying what motivated her is that ease to make government like, as invisible as possible. So say you’re dealing with a very distressing situation, like somebody has passed away, you don’t want to be like dealing with any government admin at that point. And so if the step by step can just give you the answers that you need and tell you very clearly, that’s a really helpful thing to do for users.   Sarah Stewart: What is your favourite step by step journey, Laura?   Laura Stevens: My favourite step by step journey is quite a boring one but I like it because I’m on the video for it. It’s How to Drive a Car. I feature saying it into a phone. Then it got screened at Sprint 18.   Sarah Stewart: Wow.   Laura Stevens: So you know, me in this jumper, it’s quite an old jumper. I didn’t really expect to be used in filming that day. It’s been immortalised.   Sarah Stewart: So if you want to have a visual picture of Laura, if you want to connect the voice to the face, watch that journey. It’s on YouTube.   In July we released, oh this is, actually, this next question could be in Laura’s advantage, just given your specialist subject for design. In July, we released new updates to the colours and font on GOV.UK. The GOV.UK colour palette is made up of 7 colours – grey, black, blue, red, yellow, green and white. Which 2 colours weren’t updated? Angus.    Angus Montgomery: Black and white?   Sarah Stewart: Correct!   Laura Stevens: That is great knowledge.   Sarah Stewart: Angus is in the lead.   Angus Montgomery: Yes!    Sarah Stewart: Wow.   Laura Stevens: Oh so I need to make a comeback?   Angus Montgomery: Yeah, Laura needs to make a comeback.   Laura Stevens: Is that because he’s got lots of half points? Trying hard but...   Sarah Stewart: He’s not committing.   Angus Montgomery: What’s that meant to mean?   Sarah Stewart: In August we talked about work we had to do following July’s reshuffle. When there is a reshuffle, GOV.UK needs to update the information as quickly as possible. True or false – the GOV.UK team knows this information before the public?   Laura Stevens: False.   Sarah Stewart: Correct. They find out at the same time as everyone else.    Laura Stevens: Yeah July...during the reshuffle in July, because it was quite like a big change and the changes were coming quite like quickly, the team really had to step up. And so that’s working late nights, making sure that GOV.UK is always like the canonical source of information.   Sarah Stewart: Yeah.    Laura Stevens: So they had to make updates to 100 individual ministers’ GOV.UK roles. They had to update ministers’ biographies. They had to add profiles to GOV.UK for people who hadn’t worked for Government before. They had to reorder the list of ministers on 22 department pages. And they had to reorder the Government Ministers page. And obviously there’s a lot of eyes on GDS, well on GOV.UK and GDS’s team, GDS’s work through that. So yeah, they did really well.   Sarah Stewart: Go team. Ok, next question.   Alison took up the role of DG [Director General] at GDS and wrote an introductory blog post sharing a little bit about her past. It’s incredibly well written. Alison has a fantastic background in public service but what was her very first job serving the public?   Angus Montgomery: I feel like I know this.   Sarah Stewart: It was in the blog post, if you read it.    Angus Montgomery: I don’t know if it was her very first job but she was Minister Responsible for Cage Fighting at one stage, wasn’t she?    Laura Stevens: That’s quite a high entry as your first job. Minister for Cage Fighting.    Angus Montgomery: Not Minister, obviously. She was a senior civil servant responsible for cage fighting in some capacity.    Laura Stevens: She was pulling pints…?   Sarah Stewart: You can’t give them clues.    Angus Montgomery: I thought you said first job in the civil service.    Sarah Stewart: No.    Angus Montgomery: Oh, first job.   Laura Stevens: No. It was first job serving the public.    Angus Montgomery: Oh so serving the public.   Laura Stevens: Is this a pun?   Sarah Stewart: Yes.    Laura Stevens: Oh!   Angus Montgomery: You’re operating on a level that I’m not!   Sarah Stewart: Yes! She was a barmaid when she was eight.    Laura Stevens: Oh. Is that...   Angus Montgomery: Is that legal?    Laura Stevens: Do we need to check in on that?    Sarah Stewart: It was…   Angus Montgomery: Do we need to check on the legality of that claim?   Laura Stevens: You need to investigate some pub wherever she grew up.   Sarah Stewart: It was her family pub and she just served soft drinks.   Sarah Stewart: Ok, so September. Plans for a new permanent secretary level Government Chief Digital Information Officer (GCDIO) were announced at Sprint. Alison said that GCDIO was a bit of a mouthful, so what was the title shortened to? Angus.   Angus Montgomery: She calls them ‘The Big G’.    Sarah Stewart: Correct. Adding that it incorporates a sense of scale and seniority for that particular post.    Mark Hurrell, the former Head of Design for GOV.UK and the Head of Graphic Design at GDS wrote the most popular blog post in Design in Government blog history. What was it about? Laura.   Laura Stevens: So I feel like I need to claw this back after Angus took my specialist subject earlier. Is it the post about the design principles posters?   Sarah Stewart: Correct. Yes, well done.   Laura Stevens: There was also a very nice… we can plug the Instagram here as well, because I believe Roger Valentine did a very nice animation about those posts as well.   Sarah Stewart: Oh.   Laura Stevens: Yeah.   Sarah Stewart: Great. In October, 2 members of the Sustainability Network – Emily Labram and Will Pearson – estimated the maximum amount of CO2 that GDS produces. How many tonnes of CO2 did they estimate we produced? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Was it 4,000?   Sarah Stewart: Correct!   Laura Stevens: Ah! That’s so much.   Sarah Stewart: That’s a lot but it’s an important piece of work. It’s good to know exactly what your impact is.   Laura Stevens: And is it on the blog post?   Sarah Stewart: It is. All of the details are on the blog post and how they calculated it as well.   Angus Montgomery: And where does that come from, the CO2?   Sarah Stewart: It’s things like data centres that are consuming lots of energy. Like and whether that energy is, I mean the question is whether you can have renewable energy sources to keep things like data centres up and running and...   Laura Stevens: Yeah and I think also, that blog post got a lot of comments, as well. So I think it’s something that other government departments or like arm’s length bodies, or whatever are looking into.   Sarah Stewart: Yeah cause you, yeah, I guess you think that the big culprits are fashion, oil and gas industries. Actually, everyone is sort of-   Laura Stevens: Yeah, everyone is responsible.    Sarah Stewart: Yes. In October, GOV.UK turned 7. Tell me, what was notable about the desks that the team worked on when GOV.UK was launched? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Is this from an article you wrote?    Sarah Stewart: Me? Or Secretary of State?   Laura Stevens: Sorry, sorry, the ghostwriting that doesn’t exist.   Sarah Stewart: Yeah, yeah.    Laura Stevens: Is it that they were cardboard boxes?   Sarah Stewart: Correct. Thank you for reading that by the way.   I’m going to read a quote from a GDS figure. Please can you identify the speaker, their job title and tell me what they are talking about. The quote starts, “Unlike many publishers or commercial organisations, we’re not incentivised by statistics like page views or the number of visitors. Our interest is in making sure we are where the user is,” end quote. Angus.   Angus Montgomery: That is Jen Allum, who is Head of GOV.UK, talking about, well I guess the sort of success metrics for GOV.UK. And it’s interesting what she’s saying about that, that obviously we’re not a commercial organisation, we’re an organisation that’s here to serve user needs. So the traditional kind of understanding of people, you know you want to increase the number of people coming to your site, like that’s not how we operate.   