Shift Happens, TVO Today’s new online video series, celebrates the power of pivoting

Stream the first episode today (Oct. 23) and watch weekly launches on TVO.org and YouTube.

Toronto, Ontario, Oct. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Our best-laid plans don’t stand a chance in a time of widespread technological, political and social disruption. TVO Today’s Shift Happens is a six-part series of online videos that explore how people and communities in Ontario discover their power to pivot when their plans change. The first episode, “The Graveyard Shift,” is available online right now and will be followed with weekly launches on Mondays through November 27, 2023.

“Shift Happens zeroes in on situations Canadians everywhere can relate to: Where do you live when your housing plans fall apart? What do you do when artificial intelligence threatens to displace your job?” says John Ferri, VP of Programming and Content at TVO. “The people featured in this series respond to their challenges with inspiring talents for adaptability.”

Each six- to 10-minute video in the Shift Happens series highlights how desperate people are putting their faith into something new and unknown. There’s a lot on the line, from securing a new family home to preserving an aging community built on ideals, to safeguarding Canada’s refugee claimant system against biased technology. 

Subscribe to the TVO Today YouTube channel and download the TVO Today app to watch Shift Happens episodes as they become available:

• “The Graveyard Shift” (watch now) | The Draytons have found their dream home. It’s a small-town church with one catch: they must continue to operate its adjoining cemetery. 
• “Mat vs. Chatbot” (available Oct. 30) | After trying many different career paths, Mat D’Angelo became a registered psychotherapist. But advances in artificial intelligence are threatening to force him to pivot again. 
• “An Island Apart” (available Nov. 6) | In the 1970s, a community of young hippies created a natural paradise near downtown Toronto. They governed themselves and built their own homes. But now they’re all getting old. What is the future of their community?
• “Rockin’ Robot” (available Nov. 13) | Canadian indie-rocker Nick Thorburn used to be a darling of the music scene. After losing his passion for touring, he put his faith in a new band member: “Andy.” Now, this life-sized, animatronic performer is becoming a whole new kind of rockstar. 
• “Technology on Trial” (available Nov. 20) | While a refugee claimant awaits a decision on whether they can stay in Canada, lawyers across Canada are trying to safeguard the refugee process from biased algorithms and facial recognition software.
• “It Takes a Street” (available Nov. 27) | Years ago, a group of women in Kate Fraser’s neighbourhood chose to raise their children in a community of single mothers. Now, Kate and her friends are following in their footsteps and sharing their journeys into motherhood. 

Sign up for TVO newsletters and subscribe to the TVO Today YouTube channel for up-to-date programming.

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Media contact:
Genevieve Grant, TVO
[email protected] 

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CONTACT: Genevieve Grant
TVO
[email protected]