Watershed Voice: An oral history Artwork

Keep Your Voice Down

Keep Your Voice Down is a podcast featuring fellow Central Michigan University journalism grads and best friends Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears, Jr. Alek, the executive editor of Watershed Voice, and Doug, a Watershed Voice writer and columnist, will discuss a variety of topics including the week's top stories in St. Joseph County and beyond, as well as pop culture and other general nonsense. With 13 years of friendship and training from the best journalism school in the State of Michigan under their belts, Doug and Alek try to make sense of the world around them, while ensuring neither takes themselves too seriously. So pull up a chair, turn up the volume, and no matter what happens, don't keep your voice down.

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Keep Your Voice Down

Watershed Voice: An oral history

March 13, 2025 • Season 7 • Episode 3

Watershed Voice launched in 2020 only weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic had much of the country sheltering in place, and a short time before protests, the size and frequency of which the country hadn't seen since the Civil Rights movement, dominated the headlines. It was a tumultuous time in the history of the United States, and quite possibly the worst time to start a new business outside of the Great Depression. Yet somehow, five years later, Watershed Voice is still here.

In honor of the news organization's upcoming five-year anniversary, Keep Your Voice Down hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. are joined by Deborah Haak-Frost to provide an oral history of Watershed's inception and the months and years that followed. Join us as we recall the trying and triumphant times of your favorite award-winning nonprofit news magazine.

The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Get Dangerous!” by Frank Bentley. You can support Keep Your Voice Down and Watershed Voice with a donation here.

People on this episode

Alek Haak-Frost

Host

Doug Sears, Jr.

Host