The University of King’s College is establishing a Centre for Excellence in Podcasting and Audio Storytelling (CEPAS), with an eye to keeping their programs relevant.
Announced earlier this week, it will allow the Halifax university to expand what it says are “already in-demand” podcast offerings to include new certificate and micro-credential initiatives.
The work of the centre will be informed by an expert advisory board that includes Tanya Springer, Podcast Growth Lead for CBC Podcasts; Jeff Ulster, co-publisher of The Canadian Podcast Listener, alongside Signal Hill Insights, and co-founder of The Podcast Exchange (TPX); Nana aba Duncan, former CBC Radio host and Carty Chair of Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion Studies at the School of Journalism and Communications at Carleton University; Dr. Duncan McCue, Associate Professor at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, and a former CBC radio host and TV news correspondent; Golda Arthur, an award-winning podcaster whose work has been heard on the CBC, BBC and NPR; Dr. Gillian Turnbull, the Director of King’s School of Writing and Publishing; Rhys Waters, co-founder of Halifax-based creative agency Podstarter, which specializes in podcast production; Cesil Fernandes, Executive Producer of Production and Sound Design for CBC Podcasts; and Raeesa Alibhai, podcast producer and an alum of King’s Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) program.
King’s Assistant Professor and former CBC reporter Pauline Dakin will serve as the centre’s executive director.
“These are people at the top of the podcasting game, from producers and show runners, to researchers and academics, to executives who make decisions at leading podcasting enterprises in Canada. They’ll ensure that what we teach in our courses produces excellent future podcasters with desirable, hireable skills,” said Dakin, in a college announcement.
The centre is being funded with a $130,000 donation in memory of Gretchen (Pierce) Ziegler, a King’s alum remembered for her passion for storytelling. King’s says the funding will also allow the school to upgrade its existing production facilities, including new video capabilities.
Journalism program updated to address industry shifts
Ahead of the college’s 50th anniversary in 2028, King’s has also announced a major update to its four-year undergraduate journalism program.
Beginning in the fall of next year, the school will phase in the new Bachelor of Journalism and Media (Honours) (BJMH) degree. King’s says it addresses “major shifts in journalism and the journalism industry, including the challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence, while offering more program choices to students with diverse career plans.”
“In a time when AI can produce endless streams of text, images and videos that seem human-made, the need for accurate, authentic, factual information is greater than ever before,” said Fred Vallance-Jones, Director of Journalism in the School of Journalism, Writing & Publishing. “The updated King’s program strengthens instruction in research, writing, video, audio and interviewing skills so students can not only create the real thing but also weed out the fakes.”
“We’ve taken the best of the existing Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) program, small class sizes, one-on-one faculty mentoring and the renowned fourth-year workshops, and added more choice in courses, a wider range of instruction, and a more deliberate progression of skills development through the degree,” he added. “Plans are also underway to offer certificates within the program to recognize student achievement in specialized areas such as news reporting and audio and video production.
