The Art of Storytelling: Lessons from News Anchor Sophie Lui

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:00:00

Your voice is your superpower.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:00:03

Use it.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:00:04

Welcome to Ignite My Voice Becoming Unstoppable. Powered by Ignite Voice, Inc. The podcast where voice meets purpose and stories ignite change.

Deep conversations with amazing guests, storytellers, speakers and change makers.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:00:21

What was it? What are the set of circumstances that Americans are living in right now that led to this, that made them feel like they. This was their option.

This was the right option for them?

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:00:31

Today we're joined by someone who has been a trusted voice and presence in British Columbia for years, Sophie Lui.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:00:38

You know her as the anchor of Global BC News at 5 and co anchor of NewsHour at 6. She's also a producer, a mentor, and someone who shaped how stories are told in this province.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:00:51

And here's the thing. Sophie isn't just about delivering headlines. She has a philosophy that goes deeper, that authenticity is more powerful than performance.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:01:01

And at the heart of our conversation is her honesty. She admits to imposter syndrome, to bad days, to mistakes that still sting. But she shows us how those moments don't define you.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:01:14

Sophie's wisdom reminds us that charisma isn't something you fake. It's the natural result of being yourself and really caring about who's listening.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:01:22

And that's why we're so excited to share this conversation with you. Here's Sophie Lui.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:01:27

I think of a script as something that I'm not just reading, but, you know, you guys taught me this to lift the words off the page. But I'm also trying to digest the story myself at the same time rather than just reading it. I'm trying to understand the story at the same time.

And I guess through that, interpreting it through my mind and my personality at the same time that I'm imparting it to the viewers.

So if a piece of copy comes across my desk that is about God, like if Lapu Lapu had happened and it just suddenly came across my desk, you know, and I had to read it out loud, I would be. You just feel the feels, you know, you try not to break down on air over that tragedy, but if you do, you do.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:02:10

Yeah.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:02:11

And if something is funny, I try to share my. I don't know, my internal eye roll through my voice.

I don't know if it always comes across, but I do sometimes get messages from a of people who know me very well, and they say, I can almost hear. I can hear your eye roll right now.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:02:30

That's interesting because one of the lines that we use quite a bit, what you think guides your emotions and those emotions direct to your physical movement. So what's wonderful about presenting on camera, what you think is what we see. What's the worst thing about being on camera?

What you think is what we see. Double edged sword.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:02:52

Right, right, right, yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:02:53

So you're bringing up the good side that you just engage in it and you own it. Somehow you gotta prevent yourself from thinking bad things about yourself or crumbling or that kind of thing. How do you do that?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:03:06

So do you mean crumbling like in the case?

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:03:08

Fighting through shame or just thinking, feeling bad about it? Oh my God.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:03:12

I'm not very good at this today.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:03:14

Oh yeah, yeah. And definitely I suck. There are days when I do suck. So I do two shows, the 5 o' clock and the 6 o' clock news and the 5 o'. Clock.

For me, I always feel like I'm not as good on the 5 o' clock for some reason. I get better on the six o'. Clock. I think part of that is five o' clock. I prompt for myself and the six o', clock, our producer prompts for us.

And so I have kind of less to think about. But there was one day last week where I started doing the five and few minutes. And I thought, okay, this is just not.

Today's just one of those days that is not a good day. But there are days that are not good days and that's okay. You just go on to the next story and you go on to the next story.

And I think it's also because I've been doing it a long time, you're.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:03:56

Probably more critical of yourself too.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:03:58

I just know that it's okay and that there's another newscast after this one.

I remember very early on, I think my very first news job in Kelowna, I screwed up someone's name on the air and it was the then Secretary of State, Warren Christopher. And I called him Christopher Warren. And I was super embarrassed, which is really. I don't know why I was so embarrassed.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:04:22

Not that big of a deal.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:04:23

It's not a big deal.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:04:24

It's not brain surgery.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:04:25

No, but back then I was really embarrassed and I. I didn't even want to come out of the studio, out of the news booth for a while. But it's funny, the stupid little things that can get you. But now I think I am.

I think just from experience, maturity, just become more in control of yourself. Or I do.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:04:48

I have you talked about style earlier. You have a style of your interpretation. So that style represents your personality. Did you do a personality assessment?

