Hobnob 7: Ryan Jespersen
Our Hobnobber this week is in the business now – literally – of keeping it real. And sometimes the only honest thing he can say is “that’s bullshit.”
When an accomplished Toronto talk radio host receives disgusting threats against herself, her husband and her one-year-old daughter – with a heavy dose of racism mixed in – and her employer tells her that’s just how things are in this industry, that’s bullshit. When big broadcasters let their corporate interests eclipse their duty to their audience, that’s bullshit. And when a long-serving media personality who’s spent years striving for honest, meaningful and respectful discussion is fired without severance, all record of his show erased… well, you get the idea.
In a no-holds-barred talk with Michael Brechtel, “Real Talk” host Ryan Jespersen describes an industry rapidly falling out of touch. In a world where big broadcasters no longer hold all the cards, there’s room for listeners to decide what’s worth their time – and given that Real Talk is now the top podcast in Canada, Jespo seems to be getting it right.
Listen here for Ryan’s thoughts on the upcoming municipal election, the end of gatekeepers in broadcast media and more. And if you’re up for some more “real talk” after that, check out Real Talk here.