Welcome to Pod the North! A free, biweekly newsletter for the Canadian podcasting community, run by Kattie Laur, an award-winning Canadian podcast producer and specialist who’s desperate to see some change in this industry!
Here’s what you need to know:
What are we doing here?
Pod the North is a bold attempt to uplift the Canadian podcast ecosystem and foster community in this fractured space. Every other Tuesday, get a fresh issue of Pod the North that includes:
Deep dives on the podcasting industry through a Canadian perspective
Indie podcast features
Indigenous podcast features
News and updates from the community.
Some bonus content in between regular issues!
How do you get your stuff in Pod the North?
The process is super simple: reply to the newsletter or email Kattie!
Kattie makes all final editorial decisions about what goes into the Pod the North newsletter. That decision process is based on:
How well integrated in Canadian podcasting or Canadian culture your submission is.
If it’s something fresh, new, and interesting.
The values behind your submission and how 'controversial' it might be. If your submission is rooted in ignorance or hate, it won’t make it in Pod the North.
Pod the North goes out every other Tuesday, usually, but not always, in the morning. Longer editorial submissions like interviews and “scoops” are planned about three issues in advance. Please time your submissions accordingly!
Who the heck is Kattie Laur?
Kattie Laur is Podcast Producer and Growth Specialist based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, and the Editor of Pod the North. She's had a life-long love of public radio and has been clinging to the podcasting space for over 10 years.
Her experience in both professional and independent podcasting has led her down a path of advocacy for Canadian podcasting, with a keen interest in making the industry sustainable, equitable, and world-renowned. That’s why she created Pod the North, the popular biweekly newsletter for the Canadian podcasting ecosystem, which includes deep dives on industry trends from a Canadian perspective, community news and updates, and Canadian and Indigenous podcast features.
Kattie’s career as an award-winning freelance podcast producer was spent working on projects with Vocal Fry Studios, Canadaland, Shayla Oulette Stonechild, BetaKit, and many more. In April 2024, Kattie made the decision to leave freelancing behind and joined the team at Bumper, a data-driven podcast growth agency, as a Podcast Growth Specialist.
Kattie also hosts Pod the North's flagship podcast, Canardian: the podcast gossiping about the Canadian hometowns of fellow Canadian podcasters — named one of Apple Podcasts Favourite Podcasts of 2024. She also co-hosts and produces the responsible travel podcast, Curious Tourism, with award-winning travel content creator, Erin Hynes — part of the Voyascape travel podcast network.
A commitment: In creating podcasts we are building audiences that return week after week to hear our voices. I will use my voice and services to be anti-racist and speak against violence, injustice and inequality. We must always encourage our audiences to be educated, engaged, and to take action. Pod the North as signed the Equality in Audio Pact.
What people are saying about Pod the North:
“Pod the North has quickly become my go-to for all things Canadian and podcasting. Kattie has her fingers on the pulse of the medium in this wonderful land, and her interviews take us deeper into the ecosystem as well, including chats with some bigger corporations that we might never see (how CBC looks at podcasting, for example). And I love the fact that the newsletter offers a continual update on long-term water advisories for First Nation communities in Canada - this may seem like a "small thing" for those outside of the country, but for those of us living here, it's an important reminder on our shared responsibilities to do better for our indigenous brothers and sisters.” Danny Brown, One Minute Podcast Tips
“Pod the North is so exactly what the Canadian podcast ecosystem needs. Kattie does an excellent job supporting Canadian podcasters and bringing the latest news along with great takes to subscribers. I tell every podcaster I meet about Pod the North because it's an awesome resource that needs to be shared. Keep up the great work, Kattie - I'm proud to say I support Pod the North!” Jess Schmidt, Rooked: The Cheaters' Gambit
