Reality Radio, Second Edition

Book excerpt: This new revised and expanded edition of Reality Radio celebrates today's best audio documentary work by bringing together some of the most influential and innovative practitioners from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. With a new foreword and five new essays, this book takes stock of the transformations in radio documentary since the publication of the first edition: the ascendance of the podcast; greater cultural, racial, and topical variety; and the changing economics of radio itself. In twenty-four essays total, documentary artists tell--and demonstrate, through stories and transcripts--how they make radio the way they do, and why. Whether the contributors to the volume call themselves journalists, storytellers, or even audio artists--and although their essays are just as diverse in content and approach--all use sound to tell true stories, artfully. Contributors include Jad Abumrad, Daniel Alarcon, Jay Allison, damali ayo, John Biewen, Emily Botein, Chris Brookes, Scott Carrier, Katie Davis, Sherre DeLys, Ira Glass, Alan Hall, Dave Isay, Natalie Kestecher, Starlee Kine, The Kitchen Sisters, Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder, Maria Martin, Karen Michel, Joe Richman, Dmae Roberts, Stephen Smith, Alix Spiegel, Sandy Tolan, and Glynn Washington. Jad Abumrad, Radiolab Daniel Alarcon, Radio Ambulante Jay Allison, The Moth Radio Hour, Transom.org damali ayo, independent audio producer John Biewen, audio program director at CDS, Scene on Radio Emily Botein, vice president of On-Demand Content, WNYC Chris Brookes, independent audio producer, Battery Radio Scott Carrier, This American Life, Home of the Brave Katie Davis, special projects coordinator at WAMU, Neighborhood Stories Sherre DeLys, 360documentaries, ABC Radio National Ira Glass, This American Life Alan Hall, independent audio producer, Falling Tree Productions Dave Isay, StoryCorps Natalie Kestecher, Pocketdocs, ABC Radio National Starlee Kine, Mystery Show The Kitchen Sisters, The Hidden World of Girls, Hidden Kitchens Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder, Serial Maria Martin, Latino USA, GraciasVida Center for Media Karen Michel, independent audio producer Joe Richman, Radio Diaries Dmae Roberts, independent audio producer Stephen Smith, APM Reports Alix Spiegel, Invisibilia Sandy Tolan, independent audio producer, Homelands Productions Glynn Washington, Snap Judgment