The Sound Off Podcast

OMG it's been 7 years since Kolter Bouchard was on this show. When he last joined me in September of 2019, he was doing afternoons at 102.1 The Edge in Toronto. Since then, his life has taken some dramatic turns: a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, a stem cell transplant, leaving radio, launching a creative agency with his wife, and building a powerful presence as a content creator and author.

Radio's relationship with its audience has fundamentally shifted, and the industry's summer of mass layoffs at Cumulus, iHeart, Rogers, Odyssey, and Corus has exposed a deeper crisis than spreadsheets can solve. I basically recap the absurdity of how radio companies built their talent's social media followings only to sever connections abruptly, freeing listeners to explore alternatives. While industry data still shows radio leading in car listening and ad delivery, the reality on the ground tel

It's been a long time since I've spoken with Gaëtan Harris, founder of Syrup Sound, to talk about working in radio at Power 97 with me in Winnipeg to becoming one of Canada's most respected podcast sound designers. Gaëtan shares how an early fascination with This American Life inspired him to move to Vancouver, where he eventually joined Pacific Content alongside Steve Pratt and Dan Misener to help create award-winning branded podcasts.

Chris Brunt of Jacobs Media joins me to talk about radio’s 30‑year struggle with digital—from those first clunky station websites and primitive email blasts to today’s sophisticated streaming, social, and video ecosystems.

I am joined by veteran Canadian broadcaster Lynda Steele to trace her four-decade journey across TV, radio, and now podcasting. Lynda recalls growing up in Hinton, Alberta, having no clear career path, and how government-funded aptitude testing unexpectedly pointed her to broadcast journalism. She shares early newsroom stories from CKVU in Vancouver and ITV/Global Edmonton, including covering major events like the 1987 Edmonton tornado and the day Wayne Gretzky was traded, and reflects on how te

Bryan Barletta, founder of Sounds Profitable and president of Podcast Movement, to shares what to expect at this year's event. Bryan walks me through how Sounds Profitable has grown into a trade association focused on research, education, and connecting buyers and sellers in podcasting. We also dive into how the acquisition by Podcast Movement is transforming this year’s event in New York City—with a clear focus on making it easier for creators and advertisers to actually meet and do business