Closer Look - Insightful, credible, unfiltered conversations that matter

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In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

  1. HACE 41 MIN

    Ontario school boards learn hard lesson on cybercrime

    Send us a text An American has been sentenced to four years in prison for a mass cyberattack that targeted school boards across Canada, including Ontario. Matthew D. Lane appeared in a Massachusetts court this week, where he pleaded guilty to charges relating to the cyber extortion of two companies. One was PowerSchool, a software and cloud storage firm used by school boards across the province.  The cyberattack breached the personal data of millions of students and teachers, including names, email addresses, phone numbers and medical information. PowerSchool has confirmed it paid a ransom in the hopes of preventing any stolen data from being released, but the specific dollar figure was not revealed. On tonight’s episode of Closer Look, we explore the recent surge in ransomware attacks, and how criminal hackers are using AI to up their game. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    22 min

  2. HACE 1 DÍA

    Why Doug Ford is spending $75M on U.S. ads starring Ronald Reagan

    Send us a text The Skipper and The Gipper? That’s one way of putting it. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is spending big bucks to try to convince Americans that tariffs aren’t the way to go — and he’s enlisting the unmistakable voice of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan to help in the fight. Ford revealed Tuesday that his government is launching a $75-million advertising campaign across most major U.S. networks, highlighting the pitfalls of protectionism for American workers and consumers. The first ad, found HERE, features Reagan’s famous 1987 radio address, in which he says that “high tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.” “Then the worst happens,” Reagan goes on to say in the ad.  “Markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs. Throughout the world, there's a growing realization that the weight of prosperity for all nations is rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition.” Will the commercial blitz make any difference? Will average Americans even notice the ads? Or could all those millions be better spent somewhere else? Joining us on tonight’s episode of Closer Look is Katherine DeClerq, a journalist at The Trillium who has spent a lot of time covering Doug Ford’s fight against Donald Trump’s tariffs. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    18 min

  3. HACE 2 DÍAS

    We followed the money paid out by Ford government’s $2.5B skills fund

    Send us a text Leafs tickets, a Parisian wedding, Rob Ford’s favourite nightclub owner — even Drake. This evolving story out of Queen’s Park has it all. Last week, Ontario’s auditor general had some scathing words for the Ford government’s $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund (SDF), which supports “innovative projects” aimed at hiring, training and retraining Ontario workers. Shelley Spence found that the selection process was “not fair, transparent or accountable” — and that provincial labour ministers handpicked groups to receive hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars against the advice of civil servants. The auditor general’s findings followed exclusive reporting from Village Media’s The Trillium, which revealed that multiple groups connected to the Ford government received generous SDF grants. Beneficiaries included a restaurant business with connections to a former key aide to the premier; a centre that trains people to work in clubs run by a longtime Ford associate; and a dental practice brokerage whose CEO worked closely with the wife of the former labour minister. Joining us on tonight's Closer Look to connect all the dots are three of The Trillium journalists who've been following the money: editor-in-chief Jessica Smith Cross and reporters Charlier Pinkerton and Jack Hauen. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our

    26 min

  4. HACE 6 DÍAS

    These are Canada’s most-wanted fugitives — and their new AI mugshots

    Send us a text Canada’s Bolo program — “Be on the Lookout” — has released its latest list of the country’s most-wanted fugitives. But if you scroll through the website, you’ll notice a modern twist to the mug shots: artificial intelligence was used to make the heads move and the eyes blink. The list of 25 fugitives includes alleged murderers, drug trafficking and gang members who are wanted by various police services across the country. If you spot any of these individuals, do not approach them. Tipsters are urged to contact police immediately. Joining us on tonight’s Closer Look podcast is Max Langlois, executive director of the Bolo program. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    26 min

  5. 9 OCT

    Kate Middleton is right — screen time is ruining our kids

    Send us a text The Princess of Wales has added her prominent voice to the urgent discussion around kids and their cellphones. In an essay co-authored by a Harvard Medical School professor, Kate warns that smartphones and other digital devices are responsible for an “epidemic of disconnection” that threatens the development of young children.  “We’re raising a generation that may be more ‘connected’ than any in history while simultaneously being more isolated, more lonely, and less equipped to form the warm, meaningful relationships that research tells us are the foundation of a healthy life,” reads the essay, published by the Royal Foundation's Centre for Early Childhood. Kate’s essay comes amid mounting evidence of the harms associated with cellphone use by kids, including increased anxiety and depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts. “Data from Ontario now indicates that over one in four teens now report being in serious psychological distress, which is pretty alarming,” says Sachin Maharaj, a University of Ottawa education professor who researches the impact of cellphones in schools. “And the number of kids reporting poor or fair mental health has more than tripled over the past 15 years, and there's a lot of reason to suggest that increased time on social media is contributing to this.” On tonight’s episode of Closer Look, we revisit Maharaj’s interview on our podcast — including the important role parents play in limiting their children’s screen time. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    27 min

  6. 8 OCT

    ‘I have to do better,’ says NDP leader Marit Stiles

    Send us a text Marit Stiles is still the face of the Ontario NDP after surviving a leadership review at her party’s September convention.  But she is the first to admit that the result — 68 per cent support — wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. “I’m not satisfied with that, and the message I got very clearly in talking to NDP members at our convention a couple weeks ago was people want to defeat Doug Ford in the next election, and they were not happy that we weren't able to do that in that snap election,” Stiles said today, during an interview on Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. “I think they understand what we were up against, but they need us to do better…We have to do better. I have to do better.” Stiles spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie, where local MPP Chris Scott was recently booted from Premier Doug Ford’s PC caucus after police charged him with spousal assault. Now sitting as an Independent MPP, Scott has faced numerous calls to resign in order to pave the way for a by-election. “I do think he should resign,” Stiles told the podcast. “And I don't say that lightly. Those are very serious allegations and charges. But you know, really importantly — and this is what I'm hearing as I've been in town — is the people of Sault Ste. Marie need somebody who's there right now fighting for them.” Stiles also had some things to say about The Trillium’s latest scoop surrounding the Ford government’s controversial Skills Development Fund. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    25 min

  7. 7 OCT

    Blue Jays Central host Jamie Campbell joins us for a pre-game chat

    Send us a text For many Blue Jays fans across the country, Jamie Campbell is the face of the franchise. The longtime host of Blue Jays Central on Sportsnet, Campbell is the first person viewers see when every game broadcast kicks off.  He occupies a special place in fans’ hearts — and at Rogers Centre, in his trademark desk behind the left field stands. In advance of tonight’s Game 3 match-up against the New York Yankees, Campbell was kind enough to carve out some time for a chat with Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. He talked about his lifelong passion for baseball, the prep work he puts in before each broadcast, and why this year’s playoff run — including two straight blowouts against the Yankees over the weekend — means a little more in light of U.S. tariffs and all the 51st state rhetoric. “Here are the Blue Jays, Canada's last remaining major league team, beating the New York Yankees and doing so handily,” Campbell told the podcast. "And maybe there was way more to it than just baseball. Maybe there was a political edge to the way people were feeling about it, and if that's the release some of us need — some of us who, you know, are uneasy and pissed off about some of what we’re hearing from south of the border — then let it continue. Let's see more of it.” Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    27 min

  8. 6 OCT

    No one loves Marineland right now

    Send us a text Everyone loves Marineland? That famous jingle hasn’t been true for years — and even less so after this weekend's disturbing headlines. The now-shuttered theme park in Niagara Falls says it will have no choice but to euthanize 30 beluga whales unless the federal government steps in with emergency funds to help pay for food and care. The cash-strapped aquarium blames Ottawa for its predicament, calling the “devastating decision” a “direct consequence” of the federal government’s refusal to issue export permits for the belugas, allowing them to be moved to a facility in China.  Canadian law prohibits anyone from using whales or dolphins in performances, or importing or exporting marine mammals — unless it’s in the creature’s best interest. In this case, Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson denied the move to China because it would subject the belugas to future performing in captivity. Thompson said all whales belong in the ocean, but that she’s open to “looking at other decisions that really speak to the health and well-being of the whales.” What happens now? Will Marineland really destroy its belugas — the last remaining whales in captivity anywhere in Canada? Should Doug Ford step in to help find a solution? Joining us on tonight’s episode of Closer Look is someone who knows the file very well: Erin Ryan, the wildlife campaign manager at World Animal Protection. Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is closerlook@villagemedia.ca.

    18 min
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In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

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