How To Tell Underreported Stories With Audio

Objectives:

After this lesson, students will be able to...

• Analyze how audio can be used to tell underreported stories
• Examine the process that audio journalists follow to produce a story
• Practice methods for using audio to communicate stories and ideas
• Produce their very own audio piece

Warm-up:

1. Take a moment to answer the following questions:

1. What is audio journalism?
2. What is your familiarity with audio journalism or podcast journalism? 
3. Podcasts have become popular among audio journalists. List and describe some podcasts that you listen to or know about. 
4. As a listener, what is appealing or exciting about podcasts? 

2. The Pulitzer Center is a global nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting underreported stories. Watch the video below, which features Pulitzer Center editors and journalists, to familiarize yourself with the term “underreported story.”

Introducing the Skill: Telling Stories With Audio

Once journalists have an idea for an underreported story, there are a lot of ways that they can communicate that story. Some journalists write articles, some take photos and capture an image that tells a story, some use video or audio, and some combine several methods into one. Journalists who use audio to tell stories are called audio journalists.

In this lesson, students will discover the skills and techniques audio journalists employ to tell underreported news stories. They will engage with a series of videos that capture the insights of experienced audio journalists. Throughout the series, featured journalists Alice Qannik Glenn, Jenna Kunze, and Nate Hegyi share their investigative processes and the practices they use to ensure ethical and authentic representation of the people most impacted by the systemic issues we see in our news cycle.

In 2020, Glenn, an Iñupiaqj journalist, and Kunze collaborated on the reporting project Alaska Natives on the Front Line to explore how locals in Utqiaġvik are adapting to their rapidly changing environment. In 2021, Hegyi investigated and reported on deaths, mistreatment, and neglect in tribal detention centers. Hegyi’s project is titled Promised Justice.

Play each video below in order and hold time for students to engage in small group discussions using a set of questions. These discussions will prepare students to create their own piece of audio journalism.

Part I: Telling Underreported Stories With Audio

Take notes as you watch. Answer these questions to guide your notetaking or answer them after you watch the video.

• How does audio journalism connect the listener to the people at the center of a news story?
• What quote does Alice share at the beginning of the video? Why might this be important for journalists to reflect on as they embark on their reporting journey?
• What questions should you ask yourself when choosing a topic or issue to report on?
• According to Nate, what should you do if you are wondering whether your story works for audio?
• What was the emotional nut of Nate’s story? 
• According to Alice, how can background and environmental sounds help listeners form a deeper connection to the story?
• Can you think of an underreported story in your community that might be suited for audio journalism?

Part II:  Making a Reporting Plan for an Audio Story

Take notes as you watch. Answer these questions to guide your notetaking or answer them after you watch the video.

• According to Jenna, what is an important pre-reporting step?
• What should you keep in mind as you are crafting your hypothesis?
• What can act as a north star for you throughout your investigation/reporting process?
• What steps should you take before and after an interview?
• How did Nate adjust and finalize his hypothesis?
• What is signposting and why is it a useful technique?
• According to Alice, what elements make audio reporting powerful?

Optional Skill Drill/Assignment: In the video, Nate says, “Why is this story important? Why do these voices matter? Creating a universal line that captures the why of your project can be a north star for you throughout your investigation process. It’s a phrase that may help re-center you and also a value that you want to communicate to listeners.” Read, watch, or listen to a short news story. Write a universal line (one sentence) that captures the why of the story. Click here to explore Pulitzer Center-supported stories. 

Part III. Best Practices for Your Podcast

Take notes as you watch. Answer these questions to guide your notetaking or answer them after you watch the video.

• How can enlisting the help of a community member improve the quality of your story?
• According to Alice, what are some ways journalists can build trust and rapport with the people they are interviewing? Make a list.
• According to Alice, when interviewing people, journalists should follow their what?
• Nate shares that journalists might find themselves in a “deep dark forest” especially when writing or editing. What does he mean by this?

Practice: Planning and Creating Your Own Audio Story

Step 1: Explore audio stories and find your style

Before you decide what you want your audio story/podcast to be about, become more familiar with different styles of audio journalism. Listen to a few audio stories that vary in style (non-narrative, conversational, long-form, hybrid, etc.) to get a sense of the different ways audio stories can be structured. As you listen, consider the following questions:

• What do you like about the way the story is being communicated?
• How is the journalist/host keeping the listener engaged?
• What are some of the audio elements in the story? (sound effects, music, etc.)
• How is it structured? 
• Is there a particular style you are drawn to?

