The broadcaster and author Gregor Craigie discusses his new novel Radio Discord (Cormorant Books, 2026), with Joseph Planta.

Radio Discord by Gregor Craigie (Cormorant Books, 2026). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Radio Discord

Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.  

Gregor Craigie joins me again. The broadcaster and author has a new novel out, Radio Discord, which is a follow-up to his previous novel Radio Jet Lag. We follow the goings-on at Victoria, BC radio station CIFU. The conservative station owner, George Caulfeild has decreed that news director Malcolm McDonald fire the star morning show host Stephen Millburn. And the reason is that he’s defied the station owner’s request to not report on homelessness in the provincial capital. The previous novel plays out a lot of this, but this new book gives us the perspective of the middle manager, who has to fire a journalist, as he’s following orders of the proprietor that employes him. Malcolm’s worried about the future of the station, declining ad revenue and what not, as well as a family member’s health issue, and the guilt that he might not have stood up for his journalist. A journalist himself, McDonald has to navigate the waters of inner-personal dynamics between on air talents, as well as the challenging of his ideals of good journalism. The book is often funny, but a marvellous insight into radio, and the unique personalities that fill our airwaves. Set in the winter of 2016, 2017, the books is also nostalgic in the way certain perennial political issues evolve then as now, not to mention how the state of private broadcasting has declined in the decade since. We’ve seen the closure of a number of radio stations throughout British Columbia in the decade since, and the dwindling of media outlets in general. I’ll ask Mr. Craigie about the characters in the book, and this terrific world he’s created. Gregor Craigie is the host of CBC Radio One’s On the Island. His non-fiction book about Canada’s housing crisis Our Crumbling Foundation was a national bestseller and the winner of the George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature. The book was also a finalist for the Writers’ Trust Balsillie Prize for Public Policy. Radio Jet Lag was longlisted for the Leacock Medal for Humour. He’s also written for YA readers, and his first book On Borrowed Time was also a finalist for the Balsillie Prize, and Victoria’s Butler Book Prize. This new book is published by Cormorant Books. We taped this interview earlier this month. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Gregor Craigie; Mr. Craigie, good morning.  

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