I mean it’s good to know those figures obviously. And it’s good to know who’s coming and what they are looking at and what’s getting a lot of traffic and stuff. But that’s not ultimately what motivates people and that’s not what motivates their future vision for GOV.UK, which is about serving users, helping them to do whatever it is that they need to do, regardless of whether that’s a simple thing or a complex life event.   Sarah Stewart: Perfect answer. One point.   November saw the creation of another community at GDS. GDS has got so many lovely communities. What was that community? Laura.   Laura Stevens: Was it Muslims at GDS?   Sarah Stewart: Correct! Networks are a nice thing, aren’t they?   Laura Stevens: They are.   Sarah Stewart: What’s your favourite network? What networks are you part of?   Laura Stevens: So at GDS I’m part of the Women’s Network. I’ve also recently joined the Mental Health Network because I interviewed Ben on the podcast, Ben Carpenter on the podcast last month. What about you Angus?   Angus Montgomery: I’m not a member, although I probably ought to be. But I go to quite a lot of the Women’s Network events, which are really good. I think it’s great obviously not being a woman and being able to go to these things and being part of that community.   But no, I think the good thing about the networks is, even if you are not a member, they are really visible so I’ve been to quite a few events that the LGBT Network have done as well. I just think it’s really good that, yeah they’re so active and there is so much going on.   Laura Stevens: Yeah, I think that part about being open to all is really nice. Because often you can just join them by joining the Slack channel, and that’s very, you can just be there. So if you’re joining GDS as a person who’s not been in government before or anything, you can just be like, “here’s a few friendly faces” and you don’t have to...you can be kind of as active or as inactive as you want to be as part of the network.    So what networks are you part of?   Sarah Stewart: I dip my toes into a few pools. Does that work? I mean not physiologically. Metaphorically. I’m really interested in the work that the Women’s Group do, particularly around negotiating pay rises and public speaking. But also the Mental Health Network is really valuable because it’s such an everyday thing here. Well it’s becoming more of an everyday thing here to talk about how you are feeling. And I think that in other organisations, that’s not the case. I think there is a real push to normalise talking about it, which is ultimately very healthy.   Laura Stevens: And it’s really nice that GDS can take like a leading role in that then, in setting a precedent on how that’s a good thing.   Sarah Stewart: Yeah. Okay, we’ve only got 2 questions left. We’re almost at the end. So can you tell me how many types of chocolate were tried by GDS Chocolate Club in 2019? And I should add that GDS Chocolate Club is funded by its members and is an out of hours club.    Angus Montgomery: 6.   Sarah Stewart: Laura.   Laura Stevens: I’m going to go much higher. I’m going to go like 24.    Sarah Stewart: Well you’ve both fallen short. 65 chocolates were tasted in 2019.   Angus Montgomery: Woah.    Laura Stevens: Is this the final question?   Sarah Stewart: This is the final question of the quiz. Name every person in the Creative Team who made the GDS Podcast series possible this year.   Angus Montgomery: Laura.   Laura Stevens: Angus.    Angus Montgomery: Sarah.   Sarah Stewart: Thank you.   Laura Stevens: Producer Emily.   Angus Montgomery: To give her her full title. Animator and photographer, Roger.    Laura Stevens: And we’ve got filmmaker Graham. Producer Megan Painter.   Sarah Stewart: Yeah.   Laura Stevens: Designer Charlotte.   Angus Montgomery: Couldn’t possibly forget Alastair Mogford, who not only set up this podcast but documented how we do it and wrote down a very long description which we’ve all been using now because we all forget like what the set-up is and stuff. So thank you, Alastair.   Laura Stevens: Shout out to Alastair.    And also we’ve got to shoutout to our social media star, Lou Mullan.    Angus Montgomery: And thanks obviously to Chris Watson.   Sarah Stewart: Oh wait. How do we attribute points to this?    Angus Montgomery: Everyone gets points for that.   Laura Stevens: Because it’s a team effort.    Angus Montgomery: Yes.   Sarah Stewart: Aw that’s nice. That’s the spirit, isn’t it?   Laura Stevens: Well, well done team though, because we’ve done 14 podcasts!    Angus Montgomery: Yeah!   Laura Stevens: Thanks to everyone there.    Sarah Stewart: And thank you so much to all of our listeners for your loyal support over the past year.   Ok so Emily, can you tell us, can you hand me the final scores. I’m going to announce who the winner is-   Angus Montgomery: Ah!   Laura Stevens: Drumroll.   Sarah Stewart: After I announce who the runner-up is.    Angus Montgomery: Oh.   Sarah Stewart: It was Angus.   Angus Montgomery: Yay!   Sarah Stewart: Well done.    Laura Stevens: Well done Angus.   Sarah Stewart: But today’s winner is Laura Stevens. So, your prize is 3 chocolate bars wrapped up inside a civil service lanyard.    Laura Stevens: Oh that’s very kind of you, thank you.   Sarah Stewart: So claps for..   Laura Stevens: Aww! Well, but there’s 3 so you know we can divide amongst…   Angus Montgomery: Oh, well how convenient. Apart from Producer Emily.   Laura Stevens: I tried to do that really nicely.   Angus Montgomery: There, there are actually 4 of us in the room.    Laura Stevens: I will share that out amongst all of us here.   Sarah Stewart: That’s very magnanimous of you.    Laura Stevens: Aww.   Sarah Stewart: Aww, good winner. Ok so that brings us to the end of the last podcast of 2019. How did you think it went?   Angus Montgomery: It was very challenging.    Sarah Stewart: It doesn’t sound...   Laura Stevens: But I did come out as a winner, so I mean..    Angus Montgomery: Yeah.   Laura Stevens: I feel like-   Angus Montgomery: I mean obviously I came out as a runner up, so it was more challenging for me.   Sarah Stewart: 2019 has been quite a year, hasn’t it?   Laura Stevens: Yes.   Angus Montgomery: Uh huh.   Sarah Stewart: What have your highlights been?    Angus Montgomery: Well I moved team. So I’m now on the Strategy Team, which explains why I’m not as involved in the podcasts as I was before. So yeah, that’s a highlight. But obviously being on the Creative Team was also a highlight.    Laura Stevens: Aww.   Sarah Stewart: That’s sweet. Laura, what’s your highlight been?    Laura Stevens: I’ve really liked actually getting more involved in the podcasts, which is quite an appropriate thing to say in this podcast episode.    Angus Montgomery: On the podcast..   Laura Stevens: But no I’ve spoken to really interesting people, like Kate Ivy-Williams and Sam Dub. Yeah, lots of other people as well, on the podcast.    Sarah Stewart: Great. Okay.    Laura Stevens: But what about you? What was your highlights for the year?    Sarah Stewart: Well I helped Alison with the presentation that she delivered at the Women into Leadership Conference. And we made a spoof book about Alison. It’s called ‘Alison by Alison Pritchard’.   Laura Stevens: Yeah.   Sarah Stewart: Because we were talking about like stories from her life and someone thought it was real.   Laura Stevens: Yes. I believe also, I’m quite surprised by this because you actually wrote in fake reviews, I believe.    Sarah Stewart: Yeah, I did reviews from ‘People’s Friend’ and ‘Time Magazine’. That was really funny, and it was a really good event as well.  So thank you to all of our listeners over 2019. It’s been quite the year in the world of the GDS Podcast, we’ve covered lots of topics. So thank you for your loyal support and lending us your ears.   Laura Stevens: And please keep listening.    Sarah Stewart: You can listen to all the episodes of the Government Digital Service Podcast on Apple Music, Spotify and all other major podcast platforms. You can read the transcripts on Podbean. Bye.   Angus Montgomery: Bye.   Laura Stevens: Bye 2019. 

Will Pearson and Nick Doman are co-founders of Ocean Bottle, the London-based company behind a reusable water bottle that allows consumers to measure their impact on the collection of plastic in our oceans and rivers. Every bottle funds the sweeping up of about 11kg of plastics through partner Plastic Bank, which pays collectors in Brazil, Haiti, Indonesia and the Philippines. Since this year’s launchit has sold more than 30,000 bottles.

Nick Doman and Will Pearson are the founders of Ocean Bottles, a tool for individuals to fund collection of ocean plastic bottles. Their product is a part stainless steel and part ocean-bound recycled plastic. Highlights: Collecting ocean bound plastic bottles are just as effective. 22 million kg of plastic goes into ocean each day Creating an IBM blockchain platform of network of plastic collection network Ocean Bottle has a NFC chip to offer retailers new way to interact with consumers Getting support in the product design phase and other partnerships Getting into Catapult accelerator programme Time Stamp: [01:00] How Ocean Bottles work [03:22] No bullshit sustainability [05:00] Working with Plastic Bank [07:45] Plastic collectors with Plastic Bank [10:38] B2B side of Ocean Bottles [13:00] Product design background [14:00] Creating a physical product [17:20] Partnerships [19:00] Working as a team and getting coaching [20:50] Vision in 10 years Useful links: Ocean Bottles (https://theoceanbottle.com/) Go to ImpactHustlers.com (https://www.impacthustlers.com/) Visit FastForward 2030 (http://fastforward2030.com/) and Real Changers (https://www.realchangers.com/) Impact Hustlers is hosted by Maiko Schaffrath, connect on Linkedin (https://uk.linkedin.com/in/maikoschaffrath/en) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/maikoschaffrath) This podcast is produced by Woon Tan of Podcast Publishing (http://podcastpublishing.help/)

Available from Audible.co.uk (https://adbl.co/2miTfyD) Everybody loves a good mystery and sometimes the questions can be more interesting than the answers. Will Pearson investigates twenty unique mysteries with their broad spectrum of strangeness. Some, like the sudden disappearance of the sailing ship Mary Celeste's passengers and crew have gained universal currency. Was the Wow! Signal a radio transmission form deep space, or was it the ambient resonating frequency of a passing comet? Cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster teeter on the boundaries of probable and improbable, hoax and reality, fact and fiction. Whether it be the intrigue of lost civilisations, like Göblekli Tepe in Turkey, sensationalist interest in The Zodiac Killer, or the elusive Shugborough Code that neither Dickens nor Darwin could crack, each unsolved mystery presents a challenge in its own way. Occasionally, it can feel as if there's a conspiracy at work - one in which scientists, journalists and 'professional explainers' want to put an end to anything and everything mysterious in life. Thankfully, not everything can be nailed down, sucked dry of its secrets and turned into a factoid. Mysteries do still exist - and continue to tease us. Sceptic or believer, the fun lies in probing them.

The series premiere of the Project Listen Podcast was recorded live, on-stage at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in France. Join our host Will Pearson, as he talks all things audio and creativity with Ryan Seacrest, Leslie Sims (Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy), Tim Castree (CEO North America, GroupM), and Brad Hiranaga (Global Head of Brand, General Mills) on the beach in Cannes, France. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In this episode TXBS Podcast host, Will Pearson, sits down with Councilors Joel Dunsworth and Alden Marshall to talk to them about American Legion Texas Boys State expierences.

In this interview TXBS Host, Will Pearson interviews Captain Lucas Turner, Boys State almunus and United States Company Commander of the 62nd Explosive Ordinance Company.

Will Pearson, part of the TXBS Podcast team, delves into the inter-workings and impact of American Legion Texas Boys State, with director Scott T. Armstrong.

During the 2018 municipal election, Peterborough voters cast their ballots and elected in Diane Therrien, who previously served as a city councillor for Town Ward. Peterborough Currents invited Mayor-elect Diane Therrien to join us on our live radio show, broadcast through the facilities of Trent Radio. Co-hosts Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson interviewed Therrien and opened the phone lines (with some technical difficulty) for listeners to ask questions.

In 2018, the Peterborough Currents team created themed episodes as a way to explore stories in the community. This episode about food delved into six stories about growing food, selling food, making food, working with food, and the politics of food. Find time codes below for when each story begins: (0:24) Another season of gardening kicks off at Seedy Sunday; (4:40) an interview with a Peterborough Farmers' Market vendor, as the beleaguered organization tries to put its reseller controversy behind it; (12:40) Shannon Mak serves up a cocktail at Le Petit Bar; (16:20) Martin Carbajal (of La Mesita Restaurante) explains his passion for tacos; (19:10) food service workers at Trent University threaten a strike in response to their precarious work conditions; and (26:46) Food Not Bombs Peterborough serves free vegan meals to anyone who is hungry every Monday night in Confederation Park, and they've been at it for almost 13 years without ever missing a meal. This episode was hosted and produced by Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson. With contributions by Mauricio Interiano and Josh Skinner. Music composed and performed by John Whelan.

In 2018, the Peterborough Currents team created themed episodes as a way to explore stories in the community. This episode about housing delved into seven stories about homes and housing. Find time codes below for when each story begins: (00:40) an afternoon on the farm of Peter and Ada Leahy; (07:20) visiting with current and historical residents of homes in The Avenues; (19:10) an interview with Rebecca Morgan-Quinn, Manager of Housing at the City of Peterborough about the City's review of the Housing and Homelessness Plan; (23:20) Dewey Jones organizes a group of seniors in Lakefield towards creating a living space for themselves through a non-profit called Abbeyfield; (27:00) Trent University student Berfin Aksoy shares the unique challenges that international students face looking for housing, and an interview with Meghan Johnny about the Peterborough Student Housing Co-operative initiative; (34:45) an interview with Christian Harvey, Director of the Warming Room Community Ministries about his work supporting people experiencing homelessness; and (41:30) an interview with Janice Keil who is assembling an all women construction crew to build a passive house in Northumberland County. This episode was hosted and produced by Ayesha Barmania and Will Pearson. With a contribution by Mauricio Interiano. Music in this episode is courtesy of Olias, Nick Ferrio, and original compositions by John Whelan.

There’s no roadmap for the entrepreneurial journey, no one to tell you what to do, how to do it and when to have it done by. The leaders who prevail are the ones who just keep going, trying option after option until they find an effective path. This was true for Will Pearson, who started Mental Floss out of his college dorm room and eventually grew it into a quirky business with millions of fans. There’s something to be said for believing in an idea and relentlessly executing until completion.  Here’s a few of the things you'll learn from Will: How naivety and a lack of industry knowledge can work in our favor The importance of keeping an open mind in looking for new opportunities and revenue streams  Why business growth is a process of gradual shifts and organic evolution The advice Will would give his college self and any anyone else starting something today Check out Will’s new podcast Part Time Genius, you’re bound to learn something interesting!

