In case you missed it, just prior to the publication date of the October issue of Biz X, the world recognized September 30 as “International Podcast Day”. So I figured there’s no better time than the present to recognize what’s been going on in the local podcast scene!
In simplest terms, a podcast is an audio (video) program just like talk radio, accessed through your Internet connected devices that you can listen to whenever you like. Since podcasts emerged globally in 2004 by two English gentlemen (Adam Curry and Dave Winer), podcasts have been extremely popular in Canada.
According to TPX, a collaborative creation of industry leaders in Canadian broadcasting, digital media, and advertising sales — 36% of Canadians over 18 years of age have listened to at least one podcast in 2020 and more than 8 million listened monthly.
TPX identifies the target listener of podcasts as “18 to 34 year old men, among Canadians with a higher education; households with more than $100K income.”
Windsor has quite a few popular free and subscription podcasts featured on a variety of different platforms such as YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Audible, Stitcher, etc.
Here is a sample of the just a few of the podcasts out there . . .
In November 2018, I wrote a Biz X article on Andy Sullivan’s popular local podcast entitled “Straight Outta Windsor: Proof Positive of The Good in The Region.”
On July 7, 2020, Sullivan ended his weekly run of 124 podcasts to devote more time to his family and fulltime career. His past podcasts can still be accessed here.
Rose City Politics is a weekly, hour-long podcast that focuses on the movers-and-shakers affecting the political scene of Windsor and Essex County. Current panelists Pat Papadeas, Jon Liedtke, Don Merrifield Jr., and Doug Sartori dissect, debate, educate and inform on political happenings in our region. The panelists also write a regular opinion column in Biz X as of February 2021.
Greg Gnyp (former DJ for 93.9 “The River”) and Chris Uszynski (Race Director/Founder of RunningFlat) — who have been friends for over 30 years — have teamed up on their podcast, “GNYP GNOP”.
Started in March 2021, it is an audio and video podcast where they discuss current events and have fun with friends from all over.
Gnyp invites all to join them “live each Friday at noon for lunch and bring a drink — it will always be entertaining.”
“Hello, Hello World” also debuted in March 2021and is thecreation of Candyce Mollard who directs and hosts her podcast.
A native of Windsor, Mollard is a married, stay at home mom who attended the University of Windsor. She tells us: “My goal is to showcase all of the creative and inspiring folks that we have in our community.”
After a few podcasts she expanded her goal to also showcase local small businesses.
“I invite them on for a 15 to 20 minute chat where I ask them all types of questions about their business — giving my listeners a guide to some of the best spots in our city,” she explains. “I’m so proud of the businesses I’ve chatted with and the ones that I am scheduled to chat with in the future.”
Her shows dealing with small businesses are appropriately designated as “Local Business Love.”
Mollard has presented 40 podcasts so far involving such notable residents as Jeff Denomme, Philippa Von Ziegenweidt, Tracey Rogers, Sean Ireland, Jen Brignall-Strong, and many others, covering an eclectic array of businesses and services in the Windsor Essex area.
While many podcasts are produced with expensive audio equipment, Mollard’s chats with her guests on her personal iPad. She was directed by another local podcaster to an Internet app, Anchor by Spotify (Anchor.fm) that provided her with all the tools she required to get her podcast up and running.
As Mollard adds: “The Windsor podcast community is awesome and provided me help with the basics.”
After listening to several of her podcasts, I am convinced that Mollard’s passion for this community, her in-depth research into the topics and her guests, and her easy-going interview style, are the perfect mix for a long and successful podcast career.
And when it comes to getting some media attention of her own from Biz X, Mollard states: “It is an honour for me to be a part of a magazine that reflects everything I love about our city!”
The feeling is mutual Candyce . . . we know your listeners will learn a lot about our community from your podcasts as well!
“Hello, Hello World” — An Inspiring Windsor Podcast – Biz X magazine
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