Seen and Heard in Edmonton

Meet Elizabeth Spencer, creator and co-host (with me, her mother) of That's a Thing?!, "a sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20." That's a Thing?! is a podcast that grew out of various conversations around the dinner table and elsewhere. Elizabeth and her brother, Jon, would start talking about something in the media they pay attention to, and realize based on their parents' confused reaction that "Oh my god, adults don't know about this!" So we decided to make a show that explores that. In this episode, you'll hear us talk about Elizabeth's process for choosing and researching a trend worth talking about; the fun we have exploring our generation gap and the intersection between teen-world and 40something-world; the beauty of the hands-free, eyes-free experience that podcasting provides; what we noticed about the podcast audience at PodCon; the reaction to That's a Thing?! so far; and the topics to come.  This episode is also a bit of a swan song for Seen and Heard in Edmonton, this podcast I started in 2015. The idea grew out of work I had already been doing to shine a light on the local independent media community, and the podcast was born that summer because I was workshopping an idea for a local podcast network in an entrepreneurial journalism program. I felt I needed a podcast to be credible in the space, and so Seen and Heard in Edmonton was born. Why is Seen and Heard in Edmonton going on hiatus? I need more time. And the podcast did what it needed to do — it helped me gain the experience and make the contacts necessary to create the Alberta Podcast Network. I also think That's a Thing?! has more potential to grow, and it doesn't hurt that Elizabeth does most of the work.  So, thank you to everyone who ever appeared on the show (the back catalogue will stay up on Apple Podcasts, on Google Play or on Stitcher). Thank you to everyone who listened and spread the word. And if you're reading this and thinking "She shouldn't end it; she should let me take it over!" then let's talk. I'm at karen@unlandmedia.com. Recommendations: Elizabeth highly recommends Let's Find Out, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips's exploration of Edmonton's history; Karen recommends/logrolls thusly: The Alberta Podcast Network, which has 30 great shows that you can check out; Taproot Edmonton, an experiment in curiosity-based, member-supported local journalism that Mack Male and I started in 2016. Subscribe to That's a Thing in Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Stitcher, and find Elizabeth's copious show notes at thatsathing.libsyn.com (proper website to come). You can also find us on Twitter: @thatsathingyeg Many thanks to Castria for help with producing the podcast.  (P.S. The Edmonton Podcasting Meetup will keep going. The next one is set for Feb. 25.) This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, which is putting on its annual Learning Day on Feb. 20.   This one-day conference features keynotes and workshops about human resources, operations, financing, marketing, technology, and mindset. You’ll get tangible skills, information, and access to expert resources to help build your business. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other entrepreneurs so you feel less alone in your journey. Tickets are only $129, and you can get 10 per cent off if you use the promo code "Podcast" at checkout. Get your tickets here. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network.  The dream of building an Alberta-based podcast network came true because ATB listened. They saw the potential to support local creators, and to create an opportunity for Alberta-based businesses and organizations to reach their listeners. And here we are. ATB wants to listen to you, too. Find out more at atb.com/listen.  Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Kat Griffiths (again!), a fangirl of the highest order who shines a light on the artists who make the songs she loves with a podcast called Start the Music. I say "again" because I had Kat on the show way back in Episode 19 to talk about her experience as a member of the rotating cast of smart women who discuss Doctor Who on Verity!. She continues to appear on Verity!, as well as on an improv show called Doctor Who's Line, Is It?... Anyway!. Those are both the products of ensembles, whereas Start the Music is her baby. That means she has all of the control, and has to do all of the work, which we talk about.  You'll hear about the technical and logistical challenges of a show based on remote interviews; the pros and cons of passionate preparation; the need for more small venues for bands to get started at; her desire to be part of what replaces the late lamented MuchMusic show The Wedge; podcaster problems for couples (her partner is one-third of Radio Free Skaro); and the very important prompt from a fellow podcaster that got her to pull the trigger on Start the Music.  We also talk about the complications of playing music on a podcast. Kat has a SOCAN licence, which you can look into here. Where the grey area comes in is whether that licence covers downloadable podcasts as opposed to streaming ones, such as the ones you can find on MixCloud. In addition to SOCAN, it would be wise to look into the requirements of CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency) and Re:Sound. And remember, these agencies apply only to Canada. There's a lot that remains to be determined in this area, as podcasting becomes more popular, so do keep all of that in mind if you're looking at a podcast that plays licensed music, and seek out expert advice.   Kat made the following recommendations: The Tear Down, Caleb Caswell's interview show about the musician life; GigCity.ca, Mike Ross's website covering Edmonton's arts and entertainment scene. And I recommended Kat's blog, specifically her post bringing together her two podcast worlds, Representation & My Search for the 13th Doctor of Bass Players. You can find Start the Music in Apple Podcasts and Stitcher, as well as at stmpodcast.com. It's also on Twitter (@startmusicpod) and Facebook (@stmpodcast). Kat herself is @xanister on Twitter. Seen and Heard in Edmonton is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. You can hear some network shows on GRadio.ca every night after 6 p.m., and you can sample the network on the CKUA app. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Applications for the first round of Vital Signs grants this year close on Jan. 15, 2018. If you have an idea to reduce social isolation in Edmonton, apply here. Hear more about what the ECF cares about on The Well Endowed Podcast. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. In this episode, you’ll hear about The Branch for Arts and Culture, a new way to serve creative Albertans and our province’s cultural industries. Learn more about this initiative, which is setting up shop on the main floor of the CKUA building in Edmonton and is already in action in Calgary, at atb.com/thebranch. