Transom

Walking Across America: Advice for a Young Man

Andrew Forsthoefel — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:02:33 +0000

At age 23, Andrew Forsthoefel, set out to walk across America, 4000 miles, with a sign on him that said, "Walking to Listen." It's an epic journey, a coming of age story, and a portrait of this country. Co-produced with Jay Allison.

A Code To Live By In Appalachia

Mary Helen Miller — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:52:56 +0000

There may come a day when races are so blended as to be irrelevant, but not yet. For our first 2012 Transom Donor Fund piece, producer Mary Helen Miller explores the racial identity of Melungeons in Appalachia.

Forgiveness

Bianca — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:46:04 +0000

Sometimes an interview blossoms and reveals depths you couldn’t have imagined when it began. That’s how this piece by Bianca Giaever feels… a gentle conversation that moves into a profound story about race, family, murder, transformation… and forgiveness. Give it a listen along with some of the Sonic IDs that Bianca produced while interning with us this summer.

An Open Letter to a Fussy Woman at a Toll Booth

Donald Whalen — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:58:15 +0000

Donald Whalen is a computer programmer, among other things. He makes stories, like this one, because he has something to say. It is an eloquent statement about casual oppression that many will understand.

Blind Parenting

sam — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:41:45 +0000

Transom is proud to premiere this incredibly charming story by Sterling Smalley with Maura Kutnyak-Smalley. They are brother and sister, both blind, with blind parents, and they ponder together the challenge of raising their own kids—some blind, some not.

Portrait of the Bully as a Young Man

Jones Franzel — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:47:33 +0000

Transom Donor Fund winner, Jones Franzel thought she was advising on a youth-produced feature about Jeff, a bully who ended up in jail, but the portrait changed course, brought Jones into it, and tread on her boundaries between teacher and reporter.

Bucky’s Dome

Katie Klocksin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:57:42 +0000

Up now on the Transom podcast, Bucky's Dome by Katie Klocksin. She produced this piece last fall while attending the Transom Story Workshop.

The D-Word

Ed Prosser — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:52:47 +0000

At Transom, we are steady advocates of Slow Radio, un-rushed humanity-filled storytelling. In that spirit we present "The D-Word" by Ed Prosser. Yes, it's about Death. And about people who make their livings from death. The pace is slow. There is plenty of time, after all. When you feel like changing your rhythm, come listen.

Story Workshop Fall 2011: Pieces

sam — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:09:21 +0000

For seven weeks this fall, students from all over the US (plus Canada and Australia) came to Woods Hole to immerse themselves in radio. Come read about their experiences and listen to some of their work.

Invitation: PRPD Benediction by Jay Allison

Jay Allison — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:19:52 +0000

Jay Allison's "benediction" from this year's Public Radio Program Directors Conference, with both a downloadable MP3 audio file and a PDF of the speech.

Splash

Rich Halten — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:51:28 +0000

Another in our series of Transom Donor Fund projects, “Splash” tells the story of surviving a suicide bridge jump. Producer Rich Halten says his feature occupies the space between journalism and art.

The Memory Palace

Nate DiMeo — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:40:27 +0000

For his Transom feature, Nate DiMeo goes deeply into how and why he produces his podcast, The Memory Palace. If public radio could open its doors -- and why not, after all? --to passionate, unusual work like Nate's, one would love it a lot more.

99% Invisible

Roman Mars — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:07:09 +0000

The artist-driven podcast is a refreshing reminder of what's possible beyond the public radio standard issue. Transom will be featuring a few of these podcasts in the coming months, and our first is "99% Invisible" by Roman Mars. Roman creates lovely little form-is-content pieces about design. Come check out an episode and read Roman's encouraging notes about making creative work.

Scene of the Crime

Paul Bieber — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 14:58:20 +0000

Paul Bieber is a private investigator. He searches for evidence in cases from insurance fraud to murder. Lately, he's decided to get into human rights investigations and went to Colombia to interview victims of paramilitary violence. This violence may have been funded by multinational corporations, a claim that Paul was beginning to investigate, and he wanted to tell the story for radio.

