How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story
How do you successfully pitch a narrative story or series to podcast network or a public radio station? If you dream about making an audio documentary or a limited series, this episode is for you. Katie Colaneri is the thoughtful, fast-rising editor at the head of New Hampshire Public Radio’s audio documentary team — the same team behind the blockbuster hit "Bear Brook." She spent the last year crafting one of the clearest greenlight processes in public media and podcasting. She spec’ed out what pitches this station says yes to, what it says no to, and along the way, what makes for suspenseful, impactful longform storytelling – storytelling that matters in New Hampshire, across the country, and even across the globe. She shares that pitch process with us. And we dissect a This American Life story that started in a one-room New Hampshire school house.
Sound Judgment · Katie Colaneri, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant
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Show Notes
The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: This American Life Episode 776, “I Work Better on Deadline.” Segment: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum.”
Reporter: Sarah Gibson, NHPR
Producer: Chris Benderev
How to be a great host: Katie’s takeaways:
- What are your holy shit moments?
We need holy shit moments. What are those surprises – in the story, or about the people in your story – that make you say, “Wow, you’re never going to believe this!” Holy shit moments help get your pitch accepted – and they generate word of mouth. - In your pitch, identify people – characters – who have high stakes and are in conflict with each other. Make sure you have access to them, too. Care about these people and frame your story through their eyes – in the This American Life story we dissected here, why it matters that one man imagines an eight-year-old breaking a violin, and another is terrified at the prospect of paying thousands to send his kid to a public high school. Snowshoes and violins make important things memorable. Issues alone do not.
- Here’s a three step pitch process for longform narrative: First, write a text-based pitch. This can be a short query letter or a full-fledged slide deck. Then, produce a sizzle reel. Use your best tape from whatever you’ve collected so far. If audio production isn’t your strong suit, ask for help. Finally, get feedback from friends or colleagues. Choose good storytellers or folks who have a great understanding of your potential audiences. Revise as necessary.
- Editors and program directors in public media have tough decisions to make about podcasts. Done well, they can grow your audience enormously. 96% of the NHPR Document feed’s audience is from outside New Hampshire (Katie corrected that figure post-production). But managed poorly, podcasts can rob newsrooms of talent and even hurt local news. As Katie says, the Daily News needs of the state are great. A longform project has to meet a high bar if we’re going to take a reporter out of the newsroom. The new greenlight process helps them decide how to vet story pitches and decide what’s worth listeners’ time - and reporters’ time. This process can help any newsroom, and any podcast network.
About Katie Colaneri
Katie Colaneri is the senior editor of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Document team, which produces longform narrative audio documentaries. The team’s most recent work includes season 2 of the acclaimed true crime podcast, Bear Brook. Before joining NHPR in February 2022, she was the assistant news director at WHYY in Philadelphia, where she helped lead the newsroom for about five years. During that time, Katie also grew the station’s podcast portfolio, launching a daily news podcast and leading production of the Peabody-nominated investigative series Half Vaxxed. Katie is a graduate of Wellesley College.
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Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
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Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
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Credits
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC.
Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir
Production Manager: Andrew Parrella
Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson