Podcasts we love
Shane J
Read Time:
11 Minutes
January 24, 2018

When we decided to start blogging we thought about the people we could help with our mistakes and learning curve over the last year. However, we didn’t want it to be all work with no playtime. Instead, we felt we should throw in fun subjects that are near and dear to us. On that note, the following blog will be on podcasting.

We have been LUCKY to work with a few podcasters in 2017. I know a lot of people out there know what a podcast is but, as I am learning, there are equal amounts that have zero clue what a podcast is, and how they work.

To start, a podcast is a basically an online radio show in the form of audio or video files. They range from 15 mins to 3 hrs in length and are usually episodic in nature. You subscribe to them on your platform of choice, such as iTunes , Google Play Music, Patreon, or Soundcloud to name a few. The name came from an Apple method of broadcasting audio shows in 2004 and it stuck. As the internet grew so did the availability of podcasts.

OUTTA THE PARK WITH BARRY DAVIS

Outta The Park With Barry Davis
Barry and Matt recording a podcast

The first one we worked on was Outta The Park with Barry Davis, in May of 2017. We designed the logo, set up the website and helped them launch to the masses. For those of you that don’t know him, Barry Davis was a former Sportsnet broadcaster mainly known for his coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club. The beginning shows were mainly him and a bit of conversation with his Producer, Matt. As the show grew they became a tag team duo, with great banter and lots of laughs.

In the beginning, they broadcasted live with people calling in to ask questions, just like traditional radio. The quality was not as good but, they adapted quickly and decided to forgo live shows to master & edit the podcasts to ensure amazing sound quality. Listeners could still ask questions via the website, twitter and other methods, but for the most part the live aspect was closed. Having 2 people made the live model incredibly time consuming. By switching to pre-recorded, it made it a better show, allowed them to hone the presence they had and create a truly special podcast.

They currently have 4 shows a week, and have diversified their content to include fantasy sports, crazy news from around the world, music and sports other than baseball. They have been involved in spreading Dioner Navarro’s heartbreaking and heartwarming journey over the past year. The story has been shared by Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports and others. If you have not checked it out, I would highly RECOMMEND giving them a listen.

RADIO U WITH MIKE ULMER

Radio U with Mike Ulmer
Radio U with Mike Ulmer

The next podcast we got to work on was Radio U with Mike Ulmer. His business model is a lot different than Outta the Park. He wanted to facilitate stories and get their material out there. We designed the website and all his graphics including the profile images for the podcasts to help draw to his strengths. His website basically acts as the conduit to house the story. He does have his own podcast and I can tell you I love the human elements.

Mike wanted to talk to the everyday person and give them a voice to let them tell their stories.

M is for Maple by Mike Ulmer, Illustrations by Melanie Rose
M is for Maple by Mike Ulmer, Illustrations by Melanie Rose

I love his podcast, it is all about the story.  From business stories, to the really touching ones about a 16-year-old who lost her brother to cancer. The podcasts are short and sweet, driving home their messages. Mike is quirky, yet sincere and you could not meet a nicer guy. Previously he worked as a sports writer and a novelist. He wrote the children’s book M is for Maple, which is a Canadian ALPHABET book using our nation symbols, people, history and culture. If you have kids and don’t have it, I highly would suggest you sit down with your child and explore it.

Part of the site focuses on his Master Podcasters who focus on different topics and have different styles. Anything from tech and business to home improvement techniques. Again, these are different voices for different people. A variety of voices are shared on his site. We really love what Mike has set up and can’t wait to see what he puts out in the future.

Lisa and I listen to a lot of podcasts during our work week. When its crunch time, I tend to stick to music as some of the stories have me so enthralled that I will stop everything I am doing just to ensure I don’t miss anything.

Lisa is a huge fan of the Sick Boy Podcast, an insightful look that tries to break down the stigma behind illness and disease using humour and conversation. We have featured them on our Cool Shizzaz Mondays on social media, so I won’t go into details. I do ask you the reader a question, what are you waiting for? I SUGGEST you go check them out.

I listen to REPLY ALL podcasts, which is a look at the internet and history of things. I also love Joe Rogan, which is possibly the most famous podcast of them all. He is funny as hell and has great guests on it.

COMING SOON

Girl in Charge
Girl in Charge with Lisa Cowey

In the coming months, Lisa will be launching her own podcast called Girl in Charge featured by Radio U. The focus will be on being a woman entrepreneur in today’s world. She will have guests, and conversations that will talk on a variety of subjects. We at Provoke are PROUD of her and cannot wait to launch it.

More information on Girl in Charge will be coming next month so keep an eye out. To Check out Outta the Park visit www.nsrmedia.ca. To visit Radio U go to www.radiou.ca

That is all for now see you all next week!