Inside the Adoption Circle – A Transom Radio Special

Viki — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:58:20 +0000

"Inside the Adoption Circle" represents more of Transom's encouragement of Slow Radio. Without hurry, it wanders within the circle made by adopted children, by birth parents making an adoption plan for their children, and by parents adopting the children of others. Viki Merrick and Samantha Broun spent real time with the people they spoke to, and you can hear it.

Polk Street Stories – A Transom Radio Special

Joey Plaster — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:58:20 +0000

Joey Plaster is an oral historian focusing on queer history in the Bay area. He spent over a year in 2008 and 2009, gathering the stories of the Polk Street neighborhood—on the street and alleyways, in the bars and churches, in apartments and shelters, in the missions and the clubs. Produced by Joey Plaster with Jay Allison.

Finding Miles

Sarah Reynolds — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 06:58:20 +0000

This brave and intimate diary illuminates gender transition in an immediate way—from the mundane practical considerations to the fundamental identity transformation. Take some time to follow this path with Megan toward Miles. Produced by Sarah Reynolds with help from Jay Allison.

Working With Studs – A Transom Radio Special

Sydney — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:58:20 +0000

Transom Editor Sydney Lewis crafted this lovely eulogy to America's greatest listener and Transom's patron saint. In a seamless blend of documentary and reminiscence, Sydney and a crew of Studs’ co-workers bring great stories, along with wonderful previously-unheard tape of Studs himself. Produced by Sydney Lewis with help from Jay Allison and Viki Merrick.

Matthew

Helena Keeffe — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:58:20 +0000

Matthew wears a face-mask. He reveals through drawings and sound the story behind the mask. We don’t want to say too much about his story, because its strength is in the unraveling. From a production standpoint, the story couldn’t be simpler. But it will stick with you. Produced by Helena Keeffe with Matthew Blanchard.

Kidnap Radio

Annie Correal — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:00:20 +0000

Annie Correal's father was kidnapped in Colombia by guerillas and held in the jungle for months. He was rescued in a military raid. It was an amazing story, made more so by the fact that it was so common. There are thousands still missing down there, and there’s a radio station that broadcasts to them—messages from their loved ones. Annie went back to tell the story. Produced by Annie Correal with Jay Allison.

Cat Lady

sam — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:58:20 +0000

Transom sometimes provides a home for things that don’t fit anywhere else, things we’d like to hear out of the blue on public radio, but probably never will. Cat Lady is one of those. It’s a portrait, a reading, a vocal impression, a story, a performance. Produced by Joseph Keckler.

Mortified’s “I Hate Drake”

sam — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:11:20 +0000

A co-winner of our Self Portrait competition- from the comedy collective “Mortified” who encourage people to read out loud the most embarrassing things they wrote as children. “I Hate Drake” is an hysterical and heartfelt entry from Will Nolan’s childhood diary about an archetypal bullying episode. Produced by David Nadelberg.

My Most Important Self Portrait

sam — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:58:20 +0000

A co-winner of our Self Portrait competition: A poignant and powerful piece about the producer's own obesity, The animated images of James’s body and the sounds of his voice work together in a dark and elegant duet. We urge you to come take a look and listen. Produced by James Barany.

Tribal Radio

Jesse Hardman — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:46:59 +0000

A report on Native American reservations in the southwest that have their own radio stations which serve as the most essential medium of communication in Indian country. Airchecks from these stations sound alive and connected, peopled by a real range of characters. We also created two radio pieces: an NPR-style news magazine piece and a Transom-style collage. Listen to both. Produced by Jesse Hardman and Maura O'Connor.

Jennie’s Secret

Linda Paul — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:58:20 +0000

An unusual veteran's story about a woman who posed as a man during the Civil War and went on to live most of her life as a man in the tiny town of Saunemin, Illinois. Over the years the town has been ambivalent about their most famous citizen and is struggling to figure out how to honor the memory of Jennie Hodgers/Albert Cashier. Produced by Linda Paul.

