It’s not unusual for me to bring old friends onto the show. In fact, a good chunk of our episodes have come about because of existing connections I’ve had in the broadcast industry. What is unusual, though, is for me to bring on a friend from all the way back in elementary school- one who’s also had an incredible broadcast career, and who until recording this episode, I hadn’t spoken to since 1984.
This week’s guest, Adrian Harewood, has been with the CBC since 2006. Once upon a time, he was the host of a little radio show called All In A Day on CBC Radio One, but in recent years he’s moved in front of the camera and into our homes. He’s currently the host of CBC News Ottawa at 6, and has been a guest host on other CBC shows like As It Happens, Sounds Like Canada and The Current. He’s also a full-time Professor of Journalism at Carleton University. I’m not the jealous type, but those are some lucky students.
It may also interest you to know that before his time at the CBC, Adrian also hosted a radio show on CKUT, the radio station for his Alma Mater, McGill University. The show was called Soul Perspective, and was dedicated specifically to discussing the issues faced by Black Canadians, such as racial inequality, racial profiling, and notably, homophobia in the black community.
In this episode, Adrian and I catch up on lost time by discussing his past, present and future. We walk through his time at the CBC, the changes he’s seen, and how and why he became a professor. We also talk about his recent appearance on the Canadaland podcast with Jesse Brown, where he took the time to give an inside report on the systemic racism he’s seen in the media and at the CBC. You can listen to that episode here.
For more of Adrian, you can follow him on Twitter. If you’re in Ottawa, you can also see him every night at 6:00 on CBC News.
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Matt Cundill works with radio groups on digital strategies and talent coaching. He recently started the Sound Off Podcast: The Podcast about Broadcast”
E-mail Matt: ma**@ma*********.com
Twitter: @mattcundill
” The Sound Off Podcast is committed to helping broadcasters find their way through the digital revolution. “
