How Front Burner host Jayme Poisson keeps up with the news cycle, plus podcasts that inspire her
Sometimes the news feels like … a lot.
Just ask our guest curator, Jayme Poisson. She hosts the CBC News podcast, Front Burner. For 20 minutes each day, she breaks down what's going on both in Canada, and the world — from the war in Ukraine, to the housing affordability crisis, to why Etsy sellers went on strike.
This week, Jayme shares her origin story, discusses moving past emulation to find her voice as host, and where she finds hope when staying on top of the latest world events day-in and day-out feels bleak.
Plus, the former investigative journalist shares some picks from her playlist that balance the light and the dark. From a Front Burner conversation with a modern day David and Goliath protagonist, Chris Smalls, who took on Amazon and formed a union, to award-winning journalist Anna Maria Tremonti's Welcome to Paradise where she opens up about her experience in an abusive marriage, to a hilarious bonus podcast we couldn't fit in our radio broadcast by three Toronto comedians who dig into some of the world's most notorious bad guys including … Dr. Phil.
Podcasts featured this week:
Front Burner: "A group of current and former Amazon workers in New York's Staten Island accomplished what some of the biggest unions in the United States could not: they organized Amazon's first successful union vote in the country. The battle isn't over yet: in a statement, Amazon said it is weighing whether to file objections. Host Jayme Poisson speaks to Chris Smalls, interim president of the newly-formed Amazon Labor Union, about how he sparked a movement that succeeded where others have failed — and where that movement is headed next."
Evil Men: "Dr. Phil McGraw hosts one of the most successful daytime TV shows in history. But is this famous therapist a nice man? This week, Chris, James and Michael find out all of Dr. Phil's secrets."
Welcome to Paradise: "Ready to reveal her longest-held secret, Anna Maria Tremonti talks to her therapist about a trauma from 40 years ago that's the source of shame and self-loathing. She's reported on gender-based violence many times as a journalist, including from war zones — but this time, she's telling her own story. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at cbc.ca/WTPresources."
Sorry About The Kid: "How do you forget your favourite person in the world? Alex remembers everything about the day a speeding police car killed his brother. But his brother, alive? Those memories are lost. And now, 30 years later, Alex wants them back. In this emotional four-part series, Alex unearths his childhood grief — with help from family, friends, and a therapist who witnessed his brother's death. What happens when trauma and memory collide?"
What are you listening to in order to stay on top of it all? Email, tweet us @PodcastPlaylist, or find us on Facebook.
For more great podcasts, check out CBC's podcast portal, subscribe in Apple Podcasts.