#33 - Waiting for Jarod
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Series: SaltCast: the Backstory to Great Radio Storytelling
Length: 13:04
When Meghan Vigeant started crying in class, I knew something was up. The tears welled-up in Meghan’s eyes as she played us interview tape from her conversation with Margery Richard. Problem was, what Margery was saying wasn’t sad.
Students at Salt often get pulled into the emotional drama of their stories. Doing so is a bit risky. Sharing a character’s emotions can cloud a reporter’s judgement and obscure objectivity.
Of course, it’s okay to be sad or happy or mad or… journalists are human after all. But, go too far and you risk not telling a true story. (Or, just to play devil’s advocate, maybe if you share someone’s emotions, your story will be even truer.)
In Meghan’s case, her emotional response turned out to be just fine. Margery was talking about the many deaths in her family during that interview and that triggered Meghan’s memory of her own father’s death. Meghan was able to move past that and re-focus on Margery and the story.
How close to a story can you get? When should you take yourself off a story? When should your editor? How emotional can you get — with your class, with your editor, with the people in your story?
Also in the SaltCast: the Backstory to Great Radio Storytelling series
#59 - Powered By Laughter
(13:11)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
At Salt we say "Music is emotional fascism." It's a bit tongue-in-cheek. But, the idea is that you want to be VERY careful when you choose to use music for scoring a story.
#58 - Dam Radio Story
(17:14)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
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#57 - Song of Marconi
(07:31)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Artist and writer Dennis Downey's essay on Marconi, an early radio pioneer, and talking on the radio.
#56 - Dowser, Consultant to the Universe
(12:25)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Dowswer Glenn Johnson makes a mistake.
#53 - Left For Dead
(17:50)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
"Left for Dead" is probably the most gruesome story reported by a Salt student. It's not for the faint of heart.
#54 - No Brother of Mine
(27:24)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Diane Richard and her husband Todd Melby sure know how to pick a project with a long uphill road to the finish line. On this Saltcast, we talk with Diane and Richard about ...
#52 - Just Another Fish Story
(14:03)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
You didn’t hear this from me, but sometimes the best approach to working on a story is to not have much of a plan.
#51 - Portrait of a Psychic as a Young Man
(11:47)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Ninety-nine percent of the time, using the pronoun “I” in a story is a journalistic no-no. But sometimes, it's a useful storytelling tool.
#50 - Ghetto Life 101
(38:07)
From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
“Ghetto Life 101" is a high-water mark for radio documentary and the story featured on this edition of the Saltcast — our fiftieth!!
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Piece Description
When Meghan Vigeant started crying in class, I knew something was up. The tears welled-up in Meghan’s eyes as she played us interview tape from her conversation with Margery Richard. Problem was, what Margery was saying wasn’t sad.
Students at Salt often get pulled into the emotional drama of their stories. Doing so is a bit risky. Sharing a character’s emotions can cloud a reporter’s judgement and obscure objectivity.
Of course, it’s okay to be sad or happy or mad or… journalists are human after all. But, go too far and you risk not telling a true story. (Or, just to play devil’s advocate, maybe if you share someone’s emotions, your story will be even truer.)
In Meghan’s case, her emotional response turned out to be just fine. Margery was talking about the many deaths in her family during that interview and that triggered Meghan’s memory of her own father’s death. Meghan was able to move past that and re-focus on Margery and the story.
How close to a story can you get? When should you take yourself off a story? When should your editor? How emotional can you get — with your class, with your editor, with the people in your story?
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