CBC CALGARY LAUNCHES NEW POLITICAL PODCAST WEST OF CENTRE HOSTED BY KATHLEEN PETTY
West of Centre is a weekly podcast about the priorities, preoccupations and politics of Albertans and others who are “west of centre.”
February 5, 2020 — CBC Calgary today announced the launch of the new political podcast WEST OF CENTRE. Hosted by Kathleen Petty, the weekly podcast explores the voices, experiences and misunderstandings of the western part of the country, Alberta in particular. The first three episodes are currently available on the CBC Listen App, at cbc.ca/westofcentre or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
WEST OF CENTRE offers a unique insight into Western values, views, hopes and ambitions in a time of national discontent. It is a vehicle for debate within the West, and with those outside of it. The podcast seeks not to polarize, but rather to amplify the voices of Western Canadians who may feel marginalized socially, economically and politically, within a broader Canadian conversation. Early guests range from Andrew Nikiforuk and David Yager — two energy authors with different perspectives on fossil fuel development — to Brian Jean, former leader of Alberta's official opposition, and Jim Boucher, businessman and former Fort McKay Chief.
“Politics can often promote stereotypes and exploit division. As a born-and-raised Calgarian, I’ve worked in Ottawa and travelled the country covering politics. I’m hoping this podcast will help deepen our understanding of the politics and preoccupations of Alberta and the West,” said Kathleen Petty.
“Our mandate is to reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences. As the public broadcaster, we must reflect these conversations, help set the agenda for these conversations, inform them and lead them,” said Johnny Michel, Senior Managing Director, British Columbia & Alberta.
Kathleen Petty is the Executive Producer of News for CBC Calgary. She was one of the founding producers and hosts for CBC News Network and spent almost two decades on the news channel before moving to Ottawa to host The House on CBC Radio. Kathleen is also a regular contributor to CBC's federal election coverage and can be seen on Power and Politics.
CBC Listen is available as a free app for iOS and Android Devices and online at cbc.ca/listen.
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About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
For further Information, please contact:
Alisha Edgelow
Manager, Communications, Marketing and Brand
CBC Calgary
Email: alisha.edgelow@cbc.ca
Phone: 403-521-6091
Cell: 403-805-8307