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Dan Shessel, co-host and co-creator of the Northern Nerdcast, a showcase for the geeky, nerdy people, groups and events in and around the Edmonton area. The Northern Nerd Network started as a YouTube channel in 2013, but it was killing Dan to leave so much on the cutting room floor, which he found himself doing a lot with video. Podcasts can be longer, and Dan loves podcasts himself, so it made a lot of sense to swivel to audio in 2014, with a little bit of video in the mix. Dan co-hosts the podcast with Chelsea Thompson, who used to live in Edmonton but now lives in Vancouver, and is produced by Trina Shessel, the unsung hero of the operation, as you'll hear. They do the show live via Google Hangout, which minimizes the editing and allows for a bit of interaction. They recorded their 100th episode this week, which is quite the milestone! In this episode, you'll hear more about the Nerdcast's origin story; how to juggle kids and marriage and podcasting; the family feeling of Edmonton's nerd community; what it was like to talk sports on Tight Ends; the doors that the Nerdcast has opened; the surprising appeal of an episode about goats; and more. Have a listen!  Here are Dan's recommendations: Tales from the Hydian Way and Heroes of the Hydian Way by Ben Yendall and a cast of RPGers; The Well-Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation (which is a  a sponsor, but we really like it!); The Tight Ends Podcast, Vanda Favaro's football-and-fun podcast from Calgary. You can watch Northern Nerdcast streaming live at 8 p.m. every Sunday, except on long weekends, and it is released on the podcast feed the following Tuesday. It is also a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. You can follow @northern_nerd on Twitter, and it's on Facebook and Instagram, too.  Many thanks to Castria for putting this episode together. You've already found it, but tell your friends they can also hear it on the CKUA app or on GRadio. This is the last episode of 2017. We'll be back Jan. 8 with more interviews with local podcasters and bloggers. Thanks for listening, and happy holidays! This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. You don’t have to be rich to start an endowment fund, and you can even build one with friends. That's what Gurvinder Bhatia did, as you'll hear in this episode. You can hear the whole story on Episode 5 of The Well Endowed Podcast. Learn more about endowment funds at ecfoundation.org. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. Did you know that you can now do your day-to-day personal banking through Facebook Messenger, using the new ATB virtual assistant? This is more than a typical chatbot fielding customer inquiries -- it actually allows you to do stuff, like pay bills, check balances, and send e-transfers. If you ever need a human, it will put you in touch, but otherwise, it just helps you handle your affairs easily and conveniently. Find out more at atb.com/learn.

Meet Josh Shenfield and Alan Techsmith, two prolific nerds who talk about video games, movies, TV, comics and "more geekery than you can shake a joystick at" on Press Start to Join. Like many podcasts, Press Start to Join began because friends who met in high school kept having interesting conversations and decided to put them on the internet. That was five years ago, and more than 160 episodes later, they have learned a lot, and are still having fun. Some episodes are deep dives into video game history (like this one on Tetris); some are live interviews (like this one they did at the Alberta Podcast Network launch party); most of the time, they cover the news of the day in geek circles.   In this episode, you'll hear a bit more about the technical process of doing the show (and how they have coped with technical difficulties); what they've learned about the various ways to monetize; the value of structure in their show; their inspirations and their aspirations; the special gratification of hearing from listeners; why watching people play video games is interesting; and more. When we recorded this episode, Press Start to Join had not yet joined the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB, but guess what? Now they are! Check out all of the new members.   Here are the recommendations that Josh and Alan made: Edmonton Nerd List, Kelly Froese's comprehensive list of all nerdy things in Edmonton, along with his YouTube channel; Kuuribro, a member of the Edmonton Twitch community; Northern Nerdcast, Dan Shessel and Chelsea Thompson's weekly conversation with fellow geeks, produced by Dan's wife Trina. You can find Press Start to Join at Apple Podcasts, Player FM and everywhere podcasts appear. They are also @ps2jshow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. And they have a Patreon page. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast. You can find this show in CKUA’s app along with other members of the Alberta Podcast Network, and it is replayed on GRadio.ca. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. The foundation produces The Well Endowed Podcast, a monthly look at various stories that touch our community. The December episode has a very affecting interview on how the aftermath of the Fort McMurray fire is far from over; a check-in with the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre and the difference that the Social Enterprise Fund made there; and a look at the remarkable red panda breeding program at the Valley Zoo. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Google Play so you don’t miss an episode. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. In this episode, you'll hear me talk to my daughter Elizabeth about The Branch for Arts and Culture, a new way to serve creative Albertans and our province's cultural industries Learn more about this initiative, which is taking shape as we speak on the main floor of the CKUA building in Edmonton and is already in action in Calgary, at atb.com/thebranch. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Meredith Bratland, a writer and traveller who has turned her curiosity about people from elsewhere into a podcast called Migration Patterns. Meredith talks to people who have immigrated to Canada about their homelands. Her approach is personal rather than political, and her first season is full of lovely conversations with interesting people that collectively demonstrate her thesis, without weighing down each episode with such gravitas, that immigration makes our country stronger. Meredith writes, but blogging was starting to bore her, so she decided a podcast was the best medium for this endeavour. "I went to Best Buy and bought a microphone one day and said, 'This is happening,' " she says. But as you'll hear in our conversation, this hasn't been an impulsive process. She's a methodical and strategic person, and it shows. You'll also hear how and why she edits her show from 60 minutes of raw tape to 30 minutes of edited conversation; the great question she asks all of her guests; how she draws inspiration from Anna Sale's Death, Sex & Money; an audio