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How does a summer in Paris sound to you?
No, really, how do you think it sounds?
Because the Sound Documentary International Summer Program is accepting applications until March 31, 2022, and I am loath to tell you about it because I don’t want any competition when I apply. But I digress.
The six-week program is offered by the École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière (ENS Louis-Lumière) in collaboration with Radio France International (RFI). It runs from July 11 to August 19, 2022, and audiovisual professionals between the ages of 25 and 35 are eligible to apply.
It’s a funded opportunity that covers transportation, accommodation, and registration. So while it’s not a totally free summer in Paris (those croissants won’t pay for themselves), it’s pretty close.
If you, too, secretly dream of becoming the Emily in Paris of podcasts… this could be our year.
If you’re in the market for a fellowship that’s less audio focused and maybe a bit closer to home, The Local is also accepting applications for its 2022 journalism fellowship program. It’s a paid, 12-week opportunity for emerging and aspiring journalists that runs from June 8 to August 31, 2022. It’s part time, remote, and pays $3,000.
Vocal Fry Principal Katie Jensen is reading Joshua Benton’s Nieman Lab article about how to use the political diversity of the audience to judge the quality of a news outlet. She’s also reading the Canadian Podcast Listener 2021 summary report. One metric that I found both very useful and unsurprising is where listeners first discovered a podcast: the top two responses were on another podcast or from direct communication with a friend/family member. The power of word of mouth in podcast recommendations cannot be overstated!!!!
And while I really would love to stop paying attention to J*e Rogan, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be able to happen anytime soon. This isn’t a Spotify updates newsletter. And yet, I have another Spotify update for you. Daniel Ek, co-founder and CEO of Spotify, sent a letter to Spotify staff on February 6. Someone sent it to PodNews, and they were able to verify it. You can read it yourself, or, if you’d like to choose peace, might I recommend you close your eyes and put on the new Big Thief album instead.
BioWare, a gaming company, is hiring an assistant voice over producer.
The Toronto Star is hiring a digital producer for a 6-month contract.
The Globe and Mail is hiring a lifestyle editor and a content editor.
Justice for the Emily that should have gone to Paris
If you watched Emily in Paris and found your style more aligned with the effortlessly chic Camille than the americaine ringard Emily, St. Joseph Communications (FASHION, Chatelaine) is hiring a full-time stylist/coordinator.
CBC Vancouver is hiring a temporary, full-time associate producer assigned to digital. There are two positions — one ends in September, 2022, and the other ends in June, 2023. Apply by EOD March 8.
CBC is hiring a permanent, full-time planning producer for World Report. Apply by EOD February 15.
When I listen to shows like Radiolab, I often wonder how the HECK they find some of those stories. If you’re looking for inspiration, Radiolab producer Latif Nasser wrote a blog post for Transom detailing ten (more) tricks for finding stories. The concept of Googling “archaeology lawsuit” is genuinely hilarious to me.
Do you want to write and/or volunteer with THIS Magazine? They’re running a freelancer/volunteer orientation on Wednesday, February 16 and have a few spots left. I have written *and* copy-edited for THIS, and in an act of reverse-nepotism, my mother now proofreads for THIS, too. Canadian residents only, please, and they’re especially looking for people outside the GTA — email editor-in-chief Tara-Michelle Ziniuk at editor@thismagazine.ca for more information.
Okay I’m SORRY FOR RECOMMENDING A PODCAST THAT’S ONLY AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY especially with all the internal strife but Vocal Fry producer Max Collins told me about it and I really liked it!
I wanted to find a fun Valentine’s Day recommendation to share with you, and Max pointed out that Gimlet’s show Not Past It put out a V-Day episode. To back up a bit: every week, host Simone Polanen explores historical events that happened that same week. Last week’s episode dips a toe into Emily Dickinson’s love poems, both those she wrote in jest and in passion, a basketball bromance (that nods to Raptors fans’ despair) and space photography. It’s jaunty and upbeat, and at 27 minutes, was the exact right length to take me to my Thursday afternoon teaching job in the east end. History podcasts, though often interesting, can be heavy, long, and dense; an oatmeal stout, if you will. Not Past It is a zesty Belgian witbier.
This newsletter was written to Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You on repeat in honour of Big Thief release day. Everyone cross your fingers for me that their Massey Hall show in April doesn’t get canceled.
Our wonderful digital producer (and editor of this very newsletter!) has assembled all of the podcasts we've recommended in Vocal Fridays to date. Take a gander if you’re looking for new shows to listen to.
We want to hear from you! What are you looking for in your podcast news? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or by email at info@vocalfrystudios.com.
Thanks to Emily Latimer for editing this newsletter, and to Katie Jensen for designing it.
We’ll see you again on February 19. Until then, here’s Emily's kitty Buffy with her new fish.
Yours in friends and fries,
Michal
