Viking Youth Power Hour

Viking Youth Power Hour is a podcast originating from Chicago, Illinois.

As part of the first wave of podcasts to hit the internet, recording their first show shortly after New Years 2004, the Vikings, along with Madge Weinstein's "Yeast Radio" became the Chicago media's focal point illustrating "podcasting is the ideal field to bring a real voice back to the people".[1] Featured in Chicago magazine, The Red Eye, a cover article on New City,[1] and a feature interview on Ken Wilber's show "Integral Naked"[2] the Vikings were lauded as keeping "a new trend interesting instead of participating in the inevitable fight to make it yesterday’s news" by New City editors when they were chosen as Chicago's Favorite Podcast[3] by editors and readers in 2005. They were nominated for best adult podcast at PodCastAwards.com first annual awards[4] and in 2008 they were reconfirmed as Chicago's Best Podcast being voted "Best Podcast" in the Chicago Reader's "Best Of Chicago 2008 Readers Poll".[5]

In 2005 the Viking Youth Power Hour became the first ever podcast to record their show on the playa at the Burning Man festival at Black Rock City, Nevada.[6] Returning in 2006, the Vikings drove a 1991 Ford-Thomas school bus converted to run on Waste Vegetable Oil in order to raise awareness of alternative fuel sources. The Vikings also contributed to Burning Man Information Radio's first on-playa daily newscasts.

The Viking Youth Power Hour covers issues that mainstream media typically ignores. Some of these efforts have included helping disseminate information on detailing 'astro turf' organizations efforts to undermine net neutrality,[7] and issuing information on surviving possible future influenza outbreaks.[8]

Past guests have included Burning Man Temple Artist David Best, author Cory Doctorow on his book Little Brother, Daniel Pinchbeck discussing his book 2012 and the value and implications of drug induced possession states, Alex & Allyson Grey, Paul Laffoley, Glen E. Friedman, Jim DeRogatis on his book about The Flaming Lips "Staring At Sound", Hunter S. Thompson biographer Wayne Ewing, author Erik Davis, Ken Goffman aka R.U. Sirius, Ken Gumbs on his documentary "Building Gods", Tom LaPorte presenting his interview with Abbie Hoffman taken during the Chicago 7 Conspiracy Trial, and Disinformation's Jason Louv among others.

They have not made a podcast since April 2, 2013.