ABSTRACT
Following the remarkable success of the narrative true crime podcast Serial in 2014, prominent newspapers turned to podcasting as an accessible and effective way of showcasing in-depth investigative journalism. But moving from a print medium to an aural format is not an easy process. Audio requires consideration of tone, texture, and temporality, while in podcasting, the host traditionally adopts a vernacular voice and a personalized perspective, unlike the detached tone of a print article. To be compelling, an episodic audio story or podcast needs to deploy excellent audio production techniques as well as conventions of narrative structure: strong plot, fully-fledged characters, narrative twists, inviting language, flowing format. This chapter examines how Australian newspaper The Age made two acclaimed narrative podcasts. The author was a consulting producer on both, advising on how to adapt investigative journalism for optimal storytelling-through-sound, and assisting print journalists to transition to the audio medium. The chapter uses actual script iterations of the podcasts along with semi-structured interviews with the podcast production teams to reveal how the narrative podcast form allows rigorous investigative journalism to achieve increased emotional force, combining penetrating analysis with considerable audience impact.