Prostate Diaries

Larry Massett — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:53:20 +0000

If this piece were about blood or bones or lungs, it would have aired on NPR. But because it is about the prostate, and includes a talking penis, it presented problems for broadcast. There’s no equal time for body parts. Written by Jeff Metcalf, and performed by Paul Kiernan, recorded and produced by Scott Carrier and Larry Massett.

Killer Whales

Ari Daniel Shapiro — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:15:20 +0000

A gentle paean to the passion field biologists feel for their work, and, in this case, for whales. It also confronts the quandary that plagues both journalists and biologists: What if your quarry doesn't show up? How do you still tell its story? Produced by Ari Daniel Shapiro.

After The Forgetting

Erica Heilman — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:23:26 +0000

This is a delicate story about love and dementia. It weaves memory and moments through the intertwined lives of Greg Sharrow, his mother Marj, and his husband Bob. Also, the producer has written usefully about the process of wrestling with a tricky emotional story. Produced by Erica Heilman.

Curtis Fox

Curtis Fox — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:25:25 +0000

Curtis Fox produces podcasts for The New Yorker, The Poetry Foundation, Parents Magazine and others. He got his start in public radio and it still resonates in what he does. In this issue of The Transom Review, Curtis lays out his podcast philosophy, plays samples, and answers all sorts of practical questions too. Come download the PDF of Curtis’s dispatch from this edge of the multi-dimensional new world of audio distribution.

Love & Radio

Nick van der Kolk — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:18:35 +0000

Somewhere between NPR and a shockumentary special on Fox is alt.NPR’s Love & Radio–a surreal journey into a confusing world of ex-lovers, ex-cult members, and fruit. Lots of fruit. Love & Radio is what Ira Glass might make if he showed up to work drunk.

Dial-A-Stranger

sam — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:50:13 +0000

Dial-A-Stranger takes questions from random strangers (like you), and poses them to other strangers (like you) on the telephone. It’s a source of communication, assistance and entertainment. It is a community project, an anthology, and a hobby.

Studs Terkel 1912-2008

sam — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:35:51 +0000

Transom is again featuring Studs Terkel's Manifesto from 2001, his conversation with Sydney Lewis on radio, improvisation, fireside chats, ineptitude, jazz, Vox Humana, and dozens of other notions his mind leapt to.

Studs remains an inspiration to us--always listening, sending out stories.

When asked what his ideal broadcast day would be, he said, "I'd want the human voice. Expressing grievances, or delight, or whatever it might be. But something real." Something Real.

Frickin Circus

sam — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:26:20 +0000

Part audio blog, part travel show, and part behind-the-scenes at the circus.

Fake City, Real Dreams

Zak Rosen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:40:34 +0000

Zak Rosen is a radio producer. Neil Greenberg is a map-maker. They're both from Detroit, but their hearts are in a different city, a city they think is possible--at least in the imagination and maybe in reality. The radio piece they made together treats this place as if it were real. It is a creative exercise that hints at a plausible future. Fake City, Real Dreams is unlike any "arts feature" you've heard before.

How Are You Who You Are?

Eric Winick — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:32:23 +0000

The Nadeaus were, to most eyes, an ideal family--enlightened, brilliant, prosperous. But then things turned upsidedown. In a remarkable series of events, Doug and Lynn Nadeau were forced to re-define their identities, to confirm the foundation of their love. Produced by Eric Winick.

Creature Comforts

Sydney — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:10:29 +0000

Transom is proud to welcome the creative team behind our favorite animated series, Creature Comforts.

Running From Myself

sam — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 15:25:34 +0000

Louis used to rob people on the street, but he stopped. Now, he's trying to reconcile the person he was with the person he is and wants to be. There's something about Louis' voice; it's both wise and callow. It feels like he has the answers while he's searching for them. Produced by Anthony Mascorro and Louis.

An Evening of 75 Laughs with Jonathan Katz

Jonathan Katz — Mon, 01 May 2006 21:20:00 +0000

When we first featured Jonathan Katz's audio work, he was making funny little pieces in his attic studio. Then, we helped him produce a fake call-in show. Now, we've produced a radio hour from Jonathan's stand-up performance.