E.B. Moss: Hey, it's E.B. Moss, Managing Editor for MediaVillage and I am on location yet again, so excited to be at Podcast Movement in Anaheim California. Podcast Movement 2017, I think it's their fourth year. And of the couple thousand people here, I bumped into Jason Hoch, who is the Chief Content Officer for HowStuffWorks. I bumped into him right after he happen to have walked up the stage holding two statuettes, awards that he won here at Podcast Movement so I wanted to grab the opportunity to talk to you. Hey, Jason. Jason Hoch: It's so great to be here. E.B. Moss: Good to see you. We had spoken in the past before and I'm a big fan of HowStuffWorks, and I thought that we could just chat about what's new for you, what's new in your vision of podcasting, and have a little free-for-all. Jason Hoch: Yeah, absolutely. It's really interesting to be here. If anyone was in Chicago last year, one of the quick observations is this is pretty hot space, there's a lot more people here. A lot more people creating I think interesting entertaining content, and the whole technology wing of things too. Things like dynamic ad serving is part of the track here. The monetization opportunities, the data and analytics surrounding everything podcast related. That's really exciting because it says it's part of a bigger movement of interest, so we're having all these great new shows and creators come on the platform and we're also able to measure it. And why is that important? The evolution of this as a really amazing platform and that we can't play tricks with our users. They really do listen to these episodes. They really do want a place where they can listen for 30, 45 minutes, maybe 60 minutes. This is a daily part of a lot of people's lives. Learning how those things connect together both on the execution side, from the tech perspective and then how we create content. It's really interesting to see how all these things are coming together. The other interesting part is this just has all gotten bigger. So many people, so many listeners are coming and discovering podcasts and making it part of their daily routine. Our goal is to inform and entertain people to really provide that delight in people's lives. Those couple hours of the day, where they may be jogging, they may be commuting, that miserable commute or as we often hear from a lot of our listeners, before they go to bed. All those things are really important touch points. Early on, we thought, yeah, people only want to listen to the five minute podcast, because they’ve only got so much time in their day. But we were wrong on that; what people wanted is long read for audio. They wanted to deep dive with us. They wanted to have that one on one connection and they're consuming these podcasts like math. E.B. Moss: Yes. Jason Hoch: Over the years, we broke this huge catalog of content where you start with one episode and you just keep going, and we really built an organic fan base under that. We look up now, we’ve got over 6,000 episodes of content, that's over 3,000 hours, and we're going to continue to add more shows to our roster and it's just happening everywhere. E.B. Moss: Well, I think that also part of the appeal is that people feel like they're learning something with podcasts in general and particularly with the suite of content from HowStuffWorks. Jason Hoch: Yeah, I've always said we never want bad experience informing people. We never wanted to sound like we're reading out of a dictionary or an encyclopedia. We'd like to say we're perfectly imperfect. We walk up two topics that maybe we didn't know anything about, we were very curious about because we've kind of figured that the audience is going to have that same perspective, and we want to surprise people with topics that maybe they didn't really realize how exciting it was until they heard us talk about it. Do it in a detailed way, again with flaws and all, and actually that's part of the organic conversation is our discovery process about topics from the sun to anything else that we ever decide to cover, and that's part of what makes it so raw and interesting and organic and entertaining frankly too. E.B. Moss: Yeah, and entertaining because you have a whole slew of, sort of, I'll call them verticals... Jason Hoch: We do – a whole slew of verticals from food to science to history and beyond. E.B. Moss: I also saw that you've got some development in comedy. Jason Hoch: Yeah. This year has been a really exciting year, because we know what we have. We've got upwards of 37 million downloads per month and people really consuming everything that we're giving them, and so we really want to be what we call the home for creative geniuses. As much as it is about offering entertaining options for our listeners, what does that mean as a creator? We really want to be that home, and so we've made a couple big moves in this space this year. First is bringing in Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur who are the founders of Mental Floss. They founded the magazine in their dorm room in 2002 at Duke University. E.B. Moss: I'm a big fan of Mental Floss. Jason Hoch: They started this magazine because they were having conversations in the dorm room about all kinds of brand of topics. Two of the most curious guys I've ever met and I've been friends with them for 10 years. We always looked at each other: ‘How would we work together, and how is this all going to happen?’ We brought them on board, earlier this year, and they've launched the show called Part-time Genius. That Part-time Genius is a look at quirky funny look at some amazing things from the weirdest presidents to the strangest college courses to will we live forever, asking the big question and unpacking some pretty dense topics in a really really fun way, so they offer a complimentary, yet different voice for us. Secondly, here in LA, we've actually opened new offices, headed up by Jack O'Brien, who is the founder of Cracked.com, he was the Editor-in-Chief and really grew that into a really amazingly popular platform. He's come here to open up that office to startup a series of comedy shows. He's a brilliant guy. He's a great writer, and he's going to have a team of regulars joined by journalists and comedians and actually given the opportunity to be really funny, to riff, to be able to really have that organic funny look at our frankly inane world of politics and beyond. I think that there's an opportunity to be a little bit funnier and entertaining in this space, and we're going to hit people with a pretty high frequency show and really deliver, I think, something really unique in the space. This is going to be the first of a series of shows that Jack will continue to develop and finding that diamond in the rough talent, and really working with them to develop them, super excited about that. E.B. Moss: Well, this is a great space to find the diamond in the rough podcasting, gives voice to so many different types of personalities, and then they're becoming stars. We recently did an article on the success story of Two Dope Queens and everyone from, let's take a Guy Raz moving from journalism within NPR over to another show on how things get built. Jason Hoch: Yes. E.B. Moss: You're finding a lot of success from other platforms as well, and things are going to and from and back to podcasting, didn't your origins include an early show? Jason Hoch: Yeah, it is interesting to see the evolution. This is pure digital media. We're always up for change. We've seen things like one of the awards we won last night was for Brain Stuff, and this was actually our first podcast, and it was a five minute show that we recorded in Marshall Brain's closet from his house, and he would just crank up content. It was very early, and we thought that people only wanted a five minute show, and they wanted something a little bit longer. We kept going with that show and eventually we put it in re-runs and continue to grow, because there were 5 to 600 episodes of this content, and so many people coming on that platform. So, Marshall recorded that show for a number of years. We put it in re-runs, and even though it was in re-runs we continue to find an audience as the podcast, audience grew, that then became a video series and was on YouTube and everywhere else, had multiple personalities and writers and collaborators, and then we actually rebooted the podcast with fresh new episodes based on that video series. This is the crossover trans-media thing that happens so often and now we're developing new Brain Stuff episodes based on brand new topics and we're going to go to daily show. E.B. Moss: Also five minutes or have you decided to go longer? Jason Hoch: Keep it five minutes. E.B. Moss: Okay, so there's something for everyone. Jason Hoch: There's something for everyone. I don't think we've made any decisions on this but we feel like there's an opportunity in the smart speaker space, and the smart phone space. You talk about flash briefings. You talk about everything happening there where that shorter content has been primarily influenced by a news drop, if you will, what else is there? We think there's a space for science and technology and history in those topics. I can listen to one if I want or I can