Closer Look - Insightful, credible, unfiltered conversations that matter
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.
- Update frequency
- every 8 days
- Average duration
- 31 minutes
- Episodes
- 139
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
First came the Stanley Cup win, then the viral video
If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve no doubt seen this viral video by now: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rewarding his fourth-line forwards in the waning seconds of this year’s St…
Inside the largest fentanyl bust in OPP history
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 dai…
Bill Barilko disappeared that summer, but his old hockey stick has resurfaced
Bill Barilko is a familiar name to hockey fans — a talented Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman who famously scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1951.
But for most Canadians, Barilko is ev…
This new robot cleans Ontario beaches like a Zamboni
No, that’s not a Zamboni on the shoreline. It’s a BeBot — Canada’s first remote-controlled beach cleaning robot.
The unique device was unveiled this week by the not-for-profit group Poll…
Charlie Angus has some things to say to Donald Trump
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 dai…
‘Nightmare’ finally over for man wrongfully charged in Dominican Republic
Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.
On this week's episode: Free at last.
A nightmare vacation for a Burlingt…
Is this the solution to countering Trump’s tariffs?
Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.
On this week's episode: the urgent push to break down interprovincial tr…
Measles is back with a vengeance, and we all know why
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Eradicated nearly three decades ago, measles cases are soaring — fuelled by COVID fatigue and misinformation that spreads faster than the …
As election day looms, Mark Carney joins our podcast for an exclusive chat
On Monday, Canadians will cast their ballots in what many are calling the most important election in generations.
If you believe the polls, this is a tight two-horse race between Mark Ca…
Steve Paikin has spent decades preparing for this moment
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: The moderator for next week's English-language leaders' debate tells us how he gets ready, what can go wrong — and his strategy for keepin…
Buy Canadian? It feels so good — and might actually make a difference
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: As Donald Trump hits us with tariffs and muses about Canada becoming the 51st state, shoppers on this side of the border are punching back…
‘It's a nightmare,’ says wife of Ontario man facing drug charges in Dominican
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: We speak to Jane Wilcox, who is fighting around the clock to clear her husband's name — and bring David Bennett home.
Welcome back to Insid…
Algoma Steel boss talks to us about Trump, pollution and looming job cuts
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: A wide-ranging conversation with Algoma Steel CEO Michael Garcia, an American citizen who holds a unique vantage point on the brewing trad…
INSIDE THE VILLAGE: For online gamblers, Ontario is the new Vegas
This week on the podcast: As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, nearly half of all viewers in Ontario are expected to place a bet — a process that's never been easier, or more enticing.
Welco…
Inside the Village: Election campaign? There's a cap for that
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Ontario will be in election-campaign mode over the next four weeks — and your local news outlet will be covering every step of the race.
We…
Amid doctor shortage, medical misinformation has gone viral
How bad is the country’s doctor shortage? So bad that the medical misinformation business is flourishing online. Alarming new data released by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) sho…
Why don’t we care about the homeless crisis?
A new report has painstakingly tallied the number of Ontarians who experienced homelessness last year — and the figure is staggering: 81,515. If things stay the same, that number is exp…
Kathleen Wynne weighs in — on Trump, Trudeau and tariffs
Frisco and Scott are back for a fourth season of Inside the Village — and we kick things off with a blast from the past. Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is now a professor at the …
We’ve hit 100 episodes! Let’s reminisce
Launched in 2022, this news podcast has covered a lot of ground. As we mark the end of 2024 — and the release of our 100th episode — we take a look back at some or our most indelible in…
You’ve got no mail (but we have an interesting guest)
Delivery date unknown. That’s the news at the moment when it comes to when a deal will be reached in the ongoing Canada Post strike. Both sides remain far apart on the key issues that t…