The Alberta Podcast Network builds audiences for Alberta-made podcasts and connects those listeners to Alberta-based businesses, organizations, and community partners. 

Our member podcasts tell the stories of this place and make observations of the world from this place. We have chosen them to carry our banner, and they use their voices to connect, inform, and entertain listeners at home and abroad.

We pay our member podcasts to spread the word about the network’s sponsors through ads on their episodes. We also run promotions for affiliated podcasts produced by our sponsors, like The Well Endowed Podcast by Edmonton Community Foundation. Our network is set up so that our members cross-promote each other’s shows, thus building each other’s audiences and increasing listenership, which helps our sponsors, too. 

The three circles in our logo are meant to represent three participants in our endeavour:  podcasters, partners, and listeners. We also like the resemblance to both a sound wave and a ripple. When you throw a stone in the water, the effect goes out in ever-larger circles that are bigger than the initial impact. We’re all about the ripples.

Our origin Story

Karen Unland had long been passionate about finding new and sustainable ways to support creators of independent local media.She was discovering a growing number of local podcasts. But it was clear that the business models available at that time were unlikely to pay off for smaller, locally focused podcasts. And without the prospect of revenue at some point, these podcasts were at risk of disappearing. It was also clear that there were hurdles preventing local businesses and organizations from efficiently and effectively advertising on podcasts.

A podcast network seemed like a way to solve these problems. In pooling the audiences of these podcasts, a network would create a more attractive opportunity for sponsors, giving them a one-stop shop for securing podcast ads that would reach a local audience. 

To get the network off the ground, it needed a significant investment. Karen learned that ATB Financial was looking for interesting ways to launch its new brand message, which focused on listening. This seemed aligned with the network’s purpose. 

Enter Katrina Ingram. She had developed an interest in podcasting while working as chief operating officer of the CKUA Radio Network, Canada’s most successful community radio station. She worked with Karen to refine the pitch to ATB to come on board as the founding sponsor, and in May of 2017, we were able to announce the deal at PodSummit.

We brought our first 10 podcasts on board that summer, held our official launch party in September of 2017, and have kept building the network since. The Alberta Podcast Network now includes close to 40 unique podcasts from Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer, with many more alumni, more prospects in the wings, and an increasing number of sponsors coming on board. Our producers provide content for a wide range of interests, from local politics to sports to education to entrepreneurship to arts, food, history, movies, and more. There’s truly something for everyone.

ATB was a stellar founding sponsor — they literally made it possible to turn the dream into a reality. Because of them, we could pay our podcasters from the get-go, create systems for selling and delivering ads for local businesses and organizations, and let Albertans and the world know about the outstanding podcast scene in our province. In recognition of that huge contribution, our tagline for the first three years of our existence was “Powered by ATB.” And proudly so.

The next chapter

Now that the thing is built, we are ready to go out on our own. We are lucky to have several sponsors now, including ATB. New opportunities have surfaced, too — notably, an opportunity to collaborate on YEGPodFest with LitFest and Edmonton Community Foundation in October 2020.

As of June 2020, we have a new look and a new tagline that reflects who we are now: “Locally grown. Community supported.” 

The three circles remain, because that hasn’t changed. We are still building something that helps podcasters, sponsors, and the wider community. May the ripples we send out continue to be felt for many years to come.

The final chapter

The Alberta Podcast Network wrapped up on March 31, 2023. Here’s more on what the network accomplished.