disaster she is still living down; how libraries and local media might be able to work together; the power of bringing diverse people together; and big plans for Season 2. Meredith recommended three podcasts (all of whom belong to the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB!) and four blogs: Don't Call Me A Guru, a podcast on social media strategy from Tyler Butler and Linda Hoang; That's So Maven, Andrea Beça's interview show by, for and about femmes in business and leadership; Modern Manhood, German Villegas's podcast exploring the many facets of masculinity; Boots and Bassets, a highly useful fashion blog by Sarah Pankiw; Edible Woman, Lyndsay Angelstad's beautiful and delicious food blog; Reading in Bed, a sassy book blog by Laura Frey; Another Book Blog, written by the witty Rick MacDonnell. We mention the makerspace at the Edmonton Public Library's recording booths — if you want to use them, book here. Meredith also mentions Jessica Abel's Out on the Wire, a graphic nonfiction book on how to make great audio stories. (Abel also made a podcast on the same subject.) And, as we mention, the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is a great way to meet fellow podcasters! If you have immigrated to Canada from elsewhere in the world, Meredith would love to hear from you. Learn more here.  You can also find her on Twitter: @meredithbratlan, and you can subscribe to her podcast in Apple Podcasts or Google Play. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Check out the November episode of The Well Endowed Podcast to hear three great stories about what it means to be Canadian: Omar Mouallem on the meaning of "homeland"; Conor Kerr on the power of the Blanket Exercise to teach settlers about Indigenous history; and Erick Ambtman on making Edmonton a more welcoming place for newcomers. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Google Play so you don't miss an episode. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network.  ATB has been committed and connected to Alberta’s communities for more than 70 years. One of the many examples of that commitment is Four Directions Financial, an ATB agency that ensures that Edmontonians who are homeless or living in poverty can open a bank account, which can make a world a difference. Find out more about this and ATB's other community-building efforts at atb.com/community. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Doug Hoyer has written more Edmonton podcast music than anyone I know, even though he doesn't live here any more. So when he came back to Edmonton for a few days in October, I grabbed the opportunity to ask him about that work at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup. This is an edited version of the live audio from that session at Variant Edition on Oct. 21, 2017. We talked about three circumstances in which Doug's music would be used on a podcast: Commissioned work: You can hear original music that Doug specifically wrote for these podcasts: Pet Sounds, Sarah Hoyles's podcast about Pet Culture and what it reflects about us; Let's Find Out, historian laureate Chris Chang-Yen Phillips's podcast answering Edmontonians' questions about the history of our city; Real Experts for Real Life, a series Chris did for the Alberta College of Social Workers. "Trunk tunes": This is the term I applied to the situation when Doug offers someone a melody he has already written but hasn't used in a song yet (the term stuck in my head after reading Stephen Sondheim's memoir about how the Broadway sausage gets made). Some examples: Don't Call Me A Guru, the podcast about social media strategy produced by Tyler Butler and Linda Hoang; Clock Radio, the podcast done by the MacEwan University's communications department; He also mentioned Gaywire, the CJSR show about LGBTQ issues. Licensing: Sometimes someone wants to use a piece of music that Doug has already recorded and released. Some examples of that:  For Kicks, the podcast about women's soccer by Jessica Cooreman and Katie Woodfine; Casual, a series on Hulu that licensed a little bit of music from Doug. We mentioned a couple of podcasts that Doug has been a guest on, too: Cups N Cakes's Inside the Artist's Studio, Jeff MacCallum and Carey Newton's interview show with musicians; The Expats, Adam Rozenhart's interview show with Canadians living abroad. You can hear the string quartet arrangements that Doug mentioned in the show on his Bandcamp page. He also mentioned a couple of non-local podcasts that he likes to listen to: Imaginary Worlds and Song Exploder. Many thanks to Variant Edition for hosting the meetup, to CafeRista for providing the treats, and to Castria for recording and editing the podcast. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which recently released its Vital Signs report, which measures indicators of social inclusion in our community. The foundation is now accepting applications for grants to address the issues raised by the report. Find out more here. You can learn more about the foundation and its grants in The Well Endowed Podcast.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you’ll hear my daughter Elizabeth and me talk about ATB Cares, the platform where you can donate to charity and have ATB match 15 per cent, plus cover all of the transaction fees. We mentioned Ringette Scores on Cancer as one of many causes you can donate to. That's just one of hundreds of charities available. Find yours at atbcares.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

This week I bring you something completely different — instead of the usual interview with a local podcaster or blogger, or the audio from one of our podcasting meetups, this episode features the pilot for a new podcast called That's A Thing?!, "a sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20." This idea came out of a series of conversations with my daughter, Elizabeth, about phenomena that were completely common and normal to her, and utterly foreign to me. Because we both listen to a lot of podcasts, and because I had access to recording equipment, we decided it would be fun to explore such topics out loud. She took the research lead, picked the music, commissioned a logo from her friend Melisa, and bugged me until we finally found the time to get in front of the microphones. So here we are with a pilot, and plans for a monthly show and a feed of its own. In the meantime, however, we'll put it out on the Seen and Heard feed and see what people think. (So if you have thoughts, let us know.) That's A Thing?! Episode 1: Creepypasta In which Elizabeth explains the deliciously disturbing literary phenomenon known as Creepypasta. Show notes: Where to find creepypasta stories, memes and such: Creepypasta Wiki creepypasta.com Trollpasta Wiki Creepypasta on Quotev and Wattpad Creepypasta memes Creepypasta narrators MrCreepyPasta and CreepsMcPasta Some of the characters we discuss: Jeff the Killer (and the picture we describe) Smile Dog (and the picture) The Rake (and the picture) Sonic.exe (and the picture) Old-school stuff from the mom: Flowers in the Attic Freddy Krueger Jason from Friday the 13th Michael Myers from Halloween Quora: Why do so many girls like horror movies? Have you encountered something that kids seem to know all about but is a mystery to you? Are you a teen tired of explaining something to your elders? Drop us a line at karen@unlandmedia.com or tweet me at @karenunland and we'll see what we can do. The music for That's A Thing?! is Scott Joplin's Ragtime Dance from the Free Music Archive. Many thanks to Castria for editing all of this together. This special episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, producer of The Well Endowed Podcast. The October episode features a Q&A with actor and activist George Takei, who is coming to Edmonton on Nov. 29 as part of the Forward Thinking Speaker Series. Visit the show notes to see how you could win tickets, and subscribe to The Well Endowed Podcast in Apple Podcasts or Google Play. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, of which Seen and Heard in Edmonton is a proud member. You'll hear Elizabeth and I talk about futuristic stuff like self-driving cars and bots, prompted by some talks I heard at the Singularity University Canada Summit. Besides sponsoring such summits, ATB is up to some futuristic stuff of its own. Learn more at atbalphabeta.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Sandra Sperounes and Agnes DeMarco, the music writer and the rock-n-roll mom who shine a spotlight on creative people with their podcast, Agnes + Sandra's Three-Way. Their relationship started when Sandra, then a writer with the Edmonton Journal, interviewed Agnes, "a personality in her own right" (which you will definitely hear in this conversation) who is also the mother of musician Mac DeMarco.  Their podcast started with a conversation over a dirty Martini, and that cheeky name came from their first guest. Now that they are several episodes in, they are clearly having a grand time with each other and their guests, and that enthusiasm transfers to the listeners, too. In this episode, you'll hear about the attractions of being behind the scenes and in front of the scenes; what they look for in a guest; why CKUA holds a special place in their hearts; the power of connecting directly and truthfully with your fans; how Edmontonians have a tendency to become famous in weird ways; and what it takes to make it these days, in either music or music journalism. Download here. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Sandra recommended the Capital City Records Song of the Week podcast, produced by CKUA, and the Capital City Records collection at the Edmonton Public Library. We also talked a bit about the Legends of the Edmonton Music Scene project, spearheaded by Pete Rocker, and EDMojis, Sandra's curious foray into app development and inside jokes with Lucas Timmons. You can subscribe to Agnes + Sandra's Three-Way in Apple Podcasts and on SoundCloud. Sandra is @sperounes on Twitter and Instagram, and Agnes is @agnesdemarco on Twitter and Instagram. If you want to recommend this episode to others, they could find it at GRadio.ca, which plays Alberta Podcast Network shows every night at 6 pm, in the CKUA app, and at albertapodcastnetwork.com. Many thanks to Castria for producing this episode. They'll be on hand at the next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on Oct. 21, where we'll be talking to Doug Hoyer about being the pre-eminent composer of Edmonton podcast theme music. Join us here! This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. Did you know you don't have to be rich to start an endowment fund? You'll hear a snippet of  how Emmy Stuebing put together her fund in this episode, and you can hear the whole story on Episode 2 of The Well Endowed Podcast. Learn more about endowment funds at ecfoundation.org. This episode is also brought to you by ATB, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network. We are just coming off our official launch party, a celebration of the 16 podcasts now in the network and a momentum builder as we look to grow.  Not only did Lana Cuthbertson express ATB's deep support for and interest in this project, but she also provided an opportunity for Hamilton jokes, which is always appreciated.  Good things happen because ATB listens. Find out more at atb.com/listen. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Caleb Caswell, who combines his background in journalism and music to have sincere conversations about Edmonton's music scene on The Tear Down. Caleb studied both music and professional writing at MacEwan University, and was looking for a way to combine those experiences. He had done enough freelance writing to know he was leaving a lot of good quotes uncaptured in interviews with musicians. A podcast turned out to be a way to get into more depth. He goes to a show with his guest, and they talk about it before getting into the guest's music, which adds another interesting layer. He's very thoughtful about what he's doing, and about journalism in general. You'll hear some great insights on that front, as well as why the scene needs more than boosterism; how it's hard to provide a critical view; how music and his previous gigs inform his work; the meaning behind the podcast's name; what it takes to create something good; advice for communications grads; and more:   This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher.  We also mentioned Caleb's YouTube channel, Anime-BOM, which kind of has to be seen to be understood. We recorded this episode long ago, so you'll hear a plug for Animethon that is no longer relevant, but hey, there's always next year. Caleb recommended two local music podcasts: Cups N Cakes, a show featuring the music of western Canada with Jeff MacCallum and Carey Newton; Vintage Edmonton Music, Rev Recluse's fascinating exploration of old Edmonton vinyl. The Tear Down just launched its second season with a conversation with singer-songwriter Maddie Storvold. You can find that and all of the Season 1 interviews on Apple Podcasts or Soundcloud.  The Tear Down is also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Anime-BOM is on Twitter and Facebook, too. Many thanks to Castria for producing this episode, which you can also hear on GRadio along with other members of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This episode is brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you’ll hear me and my daughter talk about all of the great things ATB does in support of Alberta's LGBTQ community.  A lot of good things have come into this world because ATB listens. Find out more at atb.com/listen. This episode is also brought to you by the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB.  Among our fellow members of the network is That's So Maven, a podcast by, for and about female entrepreneurs and leaders. Andrea Beça talks business with a different woman every week, and it is truly inspiring. You can find this and other great Alberta-made podcasts at albertapodcastnetwork.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.      

