New podcast series launches spotlighting Canadian authors and the joy of Canadian stories
Thursday, April 16, 2020
TORONTO (April 16, 2020) – Access Copyright is proud to have teamed up with voicEd Radio (Canada), an internet radio station dedicated to public education, to launch the “I Value Canadian Stories” podcast series.
The brainchild of Stephen Hurley, the founder and chief catalyst of voicEd Radio who also serves as an Access Copyright Board Director, “I Value Canadian Stories” features probing discussions with Canadian children and young-adult writers such as Anita Daher, Eric Walters and Sylvia McNicoll as they explore two key questions:
- What’s so Canadian about Canadian stories?
- Why is it important to share who we are as Canadians?
Stephen also welcomes special guests, including teachers, to the conversations, and highlights the symbiotic relationship between educators and the creators of the works used by educators. Most authors also delight listeners with a short reading.
“Doing this podcast series has been so rewarding,” said Stephen Hurley. “When schools announced that they would be closed due to COVID-19, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to sit down with authors whose work brings such life to the classroom and connect them with the teachers who love their work. During a period of time that has seen so many things turned upside down, I hope this series is an opportunity to celebrate the power of creativity and how it brings us all together.”
Initially conceived as a one-time-only series featuring 15 authors, plans are underway to produce more episodes due to ongoing positive feedback and reviews.
Access Copyright is proud to support the series by providing honorariums to the authors invited to appear on the show, and by leveraging the I Value Canadian Stories brand, which it launched in partnership with other members of Canada’s creator and publishing sector during the Copyright Act review.
“When Stephen approached me about Access Copyright getting involved, I leapt at the opportunity to join forces,” said Roanie Levy, CEO & President of Access Copyright. “When listening to it, I am struck by how it connects the dots between the work of Canadian authors, especially those who write for children and young adults, and the value it brings to teachers and students.”
New episodes are premiering every weekday at 2:00 p.m. EDT. All episodes are also available to listen on-demand at https://voiced.ca/project/i-value-canadian-stories-the-podcast/.
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About voicEd.ca
voicEd Radio Canada is a dynamic community of people dedicated to the theory, practice and policy that supports and reaffirms a strong commitment to public education in the 21st century. As educators, parents, students, researchers and policy-makers, we believe that public education is a pillar of a democratic Canada, an undeniable public good, representing an investment in our personal and shared futures. voicEd Radio Canada recognizes the power of diverse voices to foster the vibrant dialogue, debate AND action necessary for this vision to be fully realized.
About Access Copyright
For over 30 years, Access Copyright has facilitated content use for educational and professional purposes. Access Copyright has helped people make customized use of published materials combined with an assurance that the original creators and publishers also benefit, so that they can continue creating new and innovative works. This is vitally important to a strong Canadian culture and to all who rely on quality publications.
About I Value Canadian Stories
This initiative is a coalition of associations across the creative industries who are calling on the federal government to restore fair compensation to creators and publishers for the use of their works by the education sector.
Canadian stories are our stories. They tell us where we’ve been, where we are today and give a glimpse into where we may be headed. They can be expressed in the written word, on a canvas, in song, in verse or in the histories we pass down orally from generation to generation. The breadth of these stories is limitless. Collectively, they are the efforts of Canadian creators and publishers from all walks of life and backgrounds meant to enrich and elevate our lives and experiences to give us the fullest perspective of what it means to be Canadian.
For general media inquiries:
Amy Cormier, Head of Communications and Marketing, acormier@accesscopyright.ca