Top KALW Audio Academy Stories Prove That Community Tales Are The Best

By Ben Trefny, News Director, KALW Public Radio

Just wanted to give a quick update on some new stories that KALW has aired from recent Audio Academy graduates:

– Claire Stremple (’17) made a timely piece about a festival that takes place Sunday just inside San Francisco’s McLaren Park celebrating local resident, and Grateful Dead frontman,  Jerry Garcia. I can tell you, too, that Claire has a habit of making really fun stories that strike a chord with local audiences, and in just one day, the story drew more than 1,300 clicks to become the most popular story at KALW. With the festival coming up, this is a key part of media coverage, and it’s the top Jerry Day story on Google News, too. Way to go!

– Audio Academy graduate Kanwalroop Kaur Singh (’17) made a documentary on young Sikhs in the Bay Area. It had a great flow, introduced us to a community we rarely hear about (and then often only when something bad has happened) and sounded great! Also, it got shared plenty, topping 2,000 clicks online at its peak. I can note, too, that Roop recently returned from a reporting trip to Punjab, India, where she’s been reporting on farming and the aftermath of “the Green Revolution.” I worked with her on stories drawing ties to farming in California’s Central Valley, and she ultimately made three documentary-style features that we’ll be airing around the end of the month. Amazing!

– Judy Silber put together a package from The Spiritual Edge with Audio Academy alum Lisa Bartfai (’16). Lisa reported from New Hampshire on an artist working with Russian Orthodox iconography bringing up interesting insights about interpretation and form. If you haven’t heard stories from The Spiritual Edge, do yourself a favor and check them out – consistently among the best stories produced out of our news department!

One other quick note, regarding people who have served as mentors for Audio Academy fellows. A few weeks back, The Stoop launched as a podcast. And after being featured on NPR’s podcast Code Switch, The Stoop was featured on iTunes “New and Noteworthy” podcasts. This coming week hosts Hana Baba and Leila Day will speak at the National Association of Black Journalists’ conference in a seminar about podcasting! Word is spreading about the great stuff happening at KALW!