The Final Word

Friday, January 17, 2025 — In this episode, Met Radio speaks with the KUUMBA festival’s Diana Webley and organist Gail Archer. Find out about the 30th anniversary of this event and about this composer’s latest show.

Special Segment — Local Journalism Initiative Met Radio journalist Mia Johnson and The Final Word host Gabriela Ponte discuss their favourite stories of the semester.

Friday, December 13th, 2024 — In this episode, we discussed holiday safety with Product Safety Officer at Health Canada Andrea Marini. Local Journalist Mia Johnson covers the ongoing heating issue at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. Host Gabriela Ponte speaks with the founder and creator of Firecracker Department, Naomi Snieckus.  And Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng breaks down this day’s top news.

Friday, December 6th, 2024 — In this episode, we discussed safe cannabis consumption during the holiday season as well as a new survey’s findings on mortgage affordability. Host Gabriela Ponte speaks with the Ontario Cannabis Store’s Dr. Jenna Valleriani. And then, an interview with licensed mortgage broker and EveryRate.ca co-founder Andy Hill.

Friday, November 29th, 2024 — In this episode, we covered the Toronto International Ballet Theatre’s rendition of The Nutcracker and AccessBC’s new National Letter Writing Campaign. Host Gabriela Ponte speaks to the Toronto International Ballet Theatre’s artistic director Tatiana Stepanova and AccessBC’s Chair and co-founder Teale Phelps Bondaroff.

Friday, November 22nd, 2024 — In this episode, volunteers Mariana Schuetze and Amanda Shekarchi attend the Taylgate 2024 event, where Swifties unite at the Metro Convention Centre and enjoy all things Taylor Swift. Then, Local Journalism Initiative Journalist Mia Johnson speaks to artists who have withdrawn their books from consideration for The Giller Prize.

Friday, November 15th, 2024 — In this episode, Met Radio volunteer Mariana Schuetze attends the Pink Triangle Press Awards Red Carpet, where she interviews stars like Elliot Page and Emily Hamsphire. Then, host Gabriela Ponte speaks with Migrant Rights Network spokesperson Syed Hussan regarding the U.S. election results and how they could lead to anti-immigrant hysteria. 

Friday, November 8th, 2024 — In this episode, we discussed the U.S. Presidential Election results and the rising number of individuals needing and accessing food bank resources. Host Gabriela Ponte speaks to Professor Emeritus Wayne Petrozzi, who specializes in U.S. politics, and Allan Gardens Food Bank President Meryl Wharton.

Friday, November 1st, 2024 - Cinefranco, an annual francophone film festival, is broadcasting 25 different short and feature-length films at Carlton Cinema. Host Gabriela Ponte speaks with the festival's founder, executive director and artistic director Marcelle Lean about this.

Friday, October 25th, 2024 - In this episode, we speak to organizers and attendees of the Spring Socialist Network's Red October Conference.

Friday, September 6, 2024 – In this episode, former The Final Word host Gabriela Ponte returns. She speaks with MusiCounts president Kristy Fletcher and music educator at one of the recipient schools, Michael Jameer. Fletcher were excited about the one million dollars awarded to 74 different schools across Canada, while Jameer explained what equipment he hopes to get for his students with the mone...

Friday, August 30, 2024. In today's episode we are talking Fan Expo and TMU Freshman Orientation! Met Radio's Advertising & Sponsorship Coordinator and reporter Daniel Centeno covered Fan Expo this past week here in Toronto.  Fan Expo is Canada's largest comic, sci-fi and gaming convention, a perfect place for … cosplaying! Daniel spoke to some attendees about the art of cosplaying and what ma...

Friday August 23, 2024. In today's episode host Mariana Schuetze spoke to Elizabeth McIsaac, President of Maytree, about the un/SHELTERED: Toronto Design Challenge, encouraging participants to come up with creative solutions to address the city's housing crisis. Mariana also spoke to Darren Greer, an author and multidisciplinary artist and clinical case manager at Alpha House Toronto, a mental hea...

Friday, August 16, 2024. Met Radio's Radio Producer, and this week's guest-reporter for The Final Word, Sarra Gillani, talked to Caliber Funk, a local jazz/funk band. In this interview, they talk about their work, their experience playing the Beaches Jazz Fest StreetFest and their recent rebrand when they went from being called Accolades to Caliber Funk.

Friday, August 2, 2024. Today's episode is all about climate initiatives. The City of Toronto announced this June the winners of the fourth annual Women4ClimateTO pitch competition. Ten local entrepreneurs pitched their climate-related initiatives to a panel of judges for a chance to claim the first prize of twenty thousand dollars and two secondary prizes of five thousand dollars each. Katherine...

Friday, July 26. For today's episode The Final Word's reporter Lamar McIntosh speaks to Arinola Olowoporoku, an arts and cultural producer for the Harbourfront Centre, about the 26th edition of Island Soul, a lively summer weekend celebrating the rich legacy of Caribbean music, art, performance and food starting on Aug. 1.  Host Mariana Schuetze interviews Nathi Zamisa, co-executive director of HO...

Friday, July 19, 2024. On this week's The Final Word show, we heard from Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada on this year's edition of the Women in the Studio National Accelerator. This is an initiative, now in its sixth year, created to foster the professional growth and advancement of talented producer-songwriters from across Canada. The Final Word also spoke to one of this year's...

Friday, July 12, 2024. For this week's The Final Word, host Mariana Schuetze and reporter Karen Young review four Toronto Fringe Festival shows (Painting By Numbers, The Bluffs, Bus Stop and Sheila: The Musical). The Final Word reporter Rogene Teodoro interviews Spencer West on this year's Toronto Disability Pride March and The Final Word reporter Lamar McIntosh has this week's top news.

Friday, July 5, 2024. For this week's The Final Word, host Mariana Schuetze, interviews the team behind When You Close Your Eyes, Makeshift Company's debut production. Makeshift Company is a Toronto-based musical theatre company aiming to facilitate the expansion of the Canadian musical theatre canon by developing and deepening new works in the early stages of development. For this episode, The Fi...

Friday June 28, 2024. For this week's episode, The Final Word host Mariana Schuetze spoke to NFB Collection Curator Camilo Martin Florez on the NFB's Canada Day film collection, highlighting movies from all over Canada. Mariana also interviewed climate activist Vanessa Gray, to learn a bit more about the Unite the Swifties for Climate Justice campaign that gives climate-conscious Canadians a chanc...