The Audio Storyteller

Hey folks, Iโ€™m back on the newsletter after a summer break, following an intense period of reporting, where I was covering maternity care deserts in California and the incredible midwives filling the gap left by hospital closures โ€” but also this much lighter hearted, sound-rich story about sewing and hiking. I know. We all contain multitudes I guess.

Over the past five years, I’ve sensed this yearning for communal experiences. And it’s not just concerts, theatre and book clubs — there are a growing number of listening events for narrative audio too. There’s something about giving a piece your full attention, not while you’re cooking or driving, that honors both the storyteller and your own time. Not to mention the energy and reactions of other people in the room.

The new investigative podcast Safe to Drink opens with this moment when a father is driving his toddler back from daycare. When they get home, he sees that a pallet of plastic bottles has been delivered to his house: 2,700 gallons of water. He didn’t order it. He runs after the delivery guy, tells him there must have been a mistake. The delivery guy sheepishly responds: “You don’t know about this?” That’s how we find out that there’s something in this town’s tap water.

Earlier this year I took the Radio Bootcamp class on video podcasting class taught by NPR’s Nick Michael. The session kicked off with a really interesting discussion about audio behavior and how that determines whether a show should be video. Nick posed the question: literally, what is a podcast? And what’s a video podcast? The idea that stuck with me was that with a podcast, the audience can close both eyes and follow along. With a video podcast, they can use two ears and one eye.

Since 2022, West Virginia has had a near-total abortion ban. Documentary producer Dennis Funk heard reports of women coming to clinics near his home in Pittsburgh, to seek terminations. The anti-abortion protesters soon followed. Dennis wanted to make a story about thisā€”and he decided to focus on clinic escorts, volunteers who accompany patients to their appointments. Over the course of a year and a half, Dennis clipped lav mics on willing escorts, and recorded what they heard.

Columbia’s radio race is happening this week: teams of audio producers from anywhere in the world have 56 hours to complete their stories. That and loads of other opportunities in this issue β€” from a sonic postcard to free video podcasting training.

A couple of years ago I produced a story that broke a bunch of old-school journalism rules. Jamel and Daisy is an audio diary documenting the life of an unhoused person and his beloved dog Daisy. I collaborated with Jamel over the course of several months to make this piece. He had input on the shape of the story, and he also got paid a fee for his time. All elements that would make my old journalism professor frown sternly at me.

There are loads of opportunities to pitch your stories and apply for awards or fellowships in this issue. Plus: the investigative podcast that gave me full-body goosebumps on multiple occasions (it’s been a while since that happened).

The first piece of Sayre Quevedo’s I ever heard made me feel like I was eavesdropping. Espera is a short doc that brings you inside a deeply personal conversation between Sayre and his ex-lover. It’s gorgeously textured and paced - you feel like you’re right there in the bedroom too. This close intimacy – the sense of witnessing something profound between human beings – is present in all of Sayre’s multi-award-winning work.

Here’s your October listings of classes, events and jobs – and there’s actually a lot of jobs this issue! There are also a couple of great awards to enter with deadlines coming up soon – plus a brand new initiative from Resonate Festival that will get you closer to the action if you missed out on a ticket this year.