How did you figure out your personality? Your Style and how that worked with what it is you were reading.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:05:09

I, I don't think I have ever done a personality assessment, maybe at some point in my life, but I don't know, you know, it's like, so you know yourself. I do know myself. I think I know myself. I've learned a lot about myself, let's just say that. But I think there's probably. It's a lifelong journey.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:05:28

Yeah.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:05:28

I think how did I learn about my personality?

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:05:32

Yeah, well, you're reading the news, but you said, you know, you've got the eye roll or you've got a feeling that's representing you. We talked about how you look at the news, your ability to interpret it. How do you bring your personality to bear on that story?

It's kind of where I'm getting at.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:05:55

Right when I watch a newscast. I'm not really a big fan of people who adopt an anchor voice, although maybe people think I sound like an anchor, I don't know.

But I don't like the formulaic reads. So again, I really just, I want to understand the news along with our viewers. And that's through my lens.

My lens of being a now 50 year old woman who you know is Chinese, all the various things, Chinese, Canadian, grew up in the suburbs, is divorced. So that's my lens. And I also think our viewers have different perspectives, but this is mine.

So maybe some of the words that I choose have impact on how the story comes across. But you know, you try to remain as neutral as you can, I suppose.

It's just, I know that it is only my perspective and the perspective of the people I work with. Like, so it's, I'm not sure if I'm really answering your question.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:06:58

You are, you're bringing all of you to bear on the, the story. And we tell people when they're reading scripts to be who they are. And that's a really hard concept for people to understand. Well, who am I really?

I remember being on the radio and, you know, who am I to say what I have to say? I got confused, you know, am I the performer or am I the person?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:07:25

Yeah, okay, so I mean, for me, because I started in radio or at least I started, not my job in radio, but I started in this radio program at bcit. So I was doing other things besides news. I was being a quote unquote, personality as well.

And I had to show my personality on air, whatever it was at that time as a 19, 20 year old. So I always felt like it was okay to do that. And Obviously you can't fully do that as a newscaster, but there are moments like some stories are.

Stories move you. Right. So it's okay.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:08:07

It's okay to feel it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:08:08

Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I mean, things are funny, things are tragic, things are sad, things are confusing. And a lot of this world is confusing. And I want.

I'm confused right along with our viewers. And it's okay to admit that somehow. So you guys always taught me in radio, you know, to think about one person on the other end.

Not the microphone, but one person listening as opposed to the masses of people listening. And I find that to be an easier thing to do when it's just you and a microphone in a TV studio.

I find it more difficult to have that one to one relationship.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:08:54

Well, when you're feeling that you're explaining a story and you're interpreting the script as you said, and running it through your own filter, who do you feel like you're explaining it to besides understanding yourself?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:09:06

Sometimes I feel like I'm explaining it to myself. Yeah. So if I'm looking into the camera, if I'm actually presenting, looking into the camera, I do think of it as a generic person.

I probably don't think of it a specific person unless it's a story.

I know, oh, my mom's gonna love this one or so and so is gonna love this one or hate this one or I know I'm gonna get a message about this story, then I will think about them. But throughout the course of a newscast, I do look at the camera as being another person, but a generic person.

When I'm out in the field and I'm doing an on camera with another person. So if I'm interviewing Cat, but the camera is going back and forth and it's not just on Kat, but it's on me as well.

I think of the camera as the third person in the shoot. So I try to.

I think of that person, the viewer, as being there and that person is taking it all in, is not able to respond or add anything, but they're listening.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:10:12

Yeah.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:10:12

So it's kind of like I'm talking to them as well.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:10:16

It's a slightly more complicated version of our. You've got to connect with the person you're talking to through the media and you've got kind of three way connection.

You've got the person you're talking to literally on camera, and then you've got the strong connection with the generic viewer, listener. And it's a three way conversation, Right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:10:35

Totally.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:10:35

You've Been in a coffee shop having a conversation with friends, and one person is just really listening and enjoying listening. They're not participating. So it's an easy way to think about that.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:10:47

So. And on the set, too, let's say it's Squire and myself. We will sometimes joke around, and then we'll both look at the camera like it's the third.

Again, it's the third person. And this might give it away, but there is someone I used to listen to on the radio who would refer to the listener as the listener.

Would actually call them the listener. I get it. But I thought it was strange because I felt like I have a name.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:11:14

Yeah.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:15

So I didn't love that.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:11:16

Puts you off to the side, doesn't it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:18

A little bit. Even though I think they were trying to. I think it was their way of trying to include the listener.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:11:25

That's interesting, though, because it destroys the.

I mean, we call it a parasocial relationship where we try and make believe that we really know the person, they're really engaged, but we don't want to say it specifically. Right.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:36

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:11:37

Because then it destroys the whole thing. We're creating the listener. Yeah, I can see that.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:42

It felt weird to listen to that.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:11:44

You know, it's interesting. You talked about faking it till you make it, and you've heard about the imposter syndrome.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:49

Oh, yes.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:11:50

Did you ever feel that?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:51

All the time. You still do still feel it.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:11:53

Isn't that interesting? Why?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:11:54

And Donna Friesen once told me. She's our national anchor. I don't know if she'd heard me say that I have imposter syndrome, or she saw it in some article or something like that. She.

In a nice way, she scolded me a bit for having it. Why do I have it? I don't know. Don't we all have it a little bit?

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:12:15

Yeah, we all do. And this is why this is a great conversation. Because other people are not alone in feeling that.

Because we always think, oh, well, she's so good, or, he's so good. Oh, they're so much better than me. I can't do that.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:12:29

I'm never gonna be good enough.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:12:31

Never be. Sophie, Louie.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:12:33

Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:12:33

But in reality, we all have it. Yeah.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:12:36

Which makes me feel. It does make me feel better. And now, only now, like, in the past few years, I've realized other people have it.

And that actually does calm me down a bit when I start to internally freak out, so. But why do I. Why do I have it? I don't know. I think because you're cause we're in this society that somehow tells us we're not good enough.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:13:00

Maybe there's a positive side, though. You're a kind, humble person and maybe that's part of it. I mean, I actually wrote about you in my book.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:13:09

I gotta read your book.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:13:10

I had a little story I guess I should show you one day, huh? But I just remember this 19 year old who was just so clear about herself at 19. You came across that way and your voice was very mature.

So this 19 year old would just walk into the room and just say what she thought.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:13:29

Yeah, that sounds like me. Actually.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:13:31

You always did that from such an early age. And maybe you haven't changed that much and maybe that's a beautiful thing. You're still sure of yourselves, but you still doubt both sides, right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:13:42

I probably had less doubt back then.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:13:46

I think doubt is actually a good thing because then it shows that you care, that you're passionate about learning and growing. So you're recognizing your own sense of self, your weaknesses.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:13:57

I do love learning. And that's why this job is so cool. Because I get to do it. I get paid to do it. Yeah. So that's fun.

I know it doesn't sound like it by the tone of voice. I just. I find I can sound very monotone when I listen back to myself.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:14:14

There's that critical voice, isn't that I.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:14:16

Don'T like listening to myself.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:14:18

Oh, you know what?

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:14:18

I don't.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:14:19

Does anyone?

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:14:20

I hate to sing myself. Yeah, yeah. So it's good for people to hear that. When I think a lot of people would say we have very good voices. And so they'd be surprised to go.

Those people think they don't like their own voice.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:14:31

And we hear people say that all.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:14:32

The time just to get that across.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:14:34

I'm definitely used to it now, but in the first. When I first started in radio, I would wake up to my alarm clock, not my phone back in the day, and it would be a newscast.

And sometimes the voicer that I'd put in the night before would be. And I'd be like, turn that off. I don't want to hear my voice first thing in the morning. Yeah, but imposter syndrome.

I also like that I have it a little bit because it keeps me on my toes and maybe makes me work a little harder. Just always trying to be better. But at the same time it can be.

I know why Donna scolded me, because she just wanted me to know that I am good at my job and I am worthy, which is Great. It was really lovely for her to support me. Yeah, yeah. But I'm okay with having a little bit of it.

But it's good to know that you have it too, I think, because then you can give yourself a break.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:15:30

Yes. But on the positive side, maybe it prevents us from being narcissists too, right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:15:35

Yeah. Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:15:37

I mean, we know some of those people from our early radio days who. Egocentric narcissists, right.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:15:44

Oh, yeah. I know. What a fun, funny industry this is.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:15:49

We all have lots of stories, lots of characters.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:15:51

Yeah.

When I see new people, young people come into the business who maybe don't show a lot of charisma or I don't see it off the bat, I want to believe that everyone can do it. I really want to believe everyone can do it. So my advice to them is always just be who you are. Let your personality shine through.

Maybe this is naive of me. I like to think that there will be charisma that comes through once they just let their guard down.

And once I get to know them, I don't know if I'm right. But you are right.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:16:37

Absolutely.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:16:37

We're here to support you and say that that's what we do. We work with people to bring that. Some it's easy and some it's very challenging.

You know, we all have a tool belt of skills with how we present ourselves to the world, how we think of ourselves, how we breathe, how we react physically. You know, it's a big tool belt. What we do with people is we figure out what tool they're missing from that tool belt that's hiding that charisma.

But most people have it. It's trying to connect with what tools are missing that's got it not coming through right.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:17:11

And what are blocking it, because there's a lot of blockages there. So between tools and blockages, we can help people uncover their authentic voice. Because being charismatic is all about being authentic.

And I love the fact that when you talk about your news presentation that you're being yourself, you're feeling the news, you're thinking about who it is that you're talking about, and you're not concentrating on how do I sound, how do I look? So when we can remove blockages, give people tools, they can shine, just like you expect. We're not Pollyanna's here.

We've seen it, and you're proof of it.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:17:52

I think if you were to talk to someone whose charisma you're trying to draw out, I would want to know, like, what excites you what gets you lit up and gets you out of bed or whatever. Like, what's the thing? It may not be of any interest to me, but maybe it's stamp collecting, I don't know. But what excites you?

And I'd want to know more about that and so talk to me about that. One thing you said, Kat, reminded me of something Rick Jonasan said to me once. Because he said, when I'm presenting, I think about the story.

I don't think about how do I sound, how do I look? Rick once said to me, you sound like you're in love with the sound of your own voice. And I carried that with me.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:18:31

That would hurt, wouldn't it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:18:32

Yeah, but it meant something. Like it had an impact. It didn't. I don't know if. Yeah, maybe it hurt a little bit, but I understood it.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:18:39

And what did you understand that to mean to you?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:18:41

That I was too preoccupied with what I sounded like? I mean, you want to be. You want to be focused on enunciating properly and speaking clearly and at a good pace and all that kind of thing. But he.

I think it was a commercial or maybe it was a newscast. And I understood it to mean that I was just too self absorbed into my own.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:19:08

He caught you listening to yourself rather than thinking about who it is you were talking to and what it is you were saying. And we see that a lot with people that we work with, too.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:19:19

Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:19:20

Once you put headphones on or once you get behind a camera too, you start to feel awkward. Oh, somebody's looking at me. Okay, now I've got to do it this way. And people become then very formal. Oh, the camera's on.

And I've got to thank you for talking to me.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:19:35

Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:19:36

Sophia, I really appreciate that. And it just blocks that connection.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:19:40

Yeah. So you want to talk to people off camera if they're doing that.

I don't get to coach many of the people I work with, but if I were to do that, I would say, let's turn the camera off. Let's just chat. What do you like about this job? What do you think you're good at? Like, what are your strengths? What do you.

What's the first thing you would like to do when you attack a story? And then hear how they like when it comes to their performance, then hear how they actually sound when they're just talking to me.

Okay, this is what you sound like. I like this voice. Let's put that on camera.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:20:18

Relax.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:20:18

You're trying to bring out the real person and we're not all different. We're all just people. You know, we've taught storytelling in different cultures. I can think of us in remote Africa doing those things.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:20:31

Really? It's beautiful.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:20:33

Wow. What struck us is how similar all people are.

You know, we're all just people at our core, with our fallacies, our dreams, worry, struggles, our families all around the world. We're not that different.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:20:49

Oh, that's really cool.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:20:50

Is what strikes us. And we're just trying to bring that real person out, right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:20:53

Yeah. Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:20:55

And when you see it, when you feel it, you are empowered. Right.

And when we bring that out in people, they're empowered to share what's in their heart and share their story, and that's what connects, and that's what we're doing here with this podcast. We're wanting to connect people so that they can tell their story and make the world a better, kinder place.

And you, being in news, know more than anyone how hard some of these stories are to hear and feel. And, boy, that negativity can sure take over our lives. Can it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:21:31

Yeah. I. During the Lapu. Lapu tragedy, it's rare that I would feel this, but I needed to take a day off, and a couple people did. Sometimes you got to do it.

Not everyone's going to need it, and that's okay. They can deal with it however they want to deal with it. But I needed to take a day off. Oddly, on the day that I took off, I went to the site to.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:21:56

That sounds relaxing, right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:21:57

I went to the site. I ended up interviewing a. A guy who was there that night just because my worker brain is always on.

