TSG: The Podcast

Welcome to the third episode of The Swanston Gazette: The Podcast. 

On top of The Swanston Gazette celebrating the release of its first online print edition, this episode explores all things sustainability - before, during, and after COVID-19. After hosts Caspar McLeod and Nieve Walton discuss the biggest headlines and newsy topics of the month, our contributors delve into different aspects of sustainability - particularly Q&As with an AFLW player, three Melbourne fashion designers and educators, and someone who upcycles and modernises used furniture to keep them from being thrown out. There will also be packages exploring the blooming flower business despite a shortage of supply in a pandemic, the impact of climate change on Torres Strait Islanders, and the City of Melbourne's strategies to protect its trees for future generations. Various RMIT clubs will also make an appearance in this episode to promote their events and how you can get involved. 

Continuing to keep you engaged and informed, this time in the exciting podcast form!

For more from The Swanston Gazette, head over to www.theswanstongazette.com.

Hosted by Caspar McLeod and Nieve Walton.

Produced by April Austen and Gabriela Caeli Sumampow.

Music by Rowena Wise, Samuel Porter, and Jason Markoutsas. Some songs also obtained from mixkit.co.

Cover art by Joan Tran.

The lockdown has made the internet everyone's best friend more than ever. Celebrities have turned to social media and livestreams to share their isolation lives with fans, but how are Melbourne's local entertainers doing? Speaking with hip hop artist BOY CURSED and comedian Aurelia St Clair, Gabriela Caeli Sumampow has the story.

Don't forget to check out BOY CURSED's music, along with the bands he plays for - The Fairtrade Narcotics, HPK and Jordan Walters-Brown. Also keep a look out for Aurelia St Clair’s "Love In The Time Of Corona" newsletters for a good iso-laugh.

If there's one thing the coronavirus hasn't gotten rid of, it's love. Now more than ever, dating is dependent on the internet. While online dating was already a pre-existing business, the pandemic has made it trendier and even essential. But is it as real and genuine as face-to-face dating? Raffa Athallah has the story.

COVID-19 restrictions have closed down many local businesses and bookstores are a struggling industry. Many local bookshops have turned to an online business environment, but how are they surviving? Caspar McLeod has the story.

WARNING: THIS PACKAGE IS RATED R FOR "RIPS RIGHT THROUGH YOUR SOUL". SIT TIGHT, AND GRAB SOME TISSUES, FOR THE MOST EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF YOUR LIFE.

Join Riley Barber for a trip down memory lane to the good old pre-COVID days of going to the movies. While we wait the last few days before the silver screens turn on again, RMIT students look back at their cinema-going memories and express their longing for the cinema doors to open again.

COVID-19 has halted sports for months, and university sport is no different.

While some sports are making their way back to stadiums, TSG: The Podcast checks in with RMIT’s very own sports team — the Redbacks. With athletes being separated and socially isolated, how are they keeping themselves - and each other - connected and supported in these tough, uncertain times?

Kendra Jewell spoke to the captains of the Redbacks.

One sport that hasn't been affected by COVID-19 is eSports. With most other sports cancelled, eSports have increased in popularity and proven to be a handy coping tool for people stuck in isolation. RMIT's eSports team are currently competing in the UniSport Australia Nationals 'League of Legends' tournament, ahead of the national final on the 23rd of May. Sean Mortell reports.

If you’re interested in getting involved in eSports at RMIT, get in touch with the RMIT Esports & Games Club on Discord or Facebook.

For over a month now, universities have been closed and all coursework moved online. RMIT differed from other Victorian universities by not suspending teaching for a week to allow staff more time to transition materials to the digital world. April Austen spoke to a few members of RMIT’s teaching staff about their experiences.

We're so excited to be launching The Swanston Gazette's podcast! TSG: The Podcast will be a monthly current affairs podcast, covering all the big and complex news topics, sharing a selection of stories created by our talented contributors and editors, and letting you know all the events coming up. We are a podcast and publication created by journalism students at RMIT University, for students and people everywhere. First episode launching at the end of April!

Music: Tunnel Vision by Rowena Wise

Voices: April Austen, Gabriela Caeli Sumampow, Youssef Saudie and Nick Angus