Alec Cowan
Senior Podcast Producer
About
Alec Cowan is a senior podcast producer at KUOW, where he works on Booming and other podcast projects.
Alec has worn many hats at KUOW. He helped launch Soundside and brought many eclectic stories to the program, from a late-night patrol with real life superheroes to the sewing machine sounds of an artisanal sail loft. Additionally, he was previously a producer for The Record with Bill Radke and the Primed podcast.
Before joining KUOW, Alec worked in NPR's Story Lab, where he helped pilot the Louder Than a Riot podcast and assisted in producing a story on volunteerism in Iraq for Rough Translation. Originally from Grand Junction, Colorado, his roots in the Northwest begin in Eugene, where he studied English and philosophy at the University of Oregon and worked as a news reporter for NPR member station KLCC. He is likely neglecting his saxophone, growing book collection, and expanding personal project list in favor of boosting his online Xbox ranking.
He's proud to be KUOW's unofficial "boat guy."
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: he/him/his
Podcasts
Stories
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The trade war is off—for now. What would tariffs mean for Washington?
The threat of a trade war against the United States' nearest neighbors is off for now with tariffs on Mexico and Canada paused for 30 days. The saga has rankled the historic friendship between the two countries—one with which Washington has deep ties.
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Starbucks implements open door changes as foot traffic continues to slow
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced last month that the coffee chain would be reversing its open-door policy as part of something called the “Coffee House Code of Conduct.” To discuss the changes and their impact on Starbucks' business, Soundside was joined by Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry.
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A think tank wants to accelerate cleanup at Hanford. Locals, though, aren't in a hurry
Project 2025 wants to finish cleanup at Hanford decades faster than currently expected. Soundside was joined by reporters Anna King and Jeanie Lindsay to discuss the project's strategy for dealing with Hanford's waste, and how the state is reacting to the blueprint.
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Fueling innovation, or exploitation? Trump supporters feud over future of H-1B visas
H-1B visas have drawn recent criticism from anti-immigration conservatives and pro-labor liberals. Soundside is joined by a local panel to discuss how the temporary worker system can improve, and what changes could be on the horizon.
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The TikTok ban is delayed... again. What can we learn from the whiplash?
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A new governor and a salmon-shaped budget hole
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New podcast explores why healthcare can cost "An Arm and a Leg"
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Can a river have rights? Everett is finding out
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Some cities are ditching ShotSpotter. Tacoma still wants the gunshot detection technology
Tacoma plans to install acoustic gunshot detection technology this spring in an area that has been the site of several homicides in recent years. But not everyone is convinced the ShotSpotter system will lead to a reduction in gun-related crimes.
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As ShotSpotter rolls out in Tacoma, feelings over gunshot detection technology remain mixed