I think when we look back at this episode, episode 14 of the Cold Oatmeal podcast, we’re gonna say, “Man, that’s when we really hit our stride.” Or maybe, “Well, it was fun while it lasted.”

We do have a big announcement on today’s episode, though.  Big.  Super big.

There’s no going back now.  Today, we actually have a radio broadcasting profession on the podcast. 

It’s a little bit like asking a celebrity chef over for some Craft mac and cheese and a nice white Zinfandel from a box.

Cheyna Roth, the capitol correspondent for Michigan Public Radio, is our celebrity chef, and we talk journalism movies, sandwiches, fighting crime on the streets of Ionia and what makes for good radio.  Our friend Andrea Bitely, Comms Director for Michigan's Attorney General, also helps out with guest hosting duties.

Today, we do a podcast about podcasts.

How do you start one?  What do you say?  Well, the hell if we know, so we talk to Chris Gautz, former reporter for Gongwer News Service and Crains Detroit, now the Public Information Officer for the Michigan Department of Corrections.  He also happens to be the co-host of an award-winning podcast.

(Tap... tap... tap)  Is this thing on?  Ok?  Ok.

We’ve heard you fans, loud and clear. We’ve turned up the volume a bit and moved closer to the mic for this week’s episode after our experiment last time podcasting in mime… Sorry about that John Reurink.  Apparently actually being able to hear a podcast is an important feature.

And what better episode to be able to hear than our conversation today with signer/songwriter/lawyer/father Brian Westrin of the band Westrin and Mowry.

Did you know that if you catch a swordfish and go to measure it so you can brag to your friends, the fish’s sword nose isn’t included in the actual measurement?

Did you know you can hop a plane to Mackinac Island in the winter for 30 bucks?

Did you know Stephanie is really good at podcast announcing?

We learned all these things talking to John Reurink, owner and publisher of MIRS News

So what do the Michigan State University response to the Larry Nassar tragedy and cancer have in common?  Well, first, they are both pretty horrible.  Second, we are going to talk about both on today’s podcast.

Sound fun?  No??  We have a laugh track.

So, cell phones are pretty cool.  And I think one of the reasons why is that pretty much all of us are walking around with cameras in our hands with the ability to take pictures of things.

But does taking a picture make you a photographer?  Ehh.  No.

Today on the Cold Oatmeal podcast we talk with Khalid Ibrahim.  He's a photographer, and a great one at that, and one of the most interesting people we have come across in our work.

Ladies and Gentlemen… the state of our state is… oh, who cares.

What is important is that Zach Gorchow from Gongwer News Service back on the podcast, and he is being joined by Dave Eggert of the Associated Press.

The Governor’s State of the State speech is coming up and on today’s episode we are going to talk with Zach and Dave about how they cover the political pageantry that is this annual event.

A new year is always a time when people take a look at themselves, evaluate and look for ways to do things a little differently.  Maybe a new look.  A new approach.  We call them resolutions of course.

For a business or organization, it’s called rebranding.  It’s obviously a much more complicated and important process than your typical resolution because unlike a resolution, your brand actually needs to last.

A little more than a year ago, Ron Fournier returned home to Michigan after covering three US Presidents for the Associated Press in Washington DC.  He joined Crain’s Detroit Business and today is the publication’s publisher and editor.

What was the single more important day he spent covering the White House?  How has he found the transition from journalism to the business of journalism?  Is social media leading journalists to show too much of themselves?

We ask Ron these questions and more.