Meet Sylvia Schneider, co-host of the Equinely-Inclined podcast for Canada's horse community, and a pioneer of Alberta podcasting. Sylvia wanted to do a podcast before the concept was even a gleam in anyone's eye — she just didn't know that was the name for what she wanted to do. She started finding fellow horse-lovers on message boards, before the World Wide Web made it so much easier for us to connect with each other. And she started a blog, for which she would interview people in the equine community.  "I always thought it would be so much easier if we could do it in audio," she says. Technology finally caught up with Sylvia's ambitions, and in 2007, she started Equinely-Inclined. There have been breaks over the years, as she and co-host Diana Balbar have a lot of balls to juggle, but they keep coming back to the microphones to cover this fascinating but somewhat hidden part of our world. In this episode, you'll hear more about the technical challenges involved in the early days, and even today; the rarity of windows into rural life in media; how horses are different from people; why Equinely-Inclined went on hiatus and why it came back; misconceptions about rural people and technology; lessons from running a Patreon campaign; and more. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Sylvia made these recommendations: Let's Find Out by Chris Chang-Yen Phillips, Edmonton's historian laureate Alberta Filmmakers Podcast, which did an episode about Heartland, one of Sylvia's favourites (it has horses in it, of course); The IABC Edmonton Podcast, produced by Marvin Polis And she also mentioned Michael Subasic's YouTube channel, which often talks about Teslas Along the way we also mentioned The Stable Scoop and I Don't Get It. You can find Equinely-Inclined on Facebook, where you'll find lots of horsey videos, and you can subscribe to it in Apple Podcasts. Check out @canadaequine and @sylviaschneider on Twitter, and Sylvia's business at Pondside Digital Media. Many thanks to Castria for editing and producing this podcast. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation, which acts as a bridge between donors and charities to help create a strong, vibrant community for generations to come. The ECF does a monthly show called The Well Endowed Podcast, and it is a delightful window into our community. The September episode features a queer-history tour of Edmonton by Darrin Hagen, and it is not to be missed.  You can subscribe to The Well Endowed Podcast in Apple Podcasts or Google Play. This episode is also brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you’ll hear me talk to my daughter Elizabeth about her jealousy over her brother's experience with Junior ATB, and her genuine interest in financial literacy. A lot of good things have come into this world because ATB listens. Find out more at atb.com/listen. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Jeff MacCallum, one-half of the team behind two Edmonton podcasts that focus on independent music on the prairies: Cups N Cakes and Inside the Artist's Studio. Cups N Cakes started because Jeff and his friend, Carey Newton, wanted to stay in touch. There are easier ways to maintain a friendship than to make a podcast, however, especially one that takes hours of research. They are well into their third year now, and have big plans for the future. Cups N Cakes has about half an hour of talk and an hour of music, which poses some particular challenges because of licensing. For that reason, it is on Mixcloud and is not downloadable through Apple Podcasts. You'll hear more in this episode about what Jeff has learned about doing a music podcast, and the importance of investing in a SOCAN licence for the kind of show he's doing. Carey's alter ego, Marvin Greensborough, started out as the news reader on Cups N Cakes, but he soon became the show's main interviewer of bands. That created the opportunity to spin off a show, called Inside the Artist's Studio, which is on Apple Podcasts. You'll hear all about that, as well as the origin of the Cups N Cakes name; the "underlying weirdness" (in a good way) of Edmonton's music scene; our mutual admiration of musician and podcast-theme-music-writer Doug Hoyer; what it's like to juggle a day job as a journeyman carpenter with a dream to make a business out of covering music; the inspiration Jeff draws from such diverse sources as MuchMusic's The Wedge and NPR's RadioLab; and more. Jeff recommended another podcast that focuses on Edmonton music: The Tear Down, which is Caleb Caswell's interview show with local musicians. He also expressed his amazement at the sheer number and variety of Edmonton-made podcasts, which you can dive into here. You can find both of Jeff's podcasts on the new(ish) website, where you can also buy his handmade skateboards and learn more about the upcoming Up and Downtown music festival. Follow Cups N Cakes on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Many thanks to Castria for editing and producing this podcast. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you’ll hear me talk about the team responsible for a lot of the most interesting ATB programs for helping entrepreneurs, including the ATB Entrepreneur Centres in both Edmonton and Calgary, the ATB X Accelerator, and the ATB LendR crowd-lending platform. A lot of good things have come into this world because ATB listens. Find out more at atb.com/listen. You’ll also hear a shout-out to two fellow members of the Alberta Podcast Network. We've got a couple of interesting politics podcasts to tune into: The Broadcast and Highlevel Showdown. These and other great Alberta-made podcasts (including five new additions!) can be found at albertapodcastnetwork.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Erika Ensign of Verity! and many, many other podcasts joined us at the July podcasting meetup to talk about growing a fandom. Erika is one of the most prolific podcasters I know, and one of the most successful. She has a hand in these: Verity!, where six smart women talk about Doctor Who; Beginner's Puck, a podcast for hockey fans new and old; The Uncanny Magazine Podcast, a companion to the online magazine of science fiction and fantasy (which just won its second Hugo Award!);   The Audio Guide to Babylon 5, a rewatch of the sci-fi series; Lazy Doctor Who, a rewatch with her husband, Steven Schapansky; Total Party Kill, where a bunch of friends play Dungeons and Dragons;  Afoot, a mystery podcast; Game Night, where Incomparable folks play board games. In this episode, you'll hear a whole lot of wisdom from Erika about such things as: how nerdity and fandom led her to podcasting; how Verity was instigated on Twitter; how to encourage interaction in comments and on social media; the glory and weirdness of meeting fans in real life; how Verity uses Patreon to generate some funds; the benefits of being involved in The Incomparable, a network of nerdy podcasts; how being generous can help you; what makes her a fan of a podcast; and how to keep going when you're not sure anyone is listening. Erika also has a podcast production business called Castria, which produces this very show. Many thanks to her and Steven for that, and thanks too to these folks: our meetup hosts, Variant Edition; our door prize donors, EDMojis; and our catering sponsor, CafeRista. Sign up for the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup to meet local podcasters and improve your craft. The next one is planned for Oct. 22. Seen and Heard in Edmonton is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB.  