An audio program like a radio show, usually available for listening or download online. Can be about anything Can be a single podcast or a "serial" A podcast :

Podcasts go back to the days of the radio show where dramatizations captured audiences like TV and movies do today. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story -wiki

Podcasts Have Gained Popularity “What Netflix did for video is what podcasts are doing for radio today.” Norm Pattiz Their audiences are large because podcasts: reach people online rather than through a radio signal are available at one's connivance, not a specific time

Cecila Kang at "Maybe it’s the intimacy of hearing soothing voices piped into your ears through a pair of headphones — or maybe it’s just how much time people need to kill listening to something. Americans spend more than three hours a day commuting, working out and doing household chores that can be accompanied by audio entertainment, according to census data studied by Matt Lieber, a former public radio producer who co-founded the podcast company with Blumberg." Why are podcasts becoming popular? Your ideas? Would you listen to a podcast? What other reasons do you think make them popular? Do you agree or diagree with Kang?

Ms.... Why are we doing a podcast? Covers "Big Skills" and "Big Ideas" 1. Media: conventions of a podcast; as a narrative form; advertising and funding Listening Skills

5. Literary Genres : Mystery and True Crime 4. Critical Thinking 3. Detecting Bias: - Use of sources; Connotation/denotation; Story telling; Reliable narrators; Importance of multiple points of view/narrators; Editing

Writing Skills: 1. Business Writing: - -Memo -Reports 2. Persuasive Writing: - Opening statements for a murder trial - Persuasive essay or paragraph

Hour long radio program also available as a podcast "Serial is a spinoff show from the creators of This American Life... Serial tells one story - a true story - over the course of an entire season."

is one of the most popular podcasts; considered a cultural phenomenon Est. 40 million downloads of Serial as of December 2014

Serial is a new podcast (October 2014) that investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee. Her ex-boyfriend Andan Syed was convicted, but many questions were left. Sarah Koenig and a team produced a series of 12 podcasts looking into "whodunnit".

as a narrative Serial was published as the team was working on the story. They didn't know how it would end, or if they would have a clear ending. Consider how this effects the narrative structure. Podcasts were released one each week. The story develops with its own twists and turns. Sometimes it jumps back and forth, reviews overlooked information, summarizes big pieces of evidence, and asks questions.

Who's who Dana "Producer" Sarah Koenig "Narrator" Ira Glass Judy Snyder From "This American Life" Emily "Manager/ Producer"

Suspect: Adnan Syed Currently incarcerated for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee (life + 30 years) Arrested: Feb. 28th 1999 Convicted: Feb. 25th 2000 Time Served: 15 Years+

Victim: Hae Min Lee Age at death: 18 Found Dead: Feb. 9th 1999 At: Leakin Park Baltimore Death by: Strangulation

Jay Wilds: Key Witness? 1 st interview with the police: Feb. 28th nd interview: May 15th rd interview: May 18th 1999 Trail witness: 1999 and 2000

Other Key Players Stephanie: Jay's Girlfriend Asia Mcclain: Witness for Adnan? Rabia: Friend of Adnan

A podcast as a form of journalism should: Be unbias: tells multