Brian Callanan of Seattle News, Views, and Brews Celebrates Patrons At City Hall
Omari Salisbury (left) and Brian Callanan (right) stand in City Grind Espresso in City Hall earlier this week.
The Seattle News, Views, and Brews (SNVB) podcast recently hosted its first-ever Patrons Appreciation Year-End event at City Hall, celebrating their patrons and extending their commitment to local independent journalism in Seattle.
Set up in City Grind Espresso in City Hall, the event saw hosts Brian Callanan and David Kroman record the 50th SNVB episode of 2025 in front of a studio audience of patrons. Known for their coffee-break sized episodes, the duo covered the flooding in western Washington and Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan vote, all while utilizing the expressive sounds of the coffee shop to close out the year.
“I think we're trying to give a voice to people who might not have that voice a lot of times, and that's very important to me as a journalist,” Callanan said on his intent with the podcast, thanking his patrons for keeping his mission alive.
Callanan laid out his plan for 2026 succinctly.
“We are in for such an interesting…moment in Seattle politics. Kind of an inflection point with a new mayor and new council members coming in,” he said, explaining his focus is on holding the incoming leaders accountable.
Brian Callanan (left) and David Kroman (right) stand in City Grind Espresso in City Hall earlier this week.
SNVB has been a meaningful partner with Converge since 2020, built on a shared core mission of informing local communities and keeping independent journalism alive. Callanan identified racial justice and equitable programming as a key facet of his role as a journalist, making SNVB’s partnership with Converge all the more natural.
“I see Converge as a very different type of media outlet, one that is not beholden to different corporate sponsors or anything like that,” he said. “And I just really see it as a good, independent voice above all else.”
Callanan said that listeners can also expect a few more patrons-first episodes starting in January and continuing throughout 2026. These episodes, which have featured different newsmakers in the Seattle and King County area, will be released to Patreon members first, as a thank you for their support.
Check out Seattle News, Views, and Brews on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, and join their Patreon here.
