Short packages
Sometimes informative, sometimes quirky, sometimes downright comical, these are heavily produced items I create for CBC Radio on a freelance basis, typically for national distribution to the daily morning or afternoon shows or for broadcast on some of the bigger budget programs.
The red ribbon that started it all
The red ribbon for AIDS awareness didn’t just launch a national conversation about the disease; it also launched the phenomenon of colored awareness ribbons. It turned 30 in 2021, so I did this story for World AIDS Day for national distribution to CBC’s morning radio programs.
Beavers with satellite
A humorous story about a seldom-talked-about yet ubiquitous aspect of Canadian culture. The story was a huge hit on the CBC morning shows across Canada, and the accompanying online story was one of CBC’s Top 10 stories on the day of publication. It also inspired similar stories on Barrons.com, CottageLife.com and German television.
Bussing across Ontario for the climate
Taking the bus from Thunder Bay to Toronto takes more than 20 hours and costs around $500. You can do the trip by plane in 90 minutes for less than that. But you’ll generate more than twice the carbon emissions. So, I did the trip the hard way and documented the journey for CBC’s Ontario weekend morning show.
What happens to the missing socks?
Possibly the most important investigative report of my career. A humorous item for national distribution to CBC’s regional morning shows. And yes, sadly, it is basically a true story.
Cutting my carbon emissions to save my sanity: Part 1
Produced for a syndicated summer column I hosted in 2023 that documented the challenges and barriers I faced trying to do the right thing for the environment. It served as a commentary on the limits of personal responsibility in the battle against climate change and discussed the role of individual action in fighting feelings of helplessness.
Learning to love cat lovers
In which my tongue-in-cheek look at National Cat Lovers’ Month from a dog lover’s perspective accidentally earns me a new respect for cat lovers. Part of a fun holiday series called “Forgotten Observances of December” for national distribution to CBC morning shows.
Longform
Living Without Hope
Nominated for an International Women’s Podcast Award, my most recent documentary tells the story of Jacob Erickson, who spent his teen years coming to terms with his impending death, even though he wasn’t sick with anything.