Voice of Youth

migrated — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 21:20:00 +0000

We listen to a lot of public radio, god bless it, but certainly it sometimes rolls on in a predictable flow. It's good to remember that there are other ways of sounding.

What we like about these pieces is that they defy the usual tone, subject and source of public radio, yet each is thoughtful, authentic and memorable... just what public radio aspires to be.

Twenty One

sam — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 18:18:38 +0000

"What would you do if somebody told you to make a movie about your life?"

Family Sentence

migrated — Mon, 01 Nov 2004 21:20:00 +0000

"My dad spent 23 years in prison. He started off as a Cuban Revolutionary and later ended up a convicted felon in the United States. We only talked once in the last 16 years. Then, out of the blue I got an email from him. He wrote, 'I'm home. Your biological father, Hector.''"

Seafood Joint, Garbage, & Stress Test

migrated — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 21:20:00 +0000

When we first received Hans' work, the editors didn't know what to make of it. Once they figured it out, they decided he was brilliant and "dangerously ambiguous."

The Tomato & the Big Apple

migrated — Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:20:00 +0000

This high-concept trip follows a tomato from Florida to New York... and, well, sort of back again.

The Imaginary Village

Sandy Tolan — Tue, 01 Jun 2004 21:20:00 +0000

Come listen to this sensitive story from Homelands Productions' World of Difference project about the difficult subject of Palestinian right of return.

Sweet Phil from Sugar Hill

Phyllis Fletcher — Thu, 01 Jan 2004 21:20:00 +0000

A refugee from the Dot-Com bust makes her debut in long form radio. Full of clever production, it is the story of a large, difficult and remarkable personality, Phyllis Fletcher's father, and it's told with great care and no blame.

Of a Piece

migrated — Thu, 01 Jan 2004 21:20:00 +0000

How do you maintain family traditions, or build new ones, after a divorce? Would an 8,000-piece jigsaw puzzle help? Michelle Orange thinks so. In fact, she'd even go 12,500.

Girl Detectives

migrated — Mon, 01 Dec 2003 21:20:00 +0000

Sue Mell is an artist and writer and she's also been a stand-up comedian. This is her first radio piece. It's not funny. It's about the aftermath of a friend's murder, and the desire for resolution.

Perfect Hearing

Nubar Alexanian — Wed, 01 Oct 2003 21:20:00 +0000

Nubar Alexanian is a Documentary Photographer, but this story could not be told well in pictures. It's about impaired hearing. And acceptance, and love, and endurance, and other messages hidden beneath the surface.

Deviation

migrated — Mon, 01 Sep 2003 21:20:00 +0000

Recorded in the woods at the time of full moon, a piece produced with a folding and unraveling technique, full of forward motion....

Jimmy and Jewel: A Love(?) Story

migrated — Sun, 01 Jun 2003 21:20:00 +0000

At his grandfather's funeral, a woman he'd never met gave Jason Rayles a rose. In his first piece for radio, he tries to find out who this woman was... and a little more about his grandfather.

“K-ROCK Lives!”

migrated — Thu, 01 May 2003 21:20:00 +0000

Adventures in bad-ass commercial rock radio studios too early in the morning.

If You Were Thomas’s White Girlfriend

migrated — Tue, 01 Apr 2003 21:20:00 +0000

A story about Thomas William, one of the Sudanese "lost boys" in Maine, and what it might be like if you were his girlfriend.

Darth Vader Impersonator Impersonator

Sean Cole — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 21:20:00 +0000

The Dark Side of the Farce.

The West Desert

Scott Carrier — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 21:20:00 +0000

Scott Carrier explores "the basement" of waste in Western Utah.

Knitting with Dog Hair

migrated — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 21:20:00 +0000

Is it fact? Fiction? Neither? Both?

Buffalo Turkey Tail

migrated — Wed, 01 May 2002 21:20:00 +0000

In search of the better part of the bird.

Carrie’s Letters from Jail

migrated — Sun, 01 Apr 2001 21:20:00 +0000

One woman's personal account from behind bars.

Radio~Sound~Art

migrated — Thu, 01 Mar 2001 21:20:00 +0000

A primer on sound art produced by Joan Schuman.