Below is a list of Pulitzer Center-supported audio projects and stories to help you get started. However, students should not feel limited to this list. Feel free to explore additional audio stories/podcasts. Some platforms where you can listen to free podcasts include Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

• Alaska Natives on the Front Line
• Promised Justice
• “In California, Salinan Indians Are Trying To Reclaim Their Culture and Land”
• “How Schools in Brazil Are Teaching Kids To Eat Their Vegetables”
• “NYC’s Trees: A Natural Defense Against Heat, but Not Equally Shared”
• “Coronapod: The Inequality at the Heart of the Pandemic”
• “Hunting the Ghost Fleet”
• "The Mothers Who Hunt for Mass Graves"
• The History of Pandemics in Indian Country

Step 2:  Brainstorm

Brainstorm underreported issues you could report on. Are there any issues in your community that you think more people should be aware of? Make a list of two-three underreported issues. 

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: Start by naming your own interests or curiosities about the world around you. What do you care about? What are you passionate about and why?

Step 3: Identify the underreported issue you want to report on

Now it is time to narrow down your list. Examine your list and choose the story that you think is best suited for audio. When making your decision, draw on what you learned today. Once you have decided on the issue you will be reporting on, start doing research. When doing your research, make sure to record your findings.  

Consider the following quesions:

• Does your story have an emotional nut? What is it?
• Who are the character(s) in the story? What makes them compelling?
• Is this an issue people need to know about? Why?

Step 4: Craft a hypothesis

After doing research on your issue, develop a hypothesis. 
Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: As you begin your research, think of yourself as a scientist and develop a hypothesis! Make a claim or statement that you plan to prove as a result of your investigation. Expect your hypothesis to be challenged, to change, and to evolve based on what you learn through research and conversation. Create your hypothesis knowing that it will probably change based on the new information you are gathering through interviews or research.

Step 5: Choosing interviewees

Make a list of two-three people you would like to interview. When thinking of who to interview consider the following: 

• In your research, did you come across any experts or community leaders who could speak on the issue?
• Are you interviewing anyone who is being affected by the issue? 
• Are you interviewing anyone who is working to solve the issue?
• Whose voices are you uplifting and why?
• Remember the quote Alice shared: “Nothing about us, without us.”

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: When considering who to interview, think about whose perspectives you want to include in the story you’re covering. You may want to enlist the help of a community member to help you make this list. For Alaska Natives on the Front Line, I [Jenna] reached out to Alice, who I knew was a podcast journalist and a native of Utqiaġvik. We leveraged her expertise in her community to make connections and set up interviews with people. A trusted community member can also help you identify your blind spots and craft interview questions that ensure accessibility, accuracy, and authenticity.

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: Does your story feature an interesting character? Can this character convey what they are feeling about a subject well so that it makes sense to other people?

Once your list is ready, reach out to your interview subjects. The subject is the person you are interviewing. It is unlikely that everyone will be available for an interview, so be ready to adjust as needed. When reaching out, make sure to share the following information with your interview subjects:

• Who you are
• What issue you are exploring
• Why you would like to talk to them specifically about this issue
• How long the interview will take
• If and why the interview will be recorded
• Where the interview may appear (Will it be published online? In your school paper? Is it just for your own private research?)

Step 6: Prepare!

Preparation is key to a successful interview. Once you know who you will be interviewing, use the list below to prepare for your interview:

• Background research: Do some background research on the person you will be interviewing. This will help you determine what kinds of questions you should ask during the interview. 
• Prepare questions: Write six-10 questions that you would like to ask the interviewee. Write open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are more broad and will encourage the interviewee to talk more. Remember the five W's: the who, what, when, where, and why of the story. 
• Location: Find a quiet place where you will be able to hear the interviewee speak clearly. Remember that you will be recording them, so it is important that there aren’t any distracting background noises. Try to find a space that is comfortable for the person you are interviewing.
• Technology: Make sure you have a device that you can record your conversations, interviews, and other sounds in. You can do this on a phone or any recording device. Test out and charge any equipment you will be using ahead of the interview.