actually binge listen a whole bunch of this stuff because it's evergreen and this is a behavior that we see, again over and over, so let's find new ways to delight people in a way that best fits with the environment that they're in. We just continue to play in those spaces and learn, it's very exciting. E.B. Moss: You have been with HowStuffWorks for a long time, Jason, right? Jason Hoch: Yeah, I was with the team from 2007 to 2011. We've sold the business to Discovery in 2009 for $250 million, did a little integration dance with Discovery for a couple years. I left to run digital for WWE up in Stanford, Connecticut. Super exciting time, and they asked me to come back about three and a half years ago. Right as we're percolating where this podcast thing goes, I said let's start to really embrace this. Let's think a little bit differently than we have in the past, and really get behind this in a big way. We moved offices. We built studios. We started to really see some great results and we saw a growth in our downloads, that was 3 to 4X over the last couple years as all organic growth. All us being ourselves, people appreciating great content, and frankly letting our hosts do their thing. Having mad respect for what they do, their process, their research ...and lots of things pop out of that from live tours to many of these pages on Facebook or in the hundreds of thousands to millions and be able to have a direct connection with them and then for us, one of our advantages is being able to tell those stories in a 360 way. We talk about video with Brain Stuff. Seeing Josh and Chuck from Stuff You Should Know, seeing some of the teams that's actually creating this with video as both a promotional mechanism, a reach mechanism, just drawing the connection. It taps into the nature of podcast, where people feel like they get to know you. They feel they've really connected with you and that's the secret sauce of podcasts. But for us, it's drawing those connections everywhere without it being a distraction and it being a compliment, and so as more people walk up to all of this, we see them in so many different platforms. E.B. Moss: Right, so hats off to you on moving things forward so well and I'll wrap it up with a little bit of the business question and ask you to take off your content expertise hat, and put on your futurist hat, and your business model hat: where are things going in terms of move revenue for podcasting, do you ever produce for advertisers or are there new tactics and technologies that are going to drive more revenue? Jason Hoch: Yeah, I think it's a great question. One of the things that we've seen in other digital platforms is tricking the user, tricking the consumer, it's click-bait this, it's five ads on a page, it's all kinds of things to get more traffic. It's a game that's being played all over the place, and I just think that if you trick users on a podcast platform, they're not going to stick to your podcast. So we have to be real, and so what is the overall appeal of a podcast? Again, it's that one on one connection, but it is like audio long, it's 30 to 45 minutes. It's not a three second Facebook video, and so people are spending a lot of time with us, they are actually paying attention to the ads or the commercials, and early data bares that out. We're seeing the data that we've seen so far says that people are listening pretty much all the way through a podcast. They're actually doing what we think that they've been doing all along, that they're not actually skipping the ads, that they're enjoying them. They're just sitting back, relaxing, it's just part of their day. And we respect those borders, we respect the listeners so much that we just don't want to cloud up the feed with all these other stuff. What does that mean for the future of this platform? I believe that this is pretty much the best most premium platform, in which we treated as such. This is not a raise to the bottom, this is that opportunity to really connect with people in a really special time in their day, and so let's make it a premium offering. This has been really triggered early on with some of the direct response advertisers, they're seeing real results, real conversion, we're getting real data out of this that says “this works”. The bigger agencies and brands...frankly, our industry has not done a good enough job articulating what it is we do, what is our metric, what is our standard, and how do we measure cut in everything else. We're going to see a transformation over the next 12 to 36 months that allow those measurement, because those agencies are thinking about the language of websites, and video pre-rolls and Facebook reach, and not that it has to be a one to one match, but how do we articulate this in a way that they can understand, that they can advocate for their brands, and they can say here's what you're going to get out of it, here's the results. Even if you're a big brand, we have some proof points that says this does move the needle, there is awareness. It doesn't necessarily require an offer code but this is an audience that's very very much captivated and paying attention to your message, and so how we capture that, measure that, and report on that ultimately helps all of us. And I think we're in that position now where we have technology investment and analytics to be able to support our story, but frankly we've been all raising our hand, and saying we had all along. Now we've got the thing to support it. E.B. Moss: You are in a unique position because HowStuffWorks not only builds its own content but you host your own content and you sell your own content. Jason Hoch: That's right. E.B. Moss: Your metrics are aligned with what we're seeing from Edison Research and it sounds like podcasting is doing great for advertisers and we're going to rule the world soon. Jason Hoch: I hope so, I think we've got so much opportunity. Anytime you start to throw some big numbers around, that's when people start to pay attention. When you look at the agency world, you also are finding that a lot of the younger consumers of podcasts, they're the ones actually working the agency saying we need to start paying attention to podcast. And again we have not armed them with enough data to be able to understand how this actually carries over to the brands, and I think we're going to find more specific podcast pies. I think you're going to see a scale on the size of those pies and real partnerships to figure this out. I don't necessarily think we need to go all the way into turning this industry into necessarily branded content podcasts. I think that part of the organic connection within the shows that we have that are informative and entertaining is pretty substantial so let's focus on that. Let's really deliver a great experience for listeners, but also for the ad partners everywhere. E.B. Moss: Jason Hoch, that was very well put. Thank you so much for spending time with me, and talking about HowStuffWorks in the world of podcasting in general. I think that you've raised the bar for a lot of the folks here and we look forward to hearing more from you in all verticals and realms. Jason Hoch: Yeah, thank you. It's going to be a big year. I can't wait to share with you all the upcoming stuff. E.B. Moss: I'll be listening. Thank you. E.B. Moss: Alright we're back at Podcast Movement 17, 2017. And now I'm here with Jay Green and Jay is the Senior Vice President Digital Strategy and Analytics for Cadence 13. Jay Green: Cadence 13, hi E.B. E.B. Moss: Hey Jay, so this is big news because as of yesterday I believe, it was digital. Jay Green: Digital Media, yeah we announced our rebranding at 9:30 this morning. E.B. Moss: That's great, I'm so glad to have the fresh news. Yay, so I know you from working at AdLarge Media, and you and I were also at Westwood One, separately but differently. Jay Green: Yeah, I think we missed each other by about two weeks. E.B. Moss: Yeah, that's right. So, we caught up at AdLarge and now I have the opportunity to interview my former co-worker!  So tell me how life is now at Cadence 13? Jay Green: It's great, it's really been a whirlwind. I've been in podcasting now for a little over four years and it's incredible. It really is, it's a wild ride. I was telling someone the other day that I had never had the opportunity to be in an industry as it's growing. I graduated college and got into radio and it was 1998, so radio had kind of hit its peak already. So it's awesome. E.B. Moss: Well I've had the opportunity to benefit from your enthusiasm, you taught me so much along the way Jay. Now I'm going to ask you to teach some other people ... Jay Green: Sure. E.B. Moss: ... who are listening to this. So that was a little bit about your background, tell me more about what you're doing now with the new Cadence 13. Jay Green: Yeah, I'd love to. So Cadence 13 we are, for lack of a better term, we are a podcast content firm. What does that mean? It means that we are producing content with many of our 75 shows but then the biggest for there and our core competency is sales and marketing. So not only are we producing the content, but we are selling sponsorships within the show, working with our advertisers, creating segments. But what we've also noticed is, we need to be able to promote those shows. So that's another thing we work with our podcasters is to promote the shows, whether it's on other podcasts, if it's buying social on Facebook, or Snapchat, Instagram, whatever that might be. So we kind of have all courts taken care of. E.B. Moss: Wow, okay. And so some of those 75 or so podcasts, some of the bigger ones are Pod Save America, and ... Jay Green: Yeah Pod Save America would certainly be our biggest, really all the crooked media fantastic shows from Pod Save America, Pod Save The World, Bump It Or Leave It. We started really with political and sports, so Tony Kornheiser out of Washington DC is very great, big show for us. And recently we've actually gone into, we're expanding because we've certainly seen, what's nice about podcasting is it's growing. Podcast really started out as comedy, every comedian had a podcast. But now we're actually growing into female podcasts, lifestyle podcasts. So we have some great shows like Yoga Girl, which does extremely well. And actually yesterday we relaunched Girl Boss Radio. E.B. Moss: Oh, great. Jay Green: So everybody knows Sophia, and that's doing really well too. E.B. Moss: Oh, that's good. That's right up our women advancing vertical at Media Village. Jay Green: Yep, absolutely. E.B. Moss: We love it. Jay Green: And Sophia's fantastic to work with. E.B. Moss: Oh good, you'll line her up for our next interview. Jay Green: Sure. E.B. Moss: Okay, good. And so how did the name change come along, what was the impudence for that? Jay Green: That's a great question. Digital media was kind of a throwback to our executives, we all kind of work together at a network radio company called Dial Global... which became Westwood One. So it was kind of throwing honor to that, the old DG moniker and he was able to make digital media. But as we've grown we've seen maybe it's time to grow from that as well. So the executive's kind of sat down and thought about it and it became Cadence is kind of just we're stepping into our rhythm, we're making our own beat, making our own way. So that's kind of where Cadence came from, and it kind of rolls of the tongue. The 13 I'll make it very easy for you, is as you can probably assume Cadence Media, or Cadence itself, was taken by so many different companies already so they looked at it and our company moved from SoHo into Midtown Manhattan last December and since they made that move so many different things have happened. Crooked Media took off, and Girl Boss, and Yoga Girl took off and we're hired, we're up to 40 people now working for the company and we're on the 13th floor. E.B. Moss: Oh. Jay Green: As well as my CEO loves Apollo 13, Legends 13, and different things. So 13 for us has kind of been a lucky number. E.B. Moss: Oh good. Jay Green: So Cadence 13 is what it became. E.B. Moss: Oh, it sounds lucky. Jay Green: Yeah. E.B. Moss: That's great. So how would you, we spoke to How Stuff Works Jason Hoch recently, and there is a lot of content that makes the world of podcasting. How do you distinguish yourself from something like that type of sales marketing content production company? Jay Green: Sure, that's a great question. So a company and content like How Stuff Works they've got their core competency. You know what you're getting with that, it's House of Work, History, whatever that might be. And that's what they're very good at and they've made a really nice name for themselves doing so. With us we started with political, with Crooked, and Sports With Tony, and Fox Sports and whatnot. For us it's really about influencers, we want people who are the influencers ... Whether it's YouTube stars like David Dobrik and The Views From Us, or Rhett and Link with Ear Biscuits. Those are people that people want to listen to, they want to shout to. And that's not to say that it hasn't come with its own growing pains across the way. I'll give you an example, our Views show is hosted by two gentlemen and as we're selling it, the fit just didn't seem right for whatever reason for the advertisers that we were putting in there. And as we kept growing with it, we looked at it and we said, something's off here. So about two weeks ago they had an event in Los Angeles, that was at 1:00 in the afternoon. At 7:00 am there was a line of 1,000 pre-teen and teenage girls around the corner for this. Everyone said okay, we're looking at this show all wrong, all wrong. And it's funny, but we started talking okay we know who our target is, how do we reach that with two plus 20-year-old guys? How do you do that? So our president John Murphy, asked his 15-year-old daughter, do you know Dave Dobrik and she goes, do you know him? He goes yeah, we represent his show, we produce his show. She goes wait a minute, dad this whole time you've had his show and I didn't know it? He goes yeah, and she goes what kind of products ... She goes like L’Oréal, or Chanel, anything like that. She goes yeah but it would be awkward coming from them. So we had to pivot a little bit on that, and what happened was now Dave's girlfriend is going to come in and do the reads because it's still the great content but it's a female talking in the show about it. So it taught us to pivot a little bit, which is great. So again, but that's what I'm getting at with the influence and marketing. You see the eyes light up on her face just like I love this show, this guy's going to talk to me, this is great, this is what I want to listen to. So that's kind of where we're going with all of this. E.B. Moss: And that speaks also to your insights about ad sales strategy, a big part of what you do. Jay Green: Yeah. E.B. Moss: So where do you see things going and how do you, when you don't have a focus group of one with John's daughter ... Jay Green: Right, of course. E.B. Moss: ... how do you identify the audiences, and the kind of uptake that you're getting from them? Jay Green: Certainly podcast metrics have been a big question for everybody. And Apple certainly is doing a great job of opening up those doors so we can start getting more and learn from each other. One of the things we do with each new show that comes on is do a survey of their audience, figure out who they are demographics wise and whatnot. There's certainly other platforms like iHeart and Spotify, which are shows that are on that do provide us from their registration data who's listens to the shows. So from all of that we're able to aggregate and get a feel for who they are. E.B. Moss: Got it. So a lot of the content that you are selling it's primarily produced, it's bespoke content that Cadence 13 is producing. You have a couple of stand outs as we mentioned, the Vox ... Jay Green: Yeah I'd say about 80-90% of our shows are produced in house. We have partnerships with the different talent and show creators, which is fantastic. We have a partnership with Fox and Fox Sports where they do produce their own shows, which has worked out very well also. So it's great to have a good mix like that. E.B. Moss: So let's talk about the future. Where are we doing with podcasting? I know that that's what podcast movement's all about, but what about at Cadence 13? Jay Green: Sure, the future is definitely very bright. What's great about podcasting is, and certainly what I've seen, is it's not just audio. There's a lot of these hosts and the talent has so much more of a brand where podcasting is only one subsection of that. It could be a large subsection, it could be a smaller subsection. But as I mentioned the Views, they do events around. Crooked Media they do live podcasts all around, there are authors, there are photographers, whatever they might be, different talent. So we're working with all of them to sale not just the audio but beyond that as well whether it's social integrations, or live integrations. So the future is very bright, it's really seeing great growth, and we've seen that from the advertisers as well. Whereas even as little as two years ago it was podcasting, I don't know. E.B. Moss: Right. Jay Green: Who's handling that, something give it to another division to handle. And now we're getting like okay, I need you to teach me about podcasting. I want the budget in my department. Which is fantastic, it makes us very bullish on what we're doing and that we're taking the right steps. E.B. Moss: Any case studies you can talk about? Jay Green: In regards to? E.B. Moss: High profile sponsors, success stories? Jay Green: Sure, let me think about that. E.B. Moss: I'm putting you on the spot I know. Jay Green: No, it's all good. E.B. Moss: But everybody wants to know the case studies. Jay Green: Sure, look the easiest case study is certainly direct response. With any medium direct response is always the first to doctor because if it works they're going to keep investing. And those are your stamps.com, your Blue Aprons, go in listen and use my code. They're not giving the code to give you the 10% as much as they like, they're using the code to see is it working, how many people are coming from being on Pod Save America, how many people are coming from being on Yoga Girl. If it didn't work they would not be coming back and spending as much money as they are in the industry. So that right there is your ultimate case study. E.B. Moss: The canary in the coal mine so to speak. Jay Green: So, so to speak. Then you look at we've certainly had some other major brands such as Sonos has got into the space, Spotify is advertising in the space, we have clients like ADT, major brands that are advertising in the space because they are seeing podcasting as a very valuable tool. This is not a 30 second pre-recorded produced ad where somebody's telling you about a feature. This is our hosts talking about it, and again when I said earlier we're looking for influencers, that's why. Because this is not music, while music is great, look I was playing Springsteen as I was getting dressed this morning. I always have music on, but the music experience tends to be a little bit more passive, it's in the background, the ad comes on in the background, and you'll notice it and that's fine. But with podcasting I want to go hear what John Lovett has to say, what happened with Trump or whatever anything like that might be. And when I'm listening to that podcast for what John has to say, or Sophia has to say, the ad becomes a part of that. Our ad loads are very small, we're not bulking them up together so they're not intrusive too much and they're making them their own. And that's why they're influencers because I want to hear what they have to say. And the advertiser and the sponsor message becomes a part of that. And that's really what moves it. E.B. Moss: And will you, or are you, getting into any custom content, branded podcasts? Jay Green: Sure, yeah we've spoken to a number of agencies about that who are looking more and more to do some branded content. Or say hey listen, I know you're creating a podcast, we'd love to own it completely and just have it. I'm the type of guy who, especially when we're growing medium, all boats rise with the tides. E.B. Moss: Yes. Jay Green: I think you really need to look at what Panoply did with GE and the message. E.B. Moss: Right. Jay Green: I think that was an amazing use of branded content. And Matt Turck and his team did a phenomenal job of that. E.B. Moss: Agreed, mm-hmm (affirmative) that's great. And so are there any new ad tactics coming down the road? Is there anything that Cadence 13 is doing differently or plans to do differently? Jay Green: That's a great question. I think in 2018 we're going to be doing more and more dynamic ad insertion. Still host read advertisements, just it gives the advertisers a little bit more detail on reporting and listenership. So we're going to move in that way a little direction. That's one thing, we're certainly going to look at expanding our roster of talent. Getting more genres open to it... E.B. Moss: That's great. Alright, Jay Green ... Jay Green: E.B. E.B. Moss: ... VP Digital Strategy and Analytics at the now named Cadence 13, formerly Digital Media. I gave you enough plugs with that name I think already. Jay Green: Yeah, I think you gave me enough. E.B. Moss: Alright, thanks for talking with me. Jay Green: E.B. thank you so much it was great seeing you. E.B. Moss: You too.   E.B. Moss: Alrighty, for the third leg of the Podcast Movement podcast I'm talking to someone who is a Kinesiologist/Petroleum Landsman blogger/podcaster. I'm talking to Taylor Bradford, who is the host of Boss Girl Creative podcast. Taylor Bradford: Yay, hi! E.B. Moss: Yay, Taylor, did I get it right? Taylor Bradford: You did, thank you. E.B. Moss: Yeah, so excited to talk to you. You are part of this podcast where we spoke to, let's just say a couple of big cheeses at a couple of big podcast networks, as mentioned we spoke to How Stuff Works's Jason Hoch, and your fellow panelist today at Podcast Movement, Jay Green, who's now with the rebranded DGital Media, now called Cadence 13, and you, yay! Taylor Bradford: Yay! That's exciting, thank you. E.B. Moss: It is, you're welcome. And it's exciting for me too because I came up through the podcasting business just in the last couple of years and became really passionate about it, and well we're both women, and I think that that's a little bit of your story too, right? Taylor Bradford: Yes. Absolutely. E.B. Moss: We joked about, or I joked about the fact that you've worn multiple hats throughout your career and think what I learned about you is that your through line is that you're curious. You love just diving into something and then you uncover, or as they say these days unpack- E.B. Moss: Everything you can learn about a certain subject, right? Taylor Bradford: Yes. Oh, absolutely. E.B. Moss: So, tell me a little bit about, well I know from being a petroleum landsman that you were sent to the field to live in a hotel for weeks on end, and what did that lead to? Taylor Bradford: To blogging, because I was absolutely bored out of my mind. Being in west Texas where there is absolutely nothing but oil, and people that don't trust you because you're there for oil, and just stuck in this hotel room and surrounded by men, so I had no female companions. My industry is very, very male dominated and I needed a creative outlet, and I had started a blog in 2008 and then realized, I had discovered the Pioneer Woman's blog back then and I was like, "This woman could be my best friend and she doesn't even know it." I binge read through her entire back catalog and was fascinated by the platform, and so it re-sparked that creative side in me when I was stuck in this hotel room not having anything to do. And I just started blogging five to six days a week just to have something to do. E.B. Moss: Okay. And so you started to amass a bit of a following on blogging and you realized that you were passionate about that, and then you learned everything there was to learn about blogging. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And then you realized that to promote it you wanted to tap into social media. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And you learned everything there was to know about social media? Taylor Bradford: Yeah, right. So when I started blogging Pinterest didn't exist yet, and Instagram didn't exist yet, and so these platforms came out, and it's like, "Ooh, shiny object syndrome. Let's go see what this is all about and how it can be leveraged for bloggers, and how we can get our content out there in front of new eyeballs because we all want to grow but we can't grow without people reading." And the social media platforms allow us to be discovered through new audiences. E.B. Moss: And so one of those tools for discovery and expanding upon the awareness of your blog was a podcast? Taylor Bradford: Absolutely, oh my gosh, yes. E.B. Moss: Alright. And then you learned everything there was to know about podcasting, alright. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And so now fast forward, and you're a freaking panelist a few years later at Podcast Movement, and you're represented by Jessica Kupferman I think, right? Taylor Bradford: Yes. Yes, I am. E.B. Moss: Alright. So that brings us to today. So now your podcast, Boss Girl Creative, is all about helping everybody else understand the blogging space and now you've got a ton of followers to your podcast about blogging. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: Okay. Taylor Bradford: Yeah. E.B. Moss: And you've started to grow revenue off that as well. Taylor Bradford: I have, absolutely. E.B. Moss: So that's our big back story as to why you fit in so beautifully between our two, let's just call them bigger corporate type of entities, with podcasting. So, what was the first thing you did to get started with the podcast? Taylor Bradford: So, I actually bought some courses, because I need to know, like how much equipment is this even going to take for me to make this happen? I don't have a studio, I'm not going to be professionally produced, and I knew right out of the gate that I was not going to edit my own show. So I immediately started seeking out an editor, and found an amazing guy, he's actually here in Southern California, and he's been my editor for over two years now and he knows me more than I probably know myself, because he's in the shadows listening to my show and editing it and everything. That was the one big piece that I needed to make sure I had before I launched, was having an editor, that was important to me. I knew I could figure out everything else, and honestly, I just needed my laptop and a microphone, and some headphones. It's not anything fancy, I record in my closet sitting on the floor, like, nothing fancy. I'm not in a fancy studio and have to book in studio time, I'm usually recording at 10:30 pm at night in my pajamas on the floor. E.B. Moss: It's a good visual, thank you. And it's not too dissimilar, although we're not in our pajamas, although in the listeners mind you can put us in our pajamas, if you want. The beauty of theater of the mind. But we're sitting here in a conference room at Podcast Movement, and people are walking by, and you'll hear some noise here, and I've got a couple of, I'll give them a plug, iRig Lavalier microphones that I've plugged into my iPhone, and that's it. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: We're sitting here, alright. Taylor Bradford: Yes, chatting. E.B. Moss: So now all of a sudden, you look at you and you've, as I've said, thrown yourself into this, and your most recent advertiser was Seth Godin, and altMBA, well wow. Taylor Bradford: Yes. Thank you. It was super exciting to have that email sitting in my inbox, and like, "Hey, he wants to try out your show, and oh by the way, he wants more." So, I can't even describe that kind of an email to see sitting in your inbox. E.B. Moss: Fantastic. Taylor Bradford: Thank you. E.B. Moss: I know you have some others like SaneBox has come in, which I really need to help with my own personal emails, but that's another story. Maybe there's a friends and family discount, will you give a code? Taylor Bradford: Yes. I will be giving a code, yes. E.B. Moss: Okay. So, actually that does link us to our next topic. How do you know that you're successful as a podcaster; is direct response a good barometer for you? What kind of feedback are you getting? Taylor Bradford: So one thing I realized really quickly in the podcast space was there's not a direct loop of feedback. I don't know who's listening until they come forward and tell me, and community is so important for me. So I started, in the very beginning when I launched, a Facebook group so that I could know who my listeners were, and that group has just grown through the years, and I'm in the trenches with them, and I do Facebook Live with them every Wednesdays. It's a Q&A, whatever question they have in their blog, or their online business, or a social media platform, or if something breaks in the news, I'm chatting about that or I'm answering those questions every Wednesday night at 9 pm. E.B. Moss: Wow, that's great commitment. Also in your pajamas? Taylor Bradford: Sometimes in my pajamas, sometimes workout clothes, you know. E.B. Moss: Okay. Taylor Bradford: Glass of wine in hand. E.B. Moss: Well, it's clearly paying off, because I know that you were listed in Entrepreneurs magazine of the top women hosted podcasts, which is a huge accomplishment and that must have been exciting? Taylor Bradford: That was exciting, I had no idea that was even a thing until someone tagged me in a Facebook post and said, "Oh my gosh Taylor, total props for you for this accolade." And I'm like, "What are you talking about?" And they linked it, and I'm like, like I've got to pick my mouth up off the floor, this is such an honor, I'm so incredibly humbled, I can't even tell you. The world is so big, yet it's so small, and that was just ultimately shocking for me to have that, I can't even describe it. E.B. Moss: Well, it's interesting because everything you're talking about is the connection. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And community, and creativity. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And I happen to have come across that article because I also know Jessica through her She Podcasts Facebook page and her own podcast with that same name, which was designed to help female podcasters. So, it's sort of like The Lion King, you know, it's the circle of things. So you're really applying all of your social media lessons also to growing your podcast just as you applied it to growing your blog? Taylor Bradford: Yes, absolutely. It is so important for me to be the teacher, and also to teach as I'm growing my own business. So, last week's episode on my show, I talk about my own rebrand, and I talk about the journey on why it took me a little bit to finally make the decision to rebrand, but I want you to know that I'm just as human as you are and I have business struggles too, and we're in this together. E.B. Moss: Now, I just talked to Jay Green about the fact that, as we mentioned, DGital just rebranded to Cadence 13, did he ask you for any advice? Taylor Bradford: He didn't. He did ask me about Facebook Live though. E.B. Moss: Oh, okay, alright. After this he might come a-knockin'. So, where do you envision yourself going with this? Do you have visions of a million downloads per episode? You're at a healthy 20,000 or so, which is a great accomplishment in just a few years of this, not even. Do you want to rule the world? Taylor Bradford: I would love to rule the world, but supporting fellow Boss Girls at the same time. I don't ever want to sit on a pedestal for somebody, I want to be in the trenches with them and help them grow too, because it helps me grow as a fellow Boss Girl, and it's important for me to keep offering the teaching, because there are lot of people that aren't, and it's important to me because I Googled the heck out of everything to learn everything I know, and I want to be able to be the go-to resource for people to say, "You know what? Taylor is saying it straight, and this is step one, step two, step three, and I'm just going to keep going back to her because she's just sharing it all." E.B. Moss: So tell me a little bit about how you'll voice an ad, what do you put into it? Taylor Bradford: I prefer to have experience with the advertiser in some manner before I ever actually say, "Yes, I'm going to have this person be an ad on my show." Because I don't want my community, my listeners to ever think that I'm selling out. I want to only recommend things that I am truly, truly passionate about, because if I read an ad and I've never had any kind of interaction with that company, they're going to hear it. And I don't want them to hear it, and so I won't even offer it up as an option to be on my show if I don't have that. So I can get long winded on my ad reads because I'm so passionate about whatever it is that I'm talking about. E.B. Moss: Well, that's my middle name; long winded. So, I think that I'll cut bait here, instead of being long winded, but this was such a refreshing conversation, to really kind of show the depth and breadth of the podcasters that are here at Podcast Movement 2017. I know that your first one was just a couple of years ago, and as I mentioned, you're already a speaker and I love that you're helping all boats rise. Taylor Bradford: Yes. E.B. Moss: And helping other female creatives have a voice. Taylor Bradford: Yes, it's so important to me. E.B. Moss: Taylor, thank you so much, that was great.

Stephan Kiefer & Will Pearson, Two lifelong writers searching for their Creative voices, discover them...and a friend. One sought to learn the truth of the aquifer of creative energy feeding the many streams of expression. The other sought some structure and accountability to help him understand how to harness his natural linguistic flow. Together, the Writer's Mill has grown a relationship rich in vulnerability, awareness and support. They're tackling internal issues that arise around stagnation and sabotaging the creative self while learning the value of a trusted support system for your self expression.

In the Keeping Karlsson Fantasy Hockey Podcast's 31 Beats series, Elan and Brian are on a league-wide odyssey to explore the fantasy present and future landscapes of each of the NHL's 31 teams, gathering info by interviewing the people who know them best: beat writers! In this episode Elan is joined by *Harman Dayal* ( https://twitter.com/harmandayal2 ) , beat writer at The Athletic ( https://theathletic.com/author/harman-dayal/ ) for the Vancouver Canucks to talk about the Canucks' 2019/20 season and what to expect moving forward. Topics discussed include: * Will Pettersson compete for the Art Ross soon? * What led to Boeser's fall off before getting hurt? * Is J.T. Miller really this good? * Chances of Toffoli re-signing * Will Pearson hold his spot in the top 6? * How's Podkolzin looking? * What should we expect Hughes' ceiling to be? * Will Juolevi and/or Rathbone make the team soon? * What's the short and long term plan in net? * and more! Follow Harman on Twitter @harmandayal2 ( https://twitter.com/harmandayal2 ) and keep up to date with all of his content at The Athletic ( https://theathletic.com/author/harman-dayal/ ). Players discussed on this episode include Jacob Markstrom, Thatcher Demko, Michael Dipietro, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, Tyler Toffoli, Bo Horvat, Tanner Pearson, Jake Virtanen, Josh Leivo, Vasili Podkolzin, Quinn Hughes, Tyler Myers, Olli Juolevi, Jack Rathbone and more. We always invite and appreciate your feedback. Let us know what you think @keepingkarlsson ( https://twitter.com/keepingkarlsson ). * * * Support Keeping Karlsson by telling a friend, subscribing to and reviewing Keeping Karlsson on iTunes ( https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/keeping-karlsson-fantasy-hockey/id725506148?mt=2 ) , and following us on Twitter ( @keepingkarlsson ( http://www.twitter.com/keepingkarlsson ) ). Even better, support us by becoming a patron of Keeping Karlsson ( http://keepingkarlsson.com/patron ) ! Until the season resumes, we're offering all patron perks for just $1/month. Patrons support future episodes of the show and get access to our secret Patrons-only Facebook group, bonus monthly ask-us-anything episodes, and invites to play in the famous Keeping Karlsson Ultimate Patron Fantasy League (aka the KKUPFL). The Keeping Karlsson Fantasy Hockey Podcast is proudly presented by DobberHockey ( http://www.dobberhockey.com/ ) , and powered by our patrons ( http://keepingkarlsson.com/patron ). Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands