Best TVo Talk Podcasts (2024)

1
The Battle for Reality 32:21

5M ago32:21

32:21

Misinformation is tearing our country apart, and trust in our institutions, and in each other, is at an all time low. Some experts think we're at a breaking point, and new technologies are only going to make misinformation more persuasive - and more corrosive. To learn about the importance of social media and AI regulation for the protection of our…

1
The Top of the Pyramid 25:35

5M ago25:35

25:35

A TikTok influencer with tens of thousands of followers is convinced that the world is controlled by an evil cabal of pedophiles. How does someone come to harbor such extreme views? And what happens to our politics - and our society - when those views start resonating with a growing number of people? In this episode, we meet Colin Big Bear Ross, a …

1
From Russia with Love 24:47

6M ago24:47

24:47

In the winter of 2022, thousands of Canadians descended on Ottawa for the Freedom Convoy. It was one of the largest displays of civil disobedience in the country's history - a movement by Canadians, for Canadians. But if that's the case, why did Russia's state controlled TV networks send correspondents there? And why did messaging groups devoted to…

1
Sharia Creep 25:28

6M ago25:28

25:28

After Alexandre Bisonette was arrested for murdering six Muslim men in cold blood, investigators looked into his internet history and found that he'd fallen down a far right rabbit hole. In this episode, we take a step back from the pandemic to tell a story about online extremism, the political utility of conspiracy theories, and how misinformation…

1
The Snake Oil Salesman 31:05

6M ago31:05

31:05

Before a COVID vaccine had even been announced, prominent anti-vaxxers were working on a plan to discredit it. It's unclear whether their plans were driven by greed or by ideology, but one thing is clear: there's big money in espousing conspiracy theories. And a doctor who lost his medical licence for spreading COVID misinformation tells his side o…

1
Freedom, Baby, Freedom 23:55

6M ago23:55

23:55

When the pandemic hit in 2020, it suddenly seemed like conspiracy theories were everywhere. But where did those ideas come from? And why did so many people believe them? Selena Paley, the co-founder of an alternative media outlet called Freedom Central, explains her anti-vaccine views and talks about her experience as part of the Freedom Convoy in …

1
Unascertained Bonus Episode: The Verdict 40:43

7M ago40:43

40:43

How did the coroner’s inquest decide that Soleiman Faqiri’s death was a homicide? Host Yusuf Zine and co-producer Kevin Young examine key pieces of evidence from the long-awaited inquest, including new testimonies, emails, and never before seen footage of the final moments of Soleiman’s life. Yusuf and Kevin unpack what the jury took into considera…

1
Screen Time S2: The Battle for Reality 2:12

10M ago2:12

2:12

When the pandemic hit in 2020, it suddenly seemed like conspiracy theories were everywhere. Did Bill Gates put a microchip in the vaccine? Is the World Economic Forum trying to take over the world? Was the pandemic orchestrated by a secret cabal of elites? A recent poll found that 1 in 4 Canadians believe in online conspiracy theories. Which means …

1
Unascertained Bonus Episode: Case Closed 20:51

1+ y ago20:51

20:51

In this bonus update episode, the OPP concludes their second investigation into Soleiman's death. Yusuf Faqiri and Nader Hasan give their reactions to the news. Plus, what has the state of corrections been like during this last year - and where is everyone now? Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
S1 E6: A new model for a kid-friendly internet 40:12

2+ y ago40:12

40:12

When it comes to data, tech companies treat anyone 13 and over as an adult. How did this happen? Hosts Taylor Owen and Nicole Edwards explore how the internet's definition of a child goes back to a single American law passed in the 1990s. Then, we hear from Baroness Beeban Kidron, an advocate for children's digital rights and member of the UK House…

1
S1 E5: The case for giving your kids more freedom online 30:03

2+ y ago30:03

30:03

Every parent is forced to make tough choices about how much freedom to give their child online. How do you decide what the limits are? And what's the right level of risk? In this episode, hosts Taylor Owen and Nicole Edwards set out to find out just how worried we should be about teens' online safety. Two experts in children's digital rights weigh …

1
S1 E4: Kids and YouTube: Who's watching who? 36:30

2+ y ago36:30

36:30

YouTube is an ever-expanding video library that's home to a huge range of content-most of which is intended for adults. The difficult task of curating children's experiences on the platform often falls to parents. Co-hosts Taylor Owen and Nicole Edwards explore the reasons YouTube Kids isn't a quick fix for this problem, and how YouTube's profit mo…

1
S1 E3: The Influencer Generation 36:40

2+ y ago36:40

36:40

How can parents tell if a teen's social media use is harming their mental health? Hosts Taylor Owen and Nicole Edwards are joined by a teen with a powerful story about the complicated relationship young people have with these platforms. Guest Sarah Banet-Weiser, Director, Annenberg Center for Collaborative Communication, unpacks what makes photo an…

1
S1 E2: Are Screens Breaking Kids' Brains? 38:53

2+ y ago38:53

38:53

Is a rise in screen time changing the way children's brains develop? Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Boston Children's Hospital Digital Wellness Lab, explains how the infant brain works and how it responds differently to online and offline activities. Pediatrician and clinical researcher Dr. John Hutton walks co-hosts Nicole Edwards and Taylor Ow…

1
S1 E1: Are kids already in the metaverse? 36:37

2+ y ago36:37

36:37

The metaverse might seem like an abstract world, but kids may already be living in it. Some researchers say popular gaming platforms like Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft are early versions. With kids spending so much time playing virtually, hosts Nicole Edwards and Taylor Owen find out whether online friendships are as healthy as in-person socializi…

1
Welcome to Screen Time 1:37

2+ y ago1:37

1:37

A show about how technology is changing childhood. Episode 1 will be released on March 10th. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By TVO

1
It's time to reevaluate resilience 20:59

2+ y ago20:59

20:59

Well into the second year of the pandemic, is "resilience" really what we need to be cultivating? Pippa and Karina are joined by Julie S. Lalonde, a women's rights advocate and author of the memoir "Resilience Is Futile." Together they tackle the trap of resilience, and why it shouldn't be doing all the heavy lifting in the face of real systemic pr…

1
Is our culture getting more culty? 22:29

2+ y ago22:29

22:29

What sets a cult apart from a religion? Is it a harmless groupthink, or something much darker? And why are cults having such a moment right now, from pop culture to politics? Pippa and Karina drink the Kool-Aid and venture deep into wild, wild country with the help of Marianne Boucher, author of the graphic novel 'Talking to Strangers: A Memoir of …

1
Deaf or deaf? Capitalizing a community 23:15

2+ y ago23:15

23:15

What a difference capitalization makes: Pippa and Karina dive into the hotly debated and deeply personal terminology around being Deaf/deaf. They're joined by deaf podcaster Caroline Mincks to break down the spectrum and diversity of the deaf and hard-of-hearing experience, and why words matter when labeling members of this community. Along the way…

1
Sorry, we're at capacity 26:22

2+ y ago26:22

26:22

When and how do we decide that someone can't make their own decisions? As the "grey wave" of aging baby boomers approaches, ,capacity, has become an all-important metric. Pippa and Karina speak to Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of seniors' advocacy organization CanAge, to break down mental capacity assessments for seniors, as well as the capacity of …

1
Don't you know that you're toxic? 14:24

2+ y ago14:24

14:24

From relationships, to workplaces, to masculinity, "toxic" is a label we've embraced enthusiastically for the last few years. Pippa and Karina trace this overused metaphor from a 1980s fringe men's movement all the way to the Britney song we know and love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
Defining the mission of abolition 23:06

2+ y ago23:06

23:06

The abolition movement has hit the mainstream, and calls to disarm, defund, and dismantle the system as we know it have never been louder. Rinaldo Walcott, author of "On Property," joins Pippa and Karina to imagine a world without police or prisons, discuss the problem of property, and decode the language of reform. Rinaldo Walcott is the director …

1
Homing in on houselessness 21:56

2+ y ago21:56

21:56

Amid an affordable housing crisis, the language around homelessness is changing - but is it helping? With insights from housing activist Lorraine Lam and Toronto Drop-in Network coordinator Diana Chan McNally, Pippa and Karina track the rise of alternatives such as "unhoused," and break down the spectrum of homelessness and housing precarity. Thank…

1
We're simps for semantics 16:54

2+ y ago16:54

16:54

Pippa and Karina embark on a totally hard-hitting investigation into the past, present, and future of the word "simp," from 1970s hip-hop to 1990s rap to Tiktok. With its overtones of misogyny, toxic masculinity, and homophobia, this of-the-moment insult takes them back into the territory of Nice Guys and the "manosphere." Where did simping get its…

1
We need to talk about genocide 30:13

3y ago30:13

30:13

The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves near residential schools across the country has re-launched a national conversation on the word "genocide" and why politicians tread lightly around it. In this episode, Pippa and Karina talk to award-winning novelist, lawyer, and activist Michelle Good (Five Little Indians) about the legal definition of …

1
Word Bomb is back for season four! 0:36

3y ago0:36

0:36

Word Bomb is back with nine episodes that tell the story behind hot-button words like genocide, homeless, and deaf. Season four drops October 14th. Let’s continue to explore language together! Please support the Word Bomb podcast by donating today at www.tvo.org/supportpods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
The Heat of the Moment 43:34

3y ago43:34

43:34

Part VIII: In the final chapter, two people at the heart of Soleiman's case who have never spoken publicly provide new details. And, after years, an updated post-mortem report reveals shocking answers to the question: how did Soleiman Faqiri die? Through our variety of podcast programming, TVO is committed to helping the people of Ontario better un…

1
Coming Soon: The Final Chapter 2:29

3y ago2:29

2:29

Soleiman Faqiri's cause of death status is reversed. Plus, after hearing the podcast, new sources come forward. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By TVO

1
The Aftermath 28:21

3y ago28:21

28:21

Part VII: Shortly before the release of what was meant to be the final episode of the series, a former correctional officer at the Central East Correctional Centre reached out to the team with startling information. In the bonus 7th episode of Unascertained, host Yusuf Zine hears his side of the story. And, a stunning turn of events regarding Solei…

1
The case continues… 1:36

3y ago1:36

1:36

Since our final episode, there have been some major changes in the case. Host Yusuf Zine provides a quick update. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By TVO

1
The Fatal Blow 48:10

3y ago48:10

48:10

Part VI: A new revelation in the case has been released to the public, and it may be the last piece of the puzzle. In the 6th part of Unascertained, Yusuf Zine takes a close look at just what happened in that cell on December 15, 2016 as he tries to finally determine: what happened to Soleiman Faqiri? Clips courtesy of Global News, CityNews, TVNZ a…

1
An Update 1:27

3y ago1:27

1:27

As the team gets ready to put out the sixth and final episode, a last-minute interview request comes through that allows them to ask some big questions. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By TVO

1
The Code of Silence 40:09

3y ago40:09

40:09

Part V: There are no witness statements from any correctional officers involved in Soleiman's case that have been made public. And that comes as no surprise to former correctional officer Iosko Assenov. Since leaving his profession as a guard, he has become a whistleblower speaking out against racism, harassment and 'the code of silence' in Ontario…

1
The Last Stop 43:25

3y ago43:25

43:25

Part IV: Apart from the correctional staff at the jail, it turns out there was someone else there the day Soleiman Faqiri died. Someone who says he saw everything. Host Yusuf Zine speaks to that eyewitness, who shares new jarring details of what he saw happen in that cell. Audio clips courtesy The Evan Solomon Show, CBC Ontario Morning, Global News…

1
The Post-mortem 44:25

3+ y ago44:25

44:25

Part III: A ten-month long investigation by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service concluded there were no grounds to lay charges in Soleiman Faqiri's death. But for lawyers Nader Hasan and Ted Marrocco, who represent the Faqiri family, that wasn't good enough. They wanted to know what evidence had been collected and who the police interviewed. They bec…

1
The Cruel and Usual 34:15

3+ y ago34:15

34:15

Part II: Anthony Ouellette was an inmate at the Lindsay jail in 2016. He watched as Soleiman Faqiri's mental health slowly deteriorated during the 11 days he was kept in segregation, and desperately tried to get him help. Ouellette shares the shocking details of what he saw during that time, and how on the eleventh day, he came back to his cell to …

1
The Eleventh Day 33:47

3+ y ago33:47

33:47

Part I: Soleiman Faqiri was a 30-year-old Canadian, born in Afghanistan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. On December 15th, 2016, he was found dead in a segregation cell at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario, after a struggle with correctional officers. What happened in that cell has led his family on a years-long search …

1
Introducing Unascertained 3:03

3+ y ago3:03

3:03

On December 15, 2016, Soleiman Faqiri was found dead in his cell after an altercation with a group of correctional officers. After suffering a schizophrenic episode, the 30-year-old was awaiting a pre-trial mental health assessment at a Lindsay Ontario jail. He was pepper sprayed, shackled, and was wearing a spit hood. But there was no footage of w…

1
BIPOC: Can a term be too inclusive? 24:14

3+ y ago24:14

24:14

The acronym BIPOC has been around for years-but in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and BLM protests across North America this summer, it's been thrust into the spotlight. Is this hot-button term inclusive or homogenizing? Does it signal solidarity or perpetuate erasure? Pippa and Karina break down BIPOC from a uniquely Canadian perspective w…

1
Sex: The words and the bees 27:13

3+ y ago27:13

27:13

Now that we've got your attention: Pippa and Karina investigate how sex drives slang creation in the English language. With Jonathon Green, one of the world's leading lexicographers and author of Green's Dictionary of Slang, they take a trip through steamy slang and anatomical idioms from the 1500s all the way to the present day. They also break do…

1
Expat: A passport to privilege 28:00

3+ y ago28:00

28:00

Why are some people living abroad called "expats" and others called "immigrants" or "migrants"? Is it simply semantics, or something much deeper? In this episode, Pippa and Karina decode the politics, power dynamics, and privilege behind these loaded terms, and unpack the baggage carried by travelers to and from the global north and south. They're …

1
Organic: Farm to label 23:12

3+ y ago23:12

23:12

Karina and Pippa take a trip down the grocery aisle to peel back the "organic" label. The organic food industry is booming-but is it all marketing and markup at Whole Foods, or the future of sustainable farming? A tightly regulated industry, or ripe for fraud? Is an apple really just an apple? Along the way, they speak to one of Canada's foremost f…

1
Cancel: Dispatches from the culture wars 25:55

3+ y ago25:55

25:55

2020 is definitely #cancelled, but who can cancel who, and where does boycotting end and cancelling start? Pippa and Karina data-mine Twitter, sort through the endless op-eds, and debate the catharsis and consequences of call-out culture. Online and IRL, cashing in on the thriving "attention economy" has never been so easy-or so fraught. For some e…

1
Karen: Calling cops and naming names 25:58

3+ y ago25:58

25:58

Pippa and Karina talk to an entire chorus of Karens and break down the memeification of this now-infamous first name, from the baby boom to Black Lives Matter. Women weaponizing their whiteness have never been so easily called out-but how did one of the most popular baby names of the mid-century come to represent the biggest villain of 2020? Thank …

1
Republican: Grand Old Party in the U.S.A. 20:28

3+ y ago20:28

20:28

Pippa and Karina take a quick break from doomscrolling to ring in the U.S. presidential election with an episode on the word "Republican." From res publica to revolution, from the party of Lincoln to the party of Trump, identifying as Republican has gone through some major sea change over the centuries-and the word has never been more loaded than i…

1
Nice: A journey into the friendzone 27:38

3+ y ago27:38

27:38

Pippa and Karina follow this surface-level word straight into one of the darkest corners of the internet: the manosphere, complete with Nice Guys, good boys, incels, and MRAs. How did one boring, overused adjective become the ultimate red flag? "Nice" is so much more than the sum of its parts. Thank you to our guest Shelby Lorman, the artist behind…

1
Hustle: The millennials aren't alright 22:24

4y ago22:24

22:24

Millennials are often called the "hustle generation." They're famous for side gigging, bootstrapping, and burning out. But what really is hustling, and where did it come from? This week on Word Bomb, Pippa and Karina meet hustle culture at the source, investigating the way we talk about work-all the way from its Jim Crow-era roots to 1950s workahol…

1
Latinx: Solving for x in a binary world 26:18

4y ago26:18

26:18

In this episode of Word Bomb, Pippa and Karina examine the myriad of modern ways to self-identify as Latin American. Joined by a Chicanx psycholinguist and a Venezuelanx performer, they dig into divisive debates and far-reaching colonial history to see why the gender-neutral term “Latinx”—and its many variations—is on the rise. You can follow Megan…

1
Season three is coming soon 0:27

4y ago0:27

0:27

In 2020, language has been moving faster than ever, and Word Bomb is here to help. Hosts Pippa Johnstone and Karina Palmitesta return for a third season to unpack one explosive word per week, talk to experts and dive deep into lived experiences to share stories the dictionary doesn't tell you. This season, look out for conversations on the US elect…

1
Ep. 9 - 'Toronto': Live at Hot Docs 11:54

4+ y ago11:54

11:54

Tkaronto, York, Toronto the Good, T-Dot, Hogtown, the 6ix... Canada's largest city has gone by many names over the years and Pippa and Karina explore the myths and origin stories behind all of them. This season finale was recorded at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto in front of a live audience as part of the annual Hot Docs Podcast Festiva…

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