This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. In this episode, you'll hear my daughter Elizabeth talk about how happy she was to open a bank account at ATB. (Seriously, she was really happy.) Learn more about how to get an account here. ATB might just listen better than I listen to my own kid. Find out how at atb.com/listen. You'll also hear a shout-out to two fellow members of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. To follow the ups and downs (but mostly ups, lately!) of FC Edmonton, subscribe to Loyal Company of the River Valley. To celebrate the Canadian national women's soccer team and the teams its players play on, listen to For Kicks. These and other great Alberta-made podcasts can be found at albertapodcastnetwork.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Sydney Lancaster, the visual artist and advocate who extends the reach of her work through her blog and helps artists learn how to look after the business side of their work through Visual Arts Alberta-CARFAC (Canadian Artists' Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens). Sydney has been a full-time artist since 2005, with a practice in drawing, printmaking, photography and large-scale sculptural installations. "I call myself jokingly a closet phenomenologist, because what I'm interested in is how we hang stories on the world around us," she says. In this episode, you'll hear Sydney's thoughts on the upside and downside of the internet for visual artists — the opportunity to connect directly with audiences and each other, and the risk of copyright infringement in a world where images can so easily be taken. You'll also hear how artists get paid and the effort to make it so; Visual Arts Alberta's work to provide professional development to artists, through workshops and a relatively new podcast, Draw More Income; the tremendous flexibility of podcasting as a medium for conveying training and inspiration; and why creative people (including podcasters!) have to understand business to make a go of it. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher.  Sydney was enormously generous in her recommendations of local independent media: Highlevel Showdown, the politics discussion featuring Elliott Tanti, Michael Vecchio and Sharon Mvundura; The Broadcast, an interview show about women and politics by Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks; Modern Manhood, German Villegas's exploration of masculinity in the modern age; Walkcast, Tim Querengesser's new podcast about walkability; #LostYEG: Lost Edmonton, Jaron Williams's re-creation of Edmonton's past in virtual form; YEG Uncovered, Ester Malzahn's blog about "secrets of a city I've come to love"; Vintage Edmonton, Rev Recluse's daily look back at the history of Edmonton through stories and ads in newspapers and other ephemera; Prairie Pomes, Anna Marie Sewell's poetry blog; Radical Citizen Media, Paula Kirman's documentation of citizen engagement in Edmonton; 12th Night, Liz Nicholls's blog about Edmonton theatre; Only Here for the Food, Sharon Yeo's tracking of Edmonton's culinary scene; Walkable Edmonton, a website celebrating getting around on foot; Mastermaq, Mack Male's blog about what's going on in Edmonton; Taproot Edmonton, the source of curiosity-driven stories cultivated by the community that Mack and I have started;  Seen and Heard in Edmonton, where I pay attention to Edmonton's bloggers and podcasters. You can subscribe to Draw More Income on Apple Podcasts or on Android. You can follow Sydney on Twitter: @eyeandhand. Also, Sydney lamented in our interview that she hadn't had time to write on her blog, but she has since posted some delightful updates.  Sydney also mentioned grant-writing workshops put on by Visual Arts Alberta. The next one in Edmonton is at SNAP Gallery on Aug. 9. Details here. Many thanks to Castria for editing this episode. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. We announced the first members of the network last week, and as you'll hear in this episode, they received a warm welcome from our partners at ATB.  The network happened because ATB listens. Learn more at atb.com/listen. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion about urban planning wishes at a live event put on by Taproot Edmonton, my other adventure in building a future for local media, which I've been working on for the past year with Mack Male. It was an interesting discussion on a profoundly local topic, so I figured it might also be of interest to listeners of Seen and Heard in Edmonton. Here you go. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. For more on Ryan Stephens's urban planning wish and planner Erik Backstrom's commentary, read the Taproot recap: 'High Line' on the High Level. For more on Michelle Taylor's urban planning wish and architect Shafraaz Kaba's commentary, read the Taproot recap: 'Nature-bombing' Jasper Avenue. If this makes you want to join Taproot, we'd love to have you! Sign up here. Our next regular Edmonton Podcasting Meetup will be held on July 30 at Variant Edition Comics & Culture. It will be on the topic of growing a fandom, and we'll be talking to Erika Ensign, a podcaster with many fans and member of many fandoms. It's free — register here. Many thanks to Castria for editing this podcast, recorded at the Sugar Swing Ballroom on June 21. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by ATB Financial, founding sponsor of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. ATB listens to you, whether you’re an entrepreneur in search of advice, a parent saving for your kids’ education, a homebuyer in need of a mortgage or a podcaster hoping to reach more people! Learn more about how ATB listens at atb.com/listen.

Meet Scott and Amy Fralick, the smart and creative couple who are chronicling their adventure with pregnancy later in life on their new podcast, 40 & Knocked Up!  You may know them as two-thirds of The Frolics, a surf-punk band that started in Nashville and is now part of Edmonton's music scene. You may also know Scott as a broadcast journalist who is now at CITY-TV. But they are also parents who decided after 40 that they wanted to have another child. It has not been easy, and they had trouble finding useful and non-boring resources, so they're making them themselves: Amy is writing a book, and the two of them are making this podcast. In this episode, you'll hear about how an epiphany at NorthwestFest's LunchPods series led to the creation of the podcast; the therapeutic value of talking through a difficult experience, even if there's a microphone in front of you; how the Internet has changed everything for both music and journalism; the story of the podcast's infectious theme song; how to make an interesting podcast rooted in your own experience or passion, but relevant and interesting to other people; and what happens to 40 & Knocked Up! when the baby comes. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud and on Stitcher. Scott and Amy made a couple of local podcast recommendations: Start the Music by Kat Griffiths, also known as one-sixth of Verity!; The Broadcast by Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks. We mentioned in particular the episode on male feminism with Reakash Walters and Andrew Knack, and the live show on which Scott was the guest at NorthwestFest. You can subscribe to 40 & Knocked Up! in Apple Podcasts, and you can find the podcast on Facebook, too. Check out The Frolics on CD Baby, and on Twitter: @TheFrolicsBand. Seen and Heard in Edmonton will be a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. Learn more about the network and sign up for updates here. This week's Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by YESS Quest, a 24-hour gaming marathon to be held at Northlands Expo Centre on Aug. 19-20 in support of Youth Empowerment & Support Services.  On this episode, you'll hear YESS board member and Diablo aficionado Ashley Janssen talk about how to get involved in YESS Quest and who you will be helping. If you want to play games all night to raise money for a good cause, or you want to pledge your support for other gamers, visit yessquest.com. 

