Welcome to the latest issue of The Walrus Lab Insider, a regular update from our custom content department at The Walrus. In this newsletter, we are exploring authentic voice, misinformation, and the best ways to promote your podcasts.
Ever wanted to host a podcast? It’s more than just getting in front of a microphone, pressing record and clicking publish. There’s an art to the format’s storytelling and
interviewing, and skill in authentically connecting with your guests and audience.
Youth for Youth is a podcast from The Walrus Lab that trains young podcasters under the direction of Sheena Rossiter, executive producer and head of media production at MacEwan University.
“Staying true to my voice means focusing on what initially drew me to this topic and why it matters,” said Thivya Jeyapalan, host of the podcast’s episode on financial literacy. In its second season, Youth for Youth tackles critical and topical issues in finance, media, culture, AI, and health care. Each show features a different host (or
cohosts) who are all in high school or university.
“Before each episode, I jot down core values to anchor myself and make sure I stay connected to them as I speak. It’s also key to let humour and my natural conversation style shine through. I aim to talk to listeners as if I’m chatting with a friend, as well as share insights, break down ideas, and hopefully make financial literacy feel accessible and relatable,” Jeyapalan said.
Trusted Source
In today’s political climate, it’s
more important than ever to trust what you read, see, and hear from the media. We place the utmost value on earning the trust of our audience and enhancing trust for the brands that work with us.
The Walrus has an educational mandate, and by extension, The Walrus Lab strives to play a role in supporting future journalists. The Walrus Fellowship Program continues to produce top Canadian journalists, well versed in verification. Our rigorous approach to fact checking plays a central role even in custom content.
“There are many reasons why we fact-check at The Walrus: accuracy, transparency, credibility, and legal protection, among others,” said Allison Baker, head of research at The Walrus. “Above all, our fact-checking process ensures that we uphold our commitment to our readers, writers, and the sources in our stories, so when they open an issue of The Walrus magazine or read a story on the website, they can trust the information therein.
“Trust is at the foundation of everything that we do—including our custom content,” Baker said.
Sometimes this means we have to have difficult conversations with clients. But our fact-checking policy helps us build a stronger connection with our audience.
Design Tips
Building or growing an audience means we’re always keeping our promotional materials fresh. The Walrus Lab Creative Lead & Project Manager Alana Hamilton has these tips for podcast artwork:
“Keep thumbnails bold, readable, and instantly recognizable in a crowded field. Episodic art should highlight each episode’s unique theme while staying true to the show’s brand. Use high-resolution images that adapt well to social sharing, and ensure visuals align with the show’s genre and audience. Thoughtful design strengthens visibility and listener engagement across platforms.”
New Releases
Check out these new podcast seasons from The Walrus Lab:
Enter for your chance to receive The Walrus goodie bag
Sign up to receive updates about promotions and initiatives from The Walrus and select partners. You could win a one‐year print subscription, a tote bag, toque, socks, and mug.
