The Sound Off Podcast

Maria Palmer got her start in radio because iHeartMedia's James Howard walked into a dive bar in Washington D.C., possibly ordered a whiskey, and witnessed talent in action. She was bartending, working her way through acting school, when James, then Program Director DC 101 noticed something: she was both entertaining and taming simultaneously. He asked if she'd ever considered radio. Two weeks later, she was in.She's now part of the Morning Mosh Pit on Chicago's Rock 95.5, and she's built a significant following online. But the words I loved to hear: She's adamant that radio is her number one. Social media is apart of the gig, not the destination.In an industry asking talent to do more with less—skeletal staffs, endless platforms, daily content demands—Maria's approach is instructive. She spent a year just building the habit of posting. No expectation of perfection. Just repetition. Just showing up. If you somehow decide to skip this episode, you are going to miss some really amazing takeaways. These are the things where I said "Oh wow":Take an acting class or 10: Play the role of a villain. You'll learn empathy.Post consistently: Your audience with thank you for being there and the algorithm will reward you.Strategize for the nasty parts of being public: Your audience projects, they don't know you. The vulnerability of being seen is real, especially for radio talent used to the cloak of the studio. But the harshest comments aren't about you—they're about what people bring to the screen. Resilience comes from recognizing that distance.But seriously - just listen to the episode. And Follow Maria! Instagram - YouTube - Twitter - TikTok - RedditPlease sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susan Reade got her start in Edmonton radio wearing an orange Tina Turner wig and leopard-print pants as CHED’s “Janet from Another Planet.” As she prepares to retire from Stingray, I catch up with her to talk about a career that took her from the morning show to sales and leadership—and why she still believes in radio.Susan shares how a difficult experience as a talk show producer in Vancouver led to selling postage meters at Pitney Bowes. The sales training was valuable; the passion for postage wasn’t there. A chance encounter with former colleague Mike Bowman helped her connect the dots between what she loved and what she was good at. That discovery took her to Toronto to help launch a country station, before eventually bringing her home to Edmonton.We compare notes on our Edmonton years, including her time at Easy Rock, launching Magic 99, and leading sales for The Bear and TSN. I ask what makes someone good at selling radio, how the move from diary ratings to people meters affected advertising rates, and where the industry missed opportunities to build stronger relationships with listeners online. Susan also shares how Marty Forbes and Karl Stark recognized her leadership potential before she saw it herself.We get into the return of local sports talk with Sports 1440 and Jason Gregor, the importance of streaming, and how Dash Sync connects an advertiser’s audio message with a visual on the dashboard. I also explain why I see TuneIn as the Yellow Pages of audio—and why keeping a station easy to find on smart speakers matters to its future.Along the way, we talk about the strength of local radio in Edmonton and Kamloops, what Susan has planned for retirement, and how she responds when someone tells her radio is dead.Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nigeria has consistently been one of the top five countries listening to this podcast. With so much great English-language radio being made there, I wanted to hear more about what’s working—and what’s changing.Dami Dawson is an award-winning writer and new media executive based in Lagos. Dami’s career has taken him from radio into television and digital media, including his work at Pulse and now TVC Communications. He also manages Rewind 107.9 FM, “where nostalgia lives.”We explore what it’s like to make radio in Nigeria in 2026, and I hear plenty of parallels with North America: questions about audience measurement, pressure to hire personalities based on social media followers, and the challenge of keeping experienced broadcasters behind the microphone.Dami explains why conversation connects with Lagos listeners, how broadcasters can build a social audience without sacrificing substance, and what holds back emerging Nigerian creators. He also shares why he believes radio hasn’t died—it has lost its soul—and what it will take to bring that connection back.Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. You can see how well this episode does in Nigeria. Thank you Megatrax for continuously supporting the show See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New From the Sound Off Media Company! What happens after a dog leaves a research laboratory—and begins learning how to be a dog?Dogs Beyond the Lab, a podcast about former research dogs and the people helping them discover life on the other side. Join John Ramer of Kindness Ranch, Lori Cohen of The Beagle Alliance, and behaviour specialist Chelsey Marino of Keeper And Kin honest conversations about rescue, rehabilitation, and the patient work of building trust.Through stories from adopters, fosters, and experts, the series explores the setbacks, surprises, and small victories that make a second chance possible. From a first walk to feeling safe in a new home, these experiences reveal how deeply dogs and people can change each other’s lives.If you’ve ever loved a dog, there’s something here for you.Enjoy this trailer, then follow Dogs Beyond the Lab and explore the full episodes at beyondthelab.dog. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I went to PodSummit or the first time last year, and it quickly became one of my favourite podcast events. In this episode, I talk with founder Tim Truax about what makes it different—and why he believes community is the answer to the isolation many podcasters experience.We talk about Calgary’s growing podcast scene, the need for a truly Canadian podcast event, and how Pod Summit brings independent creators and industry leaders together without feeling like a typical conference. Tim also previews this year’s speakers, live podcasts and hands-on workshops, including sessions on audio branding, storytelling and audience growth.PodSummit 2026 takes place October 16 and 17 at The GRAND in downtown Calgary. I’ll be there—and whether you already have a podcast or are simply curious about starting one, this conversation explains why you might want to be there too.Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.Thank you Megatrax for continuously supporting the show See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.