And then I met up with a couple of people from work who had also taken the day off because they were together. But at least we were together.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:22:12

But you needed to be there.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:22:13

Yeah, we needed to be there. We needed to be together and just away from the newsroom. Yeah. This world is very difficult to live in sometimes.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:22:29

I'm just reading Ezra Klein's book about the polarized society.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:22:33

I saw that on your desk. How was it?

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:22:35

Excellent. Really, really good. And it makes me want to ask you a question.

As a longtime news person, you know that the world, some would argue, is in a difficult place right now. As Ezra would say, it's more polarized.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:22:50

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:22:51

Part of his theme in the book is that it's not the people, actually, it's the system, especially the us. The system is broken, and it's contributed to a much more polarized world, that we're all kind of Fighting with each other in.

And we gotta change the system. And the media's played, you know, what a pretty negative role in that whole broken system.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:23:17

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:23:17

How do you see that?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:23:19

I don't disagree with that, even though I'm a member of the media. But we all, everyone in this room is a member of the media. Particularly in the US Though, I have a hard time watching some newscasts and.

Well, I don't have as hard a time watching some of the shows that align more directly with my own views. But when I try to watch some of the other ones, because I do think I need to, I do have a hard time with it. And I need to take a break.

Yeah, I think the media has. And I think the line is so blurred between news and commentary.

People who are labeled journalists and who call themselves journalists, they're not really journalists. And then it confuses viewers. Even my mom doesn't.

Sometimes she'll talk about a talk show host and say that talk show host was saying this, that, and the other thing. And I said, well, they can, because they're not a journalist, they're a talk show host. There's a difference.

And even my, you know that she's watched my career for years, and so I thought she would know the difference.

But that just goes to show, if someone who has direct contact or direct relationship with someone who is a journalist isn't even quite clear on the distinction, then the rest of the public, well, what chance do they have? So, yes, I think the system is.

eate the behemoth that is the: 2025

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:25:16

And we may need it, but it's challenging. But what we do with our guests, because as we've said to you, so for we actually honestly are trying to make the world a better place.

What little part that we can take in that. So what would you say to an average person within their own life? What can I do? Can I see things different? Can I change?

How can I make a step towards something better? What would you say to that person?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:25:45

I would say listening is a good skill to have listening with an open mind, which I admit I don't always have. Listening to all points of view, not talking, but listening.

And Learning, but really listening and hearing what everyone else is going through and what they think, trying not to judge it.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:26:09

That's a hard one, isn't it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:26:10

It is a really hard one. And it's really hard for me too, because I have a lot of preconceived notions about we all do, the world. But I really want to understand.

I want to understand how did the last presidential election happen? How did that. You guys have done this before. How did it happen? But I'm not mad about it because I genuinely want to understand what was it?

What are the set of circumstances that Americans are living in right now that led to this, that made them feel like this was their option, this was the right option for them? Because if we understand that, then maybe we can work towards something or maybe.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:26:52

We can do something to make it better. Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:26:54

Critical thinking, thought skill. And as educators, I really believe that education can help people think critically.

So when they consume media, they can look at different sources and analyze and critically assess where the truth. And I gotta tell you, I've had to turn off the news. Yeah, I can't listen anymore. I'm too sensitive to it now.

And I haven't been able to turn off that filter to look at it critically anymore. It's an interesting area for me now.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:27:31

I mean, I hear that from a lot of people that they can't really watch it anymore. And I. I get that. I also, to be honest, don't watch a ton of it. If there's a big story, I will.

I don't have to watch a lot of local news because I just. Doing it.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:27:47

You're immersed in it.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:27:48

Yeah, I'll watch Canadian, like, national news, but I tend not to watch as much US News anymore. And I consume more news in online newspapers.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:28:02

One of our main points is grow yourself and grow your tribe. A lot of the current technology does the reverse. It's shrink your tribe, Right?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:28:12

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:28:13

Shrink it tighter and tighter and. And tighter until just this little echo chamber and all curiosity is gone.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:28:19

Don't you think there's a bit of a backlash, though? I mean, obviously there's a backlash because we all know Twitter is a terrible place to be, even though I'm still on it. Yeah.

Mostly just to consume it. I don't want to be a part of, like, I don't want to interact with people.

It feels to me like there's a step back, a very, very slow step back or recalibrating of how we use social media. And obviously you're gonna get a lot of the Far right, far left, still engaging in their attacks on each other.

But those of us who are a little more calm, less dramatic are kind of getting back to engaging with each other in a more mature, calm way and reading thoughtful books or essays or whatever, listening to thoughtful podcasts, seeing people in person. I feel like there's a move kind of a step back.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:29:22

I think it might be just starting.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:29:24

I hope. Or maybe it's just my hope.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:29:25

I'm getting the sentiment, too.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:29:27

I think we all hope and we got to contribute to that somehow.

I read an interesting stat in the Guardian about climate change, and the main gist of the article was from polling worldwide, 86% of the population really supports trying to do something positive about climate change, yet a lot of the political world is shutting it down and pretending that we don't have to pay any attention to it. And the point of the article is no. 86% of us on the planet are worried about it and want something done about it.

Now, I think if we see stats like that and we support each other that are a little more quiet around this, we start to see we're the majority.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:30:13

Right.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:30:13

Not the other way around.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:30:14

We're just really silent about it.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:30:16

We're a bit silent. And the people yelling and all the platforms dominate. Right. And it's about time that we seize the moment back.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:30:24

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:30:24

And maybe this contributes to that. Right.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:30:27

Initially, our company years ago wanted us all to be on Twitter. And if we didn't already have accounts on Twitter, they would create our accounts on Twitter for us.

This was years ago, before the pandemic, because they felt like it was important to our brand and to our.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:30:45

Everyone's contributing.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:30:47

Yeah. Our ratings and everything. But over time, they've scaled back to the point where I think they even would caution us to get off Twitter or donate.

Don't be a part. I don't think they've said don't be a part of it, but they definitely. It's not a requirement anymore.

They've reminded us when someone gets too involved in Twitter, they will remind us, you know, that is one. Whatever the stat is, one tenth of the population is actually on Twitter. So really you think it's a big deal, but it's really not a big deal.

There's not a lot of people on it. Not really.

Like most people in my world, when I really think about it, outside of the media, outside of our newsroom, they have no idea what goes on on Twitter. And if I send them a tweet, they're like, I don't have Twitter. I can't see this, which is refreshing. Yeah.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:31:41

It's not. Technology is not our world. This is being present with each other and talking and looking at each other in each other's eyes.

That's what connection is. That's what humanity is. Technology has a purpose, but it's not the end all, be all, is it?

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:32:03

No, it should be. I think it should be used to allow us to do these things.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:32:09

Support. Yeah.

One of the great things that I liked in the pandemic was that because we couldn't go out, I got to reconnect with a whole bunch of people that I might never have connected with. Like my friends in Toronto. We had coffees over Zoom.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:32:25

Right.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:32:26

And that technology really worked for me at that time because I felt more connected. So now I go back to Toronto every year to go see them in person.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:32:34

Oh, that's great.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:32:35

So that's why I like the technology and Facebook. I know it's an older medium now. It connected me to all of my family, Scotland, friends in Sicily, friends in, you know, down in South America.

So that was a technology that worked for me, but I use it as a connection, not.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:32:54

I think it can be good for that.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:32:55

And I think that's when we use the technology instead of technology using us.

Guest Sophie Lui: 00:33:00

Yeah, yeah, fair point.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:33:04

Oh, what a gift. To hear someone at the top of her field say, I still feel imposter syndrome, and that's okay.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:33:12

And it's a powerful reminder that even the most accomplished people wrestle with the same things and doubts as we and you and I, we all do.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:33:20

Oh, and what struck me is how Sophie takes the focus off herself. She doesn't think of the news as performing. She thinks of it as a conversation. And that's exactly what charisma is.

Not the spotlight, but the connection.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:33:36

When you stop worrying about sounding perfect and instead focus on really connecting, whether it's one person across the table or a thousand in the room, that's where authenticity comes alive.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:33:48

Oh, and when authenticity comes alive, charisma follows. Sophie's a great role model for showing up as yourself with curiosity, humility, and presence.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:33:59

We hope our chat will with Sophie inspires you to speak with more honesty, connect with more warmth, and step into your own version of charisma.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:34:09

If you think about it, we have the same tools, right? Some of us just use them differently. You can be who you are and make an impact in a community, whether you're mom or a media personality.

Co-Host Kat Stewart: 00:34:22

Join our movement to make the world a better place. See what we're about. Visit us@ignitemyvoice.com Ignite my voice. Becoming unstoppable. Your voice is your superpower. Use it.