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: When you’re interviewing someone, especially for podcast journalism, trust and rapport-building is key. You can cultivate that connection by meeting in a safe space, sharing interview questions in advance, getting permission to record, and allowing the interviewee to build an image of themselves.

Step 7: Conduct the interview(s)

Make sure to note down basic information like the interviewee’s full name, occupation and/or community role, expertise, and other relevant information. Start by asking the interviewee to introduce themself. Read from your list of questions, but also actively listen to your interviewee’s responses and be prepared to steer the conversation in another direction with new follow-up questions. Additionally, depending on the style of the audio story/podcast. you might want to keep it more conversational. When the interview is over make sure to thank the interviewee. 

At this point you might also want to record any environmental or background sounds that might make listeners feel more connected to the story.

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: Even if an interviewee struggles with responses, the beauty of audio is that you can summarize points and interject with clarifying details so that the final, edited version is robust and clear while still centering the character’s voice.

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: Take time to write down notes immediately after an interview. You’ll have recordings of your conversations, but you also want to record your own thoughts and connections so you don’t lose them later. You’ll also want to habitually return and revise your hypothesis as you gather more information.

Step 8: Script and record the first draft

Listen to your audio. As you are listening, write down any moments and/or quotes that stand out to you. Next, use your notes to write a script. The script will depend on the style of your audio story/podcast. The script should outline the format of your podcast. Indicate the following in your script: 

• Introduction and opener: Recall Nate’s advice: “Choose a good opener. Think dessert before vegetables. You want to start your audio story/podcast with an intriguing and entertaining opener.” In your introduction, you’ll want to welcome listeners, introduce yourself as the host, and explain who you are and what the audio story/podcast is about. 
• Guest introductions: You might have already asked guests to introduce themselves during their interviews. If you did not, make sure to introduce listeners to any guests/interviewees. 
• Segues/Transitions: In order for your audio story/podcast to flow naturally, indicate when and how you will transition from one point to another. 
• Sound effects: If you are thinking about incorporating any sound effects, you should indicate where you will add them in your script. Sound effects can also be used as transitions. 
• Outro: This is the conclusion of your audio story/podcast. Take this moment to wrap up your audio story/podcast and make any closing remarks.

Now that you have a script, use it to record the narration. Next, combine all of the different components (narration, interviews, sound effects, etc.) to create your first draft. Here is a list of free platforms where you can edit your audio story/podcast to create your first draft:

• Audacity
• GarageBand
• Anchor

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: Remember the elements that make audio reporting so powerful—emotions, accents, laughter, unique sounds, and honest conversations.

Step 9: Enlist an editor

Enlist a friend, family member, classmate, or teacher to listen to your first draft. Ask this person to act as your editor and help you finalize your story. Your editor should offer feedback and suggestions. In the world of journalism, editors are crucial! 

Journalism Skillbuilder Tip: A good partner and editor can help you make the story engaging and easy for people to listen to.

Step 10:  Make final edits and publish!

Reflect on the feedback and suggestions from your editor. Be open to making changes. Make your final edits and finalize your audio story/podcast. Once your audio story/podcast is finalized, publish it, and share it with the world!

Here are some platforms where you can publish your audio story/podcast for free:

• SoundCloud
• Buzzsprout
• Anchor
• Podbean

We'd love to hear your finished audio piece, so send it to [email protected]! 

Extension Activities:

Option 1: What makes audio journalism different from other mediums, like photo and video journalism?

Now that you have an understanding of audio journalism, respond to the question above with a short three-five- minute audio piece. Recall what Alice, Jenna, and Nate shared in the videos you watched today. Consider the following elements:

• Accessibility of audio stories/podcasts 
• Intimate nature of audio stories/podcasts 
• Connection with hosts and/or guests

We'd love to hear your finished audio piece, so send it to [email protected]! 

Option 2: Non-narrated Audio Story

Many audio stories/podcasts are non-narrated, which means that there is no narration from the journalist or host. This kind of story is comprised of other voices, such as the subjects that make up the story. Since you already created an audio story/podcast, you should already have a story. Use this story and edit to create a new non-narrated audio story/podcast. Your audio story/podcast should be two-five minutes long. 

We'd love to hear your finished audio piece, so send it to [email protected]!