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Ontario
Doug Ford
Toronto
Canada
Donald Trump
Tariffs
Mental Health
Toronto Blue Jays
Homelessness
Opioid Crisis
Fentanyl
Justin Trudeau
Affordable Housing
Canada Post
Ontario Health
Super-Agers
Ontario Liberal Party
Politics
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Toronto Maple Leafs

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 podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every Sunday morning at 8, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featur... more

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Latest Episodes

Released nearly four decades years ago, The Wealthy Barber helped countless Canadians understand money management and sound investing strategies. 

Last year, author David Chilton released a fresh rewrite of his iconic book for a new generation — and... more

If recent headlines are any indication, gift card scams have become a lucrative enterprise for organized criminals.

On this week’s episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast, we revisit an eye-opening conversation we had with Ritesh Kotak, a law... more

If you're a sports fan, you've no doubt heard of the acronym CTE. It has made plenty of headlines in recent years.

CTE — chronic traumatic encephalopathy — is a devastating, degenerative brain disease triggered by repetitive head injuries. It often ... more

This week, Toronto police displayed the fruits of a massive seizure of counterfeit soccer merchandise worth millions of dollars.

The haul included 16,000 fake name-brand jerseys and flags — including FIFA, Nike, Adidas and Puma — and even two counte... more

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Recent Guests

Neil Vasdev
Director of the Brain Health Imaging Centre, CAMH
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Episode: CTE is a devastating brain disease, but there is hope
David Lipkus
Intellectual property lawyer (co-founder of Lipkus Law)
Lipkus Law
Episode: Spot the difference? How fake merch inflicts very real harms
Ian Howcroft
CEO of Skills Ontario
Skills Ontario
Episode: Why we’re spending billions to attract more people into skilled trades
Tim Cherry
Son of Don Cherry, author referenced in discussion
The Don Cherry Story Part II (book)
Episode: Don Cherry's son talks about his dad, ‘you people’ and Ron MacLean
Michael Geist
Professor of Law and Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law
University of Ottawa
Episode: Why banning kids from social media is a terrible idea
Martin Straathof
Executive Director of the Ontario Farmland Trust
Ontario Farmland Trust
Episode: Our prime farmland in Ontario is rapidly disappearing
Mary Walsh
Iconic Canadian comedian, writer, and performer; founder of Marg Delahunty character
Episode: Canada’s ‘Princess Warrior’ stops by our podcast (minus the sword)
Grace Peacock
Director of Public Relations, Six Flags Entertainment (Canada's Wonderland)
Canada's Wonderland / Six Flags Entertainment
Episode: This is why Canada’s Wonderland adopted a new chaperone policy for kids
Laura Tamblyn Watts
CEO of CanAge, aging advocate
CanAge
Episode: AI robots for seniors? Time we start talking about our aging population

Hosts

Michael Friscolanti
Editor-in-Chief of Village Media and lead host for the show; frequent driver of policy and local journalism discussions.
Scott Sexsmith
Co-host/Editor and long-time host, guiding interviews and shaping episode structure.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 38 ratings
  • CUPW strong for all Canadians!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Dortmunder
    10 months ago
  • Scam movie

    Great episode on fraud. Watch The Bee Keeper.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shoovel
    Canada2 years ago
  • Balanced journalism at its best

    The team presents very interesting community based journalism that speaks to problems that we face in our smaller communities every day. Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Danielle Dorschner
    Canada3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Conversation quality and diverse expert guests are consistent strengths.
Shows balance between investigative reporting and expert insights.
Stories emphasize community impact and practical policy implications.
Listeners appreciate grounding in local issues with concrete takeaways.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

CTE is a devastating brain disease, but there is hope
Q: A lot of people have heard about CTE because of high-profile cases, but can you talk about what it is and who it typically affects?
CTE is a neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated head trauma, historically diagnosed post-mortem by tau protein deposits in the brain; it affects athletes in contact sports, military veterans, and others exposed to recurrent head injuries, with rising media attention that underscores the urgency of an in-life diagnostic tool.
Not even your gift cards are safe from fraudsters
Q: What practical steps can shoppers take to protect themselves?
Shopper precautions include inspecting cards for tampering, using credit cards for the added protection, training staff to recognize tampering, and pushing for policies that keep cards behind counters or use stronger security measures.
Not even your gift cards are safe from fraudsters
Q: Are these operations run by lone individuals or larger organized groups?
There are both lone fraudsters and organized crime networks, ranging from small operations with simple tampering to highly structured groups with more resources and sophistication.
Not even your gift cards are safe from fraudsters
Q: What's the most common gift card scam currently seen by consumers?
Ritesh explains that scammers typically replace the barcode on a legitimate card with a tampered version, causing the consumer to load value onto a fraudster's account, with the opportunity to resell the fraudulent cards.
Spot the difference? How fake merch inflicts very real harms
Q: As consumers, what is the easiest way to tell if an item is legitimate, and how can we spot red flags online?
Lipkus describes a practical approach: verify who you're buying from, check authorized vendors on the brand's site, assess price and seller information, read reviews, and beware deals that seem too good to be true; exercise due diligence online and in stores using serial numbers, holograms, and clear return policies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Closer Look

What is Closer Look about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Ontario-focused current affairs podcast delivering in-depth conversations with reporters, experts, and policymakers. Episodes frequently cover policy shifts, infrastructure, digital policy, public safety, and regional issues affecting families and communities, often balancing practical implications for everyday life with broader civic and economic context. Notable strengths include a steady stream of expert guests from law, technology, education, public policy, and journalism, plus a clear emphasis on local impact, actionable takeaways, and real-world examples. The show stands out for its combination of investigative-style reporting and expert perspectives on timely Ontario topics, making it a strong fit for listeners who want nuanced, loca... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Closer Look?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Closer Look:

1. The Paikin Podcast
2. The Munk Debates Podcast
3. The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
4. CANADALAND
5. Two Blocks from the White House

How many episodes of Closer Look are there?

Closer Look launched 4 years ago and published 290 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Closer Look?

Recent guests on Closer Look include:

1. Neil Vasdev
2. David Lipkus
3. Ian Howcroft
4. Tim Cherry
5. Michael Geist
6. Martin Straathof
7. Mary Walsh
8. Grace Peacock

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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