As podcasting continues to grow outside the traditional journalism ecosystem, questions and conversations are rising about how stories are sourced, produced, and shared. Facing the inevitabilities and uncertainties of growing AI enhancements and capabilities, there is much to consider now more than ever.

This virtual panel held on March 26, 2026 brings together journalists, podcasters, and students for a conversation about the ethics of journalistic podcasting and the possible implications of AI in the practice.

In this episode produced by CPI’s Emma Miller, CPI co-director Brad Clark leads the conversation with MRU assistant Journalism Professor Gabriela Perdomo paez, MRU fourth year broadcasting student Mya Butler, and Director of growth at CANADALAND, Tony Wang.

You can find CANADALAND’s AI policy linked here.

To learn more about the Community Podcast Initiative, you can visit the website at thepodcaststudio.ca or on socials at @communitypodyyc

Learn more about the panellists

Gabriela Perdomo Páez, PhD – Assistant Professor of Journalism, Mount Royal University
Born and raised in Colombia, Gabriela has worked as a journalist, educator, and scholar in Latin America and Canada. She holds a PhD in Communication–media studies from the University of Ottawa and an MJ from the University of British Columbia. Gabriela researches anti-media discourses and changing norms and practices in different journalism cultures. Her research also focuses on the intersection of journalism and podcasting. Gabriela teaches core journalism courses in the first and second years, including Journalism Foundations, News Reporting, and Community-Centred Journalism. She is the co-creator of the Spanish-language podcast Periodémica, which highlights the life and scholarship of Latin American academics living in the diaspora.

Mya Butler – Broadcast Student, Mount Royal University
Mya is a fourth-year broadcasting student at Mount Royal University and a producer at CityNews. She has a passion for storytelling, from directing documentaries to covering breaking news. She is currently writing her undergraduate thesis on true crime podcasting ethics. Her industry experience includes assisting with filming the 2025 Snow Rodeo World Cup and completing a corporate communications internship at the City of Kelowna. Her goal is to become an investigative reporter once she graduates.

Tony Wang – Director of Growth, Canadaland
Tony is the Director of Growth at Canadaland, leading strategies to expand the reach and impact of one of Canada’s most influential independent media outlets. A former freelance documentary filmmaker and Creative Director at the non-profit agency My Media Creative, he has built a career at the intersection of storytelling, social impact, and audience growth. Based in Toronto, Tony is passionate about using media to inform, inspire, and connect communities. He holds a B.A. & Sc. in Cognitive Science from McGill University.

What does practice-based research look like compared to traditional theory-based when it comes to the PhD process?

In this episode, host Emma Miller sits down with Dr. Meg Wilcox who just returned from defending her thesis at the University of Glasgow.

They chat about her thesis questions, inclusivity in podcasting, and how her award winning podcast series, Static: A Party Girls Memoir, corresponds with practice-based research approaches.

Dr. Wilcox is the co-director of the CPI and is a journalism professor at Mount Royal University.

You can find and listen to Static: A Party Girls Memoir on our website or wherever you get your podcasts.

To learn more about the Community Podcast Initiative, you can visit the website at thepodcaststudio.ca or on socials at @communitypodyyc

In an era of misinformation and diminishing trust, fact-checking has become more than a routine newsroom task.

In the second episode of our 2026 season, host Emma Miller sits down with experienced Journalist and MRU Journalism Professor, Brooks DeCillia.

They discuss the state of journalism today, how mistrust in the media is impacting newsrooms, and how fact-checking should be viewed as an act of moral and professional courage.

Through exploring the evolving social pressures and technological challenges that journalists face, this conversation explores what it means to commit to seeking the truth when the stakes are at their highest.

Their conversation is based on an article DeCillia wrote for J-Source back in March of 2025, titled Fact-checking as an act of courage.

For more information on spotting fake-news and misinformation, check out MRUnderstanding Misinformation.

To learn more about the Community Podcast Initiative, you can visit the website at thepodcaststudio.ca or on socials at @communitypodyyc