CBC Podcasts’ spring slate is highlighted by shows on the “Broomgate” curling scandal, the Bre-X gold scam, and an exploration of the rise of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The new lineup kicks off with Split Screen: Kid Nation. A six-episode dive into controversial CBS reality show Kid Nation, which was cancelled shortly after its debut in 2007. Taking its premise from the scholastic staple, Lord of the Flies, 40 kids were taken into a makeshift desert town to fend for themselves and create their own society. The podcast features former Kid Nation contestants, their families, and the show’s creators, as culture journalist Josh Gwynn uncovers how the cult TV show became a lightning rod for an ongoing debate about the ethics of reality TV. Kid Nation marks the first season of new anthology series, Split Screen, focused on the world of entertainment and pop culture. The podcast is produced for CBC by L.A.-based factual producer, Vespucci.
Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, launching May 6, looks at the 2015 scandal that rocked the curling community…a broom that was just too powerful. Hosted by semi-professional curler and comedian John Cullen, it exposes the story behind the scandal over six episodes. Broomgate is produced by Vancouver’s Kelly&Kelly with Ed Helms and Mike Falbo’s Pacific Electric Pictures for CBC and USG Audio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Launching May 13, Modi’s India: Understood tackles the general election underway in India over four episodes, hosted by Mumbai-based journalist Salimah Shivji. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approval rating in the high seventies, he’s widely expected to win his third term, amid accusations of complicity in religious violence and allegations of assassination plots in Canada and the U.S.
CBC and BBC World Service co-commission, The $6 Billion Gold Scam, debuts May 19, looking at what was purported to be the biggest gold discovery in history by Canadian mining company Bre-X in Indonesia and how it all unraveled following the mysterious death of the company’s chief geologist in a fall from a helicopter. Host Suzanne Wilton takes listeners from the jungles of Indonesia to small town Alberta to investigate what really happened and find out more about the man behind the biggest goldmine fraud of all time.
Come By Chance, launching June 4, follows two men, born in the same rural Newfoundland hospital on the same day, who discover an unbelievable 52-year-old secret. Hosted by St. John’s-based reporter Luke Quinton, Come By Chance challenges the idea of what it means to belong in a family and how a small twist of fate can upend the life you thought you knew. Produced for CBC by UK audio production house, Novel.
From CBC and NPR original documentary podcast Embedded, along with media production company Bucket of Eels, Tested is a six-episode exploration of the 100-year history of sex testing in elite sports and who gets to compete in the women’s category.
With track and field governing authority World Athletics announcing new regulations that mean some athletes can’t compete in the female category unless they lower their body’s naturally occurring testosterone levels, the podcast follows the unfolding story of Christine Mboma, the Olympic silver medalist from Namibia, and Maximila Imali, who holds two Kenyan national records. Assigned female at birth, they have never questioned their gender identity, but they have bodies that some argue give them an “unfair advantage.” Hosted by science and tech writer Rose Eveleth, Tested launches July 15.
CBC Podcasts can be found on CBC Listen and everywhere podcasts are available. Select titles can also be streamed on CBC Podcasts’ YouTube channel.
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Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 30 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
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