For our June podcasting meetup, we had a chat with Michael Short of Let's Go Outdoors about how to make a living in new media. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Michael is a man ahead of his time. Long before the Internet made it a whole lot easier to be an independent media producer, Michael was doing it with Let's Go Outdoors, where he covers all kinds of stories to do with land, air and water, and distributed them on radio, TV and now online. His business model on Let's Go Outdoors is sponsorship. Like-minded organizations pay to be associated with his stories, but don't dictate what his stories are; they look to him to use his news judgment, tell the stories in a compelling way, and then get them in front of the right people. He also does freelance video and is always on the lookout for his next opportunity. As the media landscape has changed, Michael has changed along with it, and I think he has a lot to teach us about resilience, perseverance, and the power of good stories. He was also very frank about the challenges. This isn't an easy path, but if you want to make a go of it, Michael shows it's possible — you just have to go in with your eyes open. In this episode, you'll hear about how Michael got started in mainstream media; what it took to make a go of it on his own; how to keep sponsors happy; how to serve audiences well; the value of going deep on a niche; the pros and cons of having a direct connection to your audience; the primary power of curiosity; and the importance of strong production values — especially audio — if you want to sell sponsorships. This episode is also available in Apple Podcasts, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. You can follow Let's Go Outdoors on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and you can subscribe to the Let's Go Outdoors podcast in Apple Podcasts. Thanks to our door prize donors for adding a little sugar to our meetup: Variant Edition, which also kindly hosts our regular get-togethers; Unbelts, which has a special offer on right now in honour of its launch; and Taproot Edmonton, which is putting on a live event on June 21, called Taproot Live: What's your urban planning wish? Thanks, too, to CafeRista for catering our event. Our next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup is slated for July 30 at Variant Edition. Save the date and watch for details. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Castria, where award-winning podcasters help you take your podcast from idea to reality. Castria’s Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky record and edit both our live meetups and the regular interviews you hear on Seen and Heard in Edmonton. If you’d like them to help you, visit wearecastria.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

Meet Andrew Paul, who uses his journalistic chops to tell stories about philanthropy and good works in Edmonton as part of the team that produces The Well-Endowed Podcast. Andrew came up through alt-weeklies and magazines after he graduated from the journalism program at MacEwan. He shifted into doing public relations for arts and non-profit organizations with his now-wife, Fawnda Mithrush, and ended up at the Edmonton Community Foundation, which encourages philanthropy and funds charitable activities. The podcast is an extension of the foundation's efforts to tell the stories of its donors and the work it supports or is aligned with. Andrew co-hosts it with Elizabeth Bonkink, and Lisa Pruden produces it. As you'll hear, Edmonton is a trailblazer among community foundations by reaching out in this way. The foundation is looking for freelance contributors to the podcast. If you have experience and interest in producing audio stories, contact Lisa at lpruden@ecfoundation.org. Also in this episode: the story behind Well-Endowed's snappy theme song; what Andrew learned from Paul Matwychuk of Trash, Art, and the Movies; where a journalism degree can take you; lessons learned from producing I Don't Get It, a podcast about contemporary dance; and Andrew's advice for a not-for-profit contemplating starting a podcast. This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Andrew made the following recommendations: Omar Mouallem's four-episode run as guest host on Canadaland: Travel Journalism's Dirty Little Secret;  Jason Kenney Is A Charming Man: Inside Alberta's Weird Conservatism; Why Your Rap Lyrics Could Land You In Prison; It Was Illegal To Print Their Names: Alberta's Lost Children. Modern Manhood by German Villegas; The Broadcast by Trisha Estabrooks and Alex Zabjek. You can subscribe to The Well-Endowed Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Google Play. You can find the Edmonton Community Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter (@theecf). The next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup takes place on June 17 at 1 p.m. at Variant Edition Comics & Culture. We'll be talking to Michael Short of Let's Go Outdoors about how to make a living in new media. Register here to attend. Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you this week by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven stories about the city, cultivated by the community. Taproot is having its first live event on June 21! Join us at Sugar Swing for Taproot Live: What's your urban planning wish for Edmonton? Tickets are $10 for Taproot members, $15 for non-members. Check out Taproot's latest story, Syncing traffic lights: Tech fixes, enduring challenges. If you're curious about such things, join Taproot to satisfy your curiosity and help us put more stories into the world.   Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.

I had the great pleasure of talking to Ben Yendall of Tales from the Hydian Way and Trina Shessel from the Northern Nerdcast on stage at the Needle on May 12 during NorthwestFest's LunchPods series. Both Ben and Trina have cultivated a community around their podcasts, and are members of Edmonton's growing and increasingly connected podcasting community. They shared a lot of excellent insights about how and why they got into podcasting, and what they have learned about "community" in all (or at least many) senses of the word. I also talk a bit about the Alberta Podcast Network, which is now officially in the works thanks to funding from ATB Financial. This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. You can hear even more about the Alberta Podcast Network, and ask me anything about it, at the next Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on May 28 at 1 p.m. at Variant Edition Comics and Culture. Register here to attend.  Some other links mentioned in the show: The Northern Nerd Network's YouTube channel; Ben's other podcast, Heroes of the Hydian Way; The Tales from the Hydian Way Patreon campaign; The meetup where Ben and Trina offered advice to The Broadcast; Two big Doctor Who podcasts made in Edmonton: Radio Free Skaro and Verity!; The Chicago Podcast Cooperative, a model for the Alberta Podcast Network; Local examples of using music on podcasts: CKUA's Capital City Records podcast, Kat Griffiths's Start the Music, Cups N Cakes on Mixcloud;  Local examples of live phone-ins: The View Up Here, Northern Nerdcast on Google Hangouts; Chris Sikkenga and Paul Deleeuw's Montreal Sauce; My Edmonton podcast roundups; Castria, where award-winning podcasters help you make yours (and help me make mine); The Needle Vinyl Tavern, great hosts for the inaugural LunchPods series. Some of the other LunchPods sessions have made their way into various feeds: Northwestfest Panel, featuring Paul Matwychuk of Trash, Art, and the Movies, Erin E. Fraser and Matt Bowes of Bollywood is for Lovers and JP Fournier of The Movie Jerks; Mind the gap: How podcasting can fill a news void on women and politics: Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks of The Broadcast talk to Scott Fralick about podcasting as a vehicle for journalism. NorthwestFest is over for this year, but you can see who won the awards, and mark your calendar for more nonfiction fun in May 2018. Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you this week by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven stories about the city, cultivated by the community.  This month Taproot published Mack Male's popular list of summer festivals and events. If you're looking for something to do over the next few months, Taproot has you covered. Taproot is a member-supported site — our stories are free for all to read, but members gets to participate in the stories from the beginning, and we have more perks coming. If you'd like to get in on the ground floor of a new way of doing and funding local journalism, join us. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.  

Our April meetup gave us a chance to talk about the power of cross-promotion by engaging in some cross-promotion — I love me some meta. We had a chance to talk Fawnda Mithrush, who is managing director of NorthwestFest, Edmonton's international festival of nonfiction film, art and music. Fawnda is the brain behind LunchPods, a series of live podcast shows on at The Needle Vinyl Tavern throughout this week in conjunction with the film festival. Fawnda also hosted I Don't Get It, an award-winning podcast about contemporary dance, which she's hoping to resurrect one of these days. But she's an awfully busy person — besides helping Guy Lavallee put on NorthwestFest, she is also the executive director of LitFest, the nonfiction literary festival that comes to Edmonton this fall. In the episode, you'll hear all about LunchPods, as well as the "wicked fun" of doing a podcast about dance; why we need to find ways for creative people to get paid; how podcasts fit in with NorthwestFest and might fit into LitFest in the fall; why nonfiction appeals to her and to Edmonton; and the collaborative spirit of our city. This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. The LunchPods will be recorded, so if you miss one, you can catch up, but of course it's more fun to hear in person (plus there's lunch provided): May 8: Passion Pods: Where Art and Sport Collide: Taylor Chadwick of What It Is interviewed Erika Ensign of Beginner’s Puck and Steven Schapansky of Hockey Feels about arts and sports; May 9: Dime a Dozen: Podcasting About Film: Paul Matwychuk and Erin E. Fraser of Trash, Art, and the Movies will talk to Matt Bowes of Bollywood is for Lovers and JP Fournier of The Movie Jerks about movie podcasts; May 10: Short Story Long: How Podcasts Pick Up Where News Outlets Drop Off: Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks of The Broadcast will discuss podcasting as a vehicle for journalism; May 11: Sound and Fury: The Key to Outstanding Sound and Content: Adam Rozenhart of The Expats will explore the importance of great sound and structure with Sam Power of All Intensive Purposes and Lauren Albrecht of Nerd Nite Edmonton. May 12: Together We're Stronger: YEG's Podcast Community: I’ll be talking to Trina Shessel of the Northern Nerdcast and Ben Yendall of Tales from the Hydian Way about cultivating an Edmonton podcasting community. Many thanks to NorthwestFest, Flatter:Me Belts and Variant Edition for donating door prizes, and to CafeRista for catering. (Extra shout-out to Variant Edition for hosting us despite having a flood in their store mere hours before the event. Heroes!) I said at the end of this episode that there might not be a meetup in May, but I've changed my mind, because I have big news to share: We're creating the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB! Read the back story, and then join us at the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup on May 28 at Variant Edition to discuss the network, where I'll answer as many of your questions as I can. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Castria, where award-winning podcasters help you take your podcast from idea to reality. Castria’s Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky record and edit both our live meetups and the regular interviews you hear on Seen and Heard in Edmonton. If you’d like them to help you, visit 

Meet Elliott Tanti and Michael Vecchio, two friends who started sparring about politics for fun and decided to turn their frequent debates into the Highlevel Showdown podcast. Highlevel Showdown started in the Tory Building at the University of Alberta, where Elliott and Michael found themselves engaging in political discussions that spilled over onto the LRT on the way home. Elliott had done a podcast called What's Up UAlberta, and it felt natural to capture the conversations they were already having. A terrific politics podcast was born. In this episode, you'll hear how the show has changed over the past two years; how kitchen-table debates prepared them for political argument; how to prepare for a structured but vibrant discussion; what opera, wrestling and politics have in common; how the show benefits from Elliott's campaign experience and Michael's historical knowledge; the coming municipal election; and how to make a podcast with a friend. This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Michael and Elliott made the following recommendations: NewsWired, a discussion of current events distributed on Guerrilla Radio; The Modern Manhood Podcast, German Villegas's interview show exploring different facets of masculinity; The Broadcast, the show about women and politics in Alberta with Alex Zabjek and Trisha Estabrooks; daveberta, Dave Cournoyer's long-running blog about politics in Alberta; The Casual, Nate Villegas's podcast about forgotten flicks. You can also read Michael's thoughts on movies and pop culture at Before the Cyborgs, and you can hear Elliott's thoughts on sports from time to time on Hat Trick Sports. They are also on Twitter: @tanti90 and @michaelvecchio2. You can also follow the Highlevel Showdown on Twitter and Facebook, and find it on iTunes and Guerrilla Radio. Michael and Elliott are kind enough to shout out to the Seen and Heard Podcast Network. Stay tuned for some exciting network news in the coming weeks.   The next episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton will be delayed by a week — watch for it on May 8. You can experience the next episode in real life on April 30 at our podcasting meetup, featuring Fawnda Mithrush of NorthwestFest, which is putting on a mini-podcast-orama in conjunction with the documentary film festival in May.  This week's Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven stories about the city, cultivated by the community.  Read the latest Taproot story, Fluffy snow + high standards = a noisy Edmonton winter, Mel Priestley's examination of why it seemed like we were hearing leaf blowers an awful lot this past winter. Curious about something going on in Edmonton? Join Taproot so you can seed your own ideas and support the creation of more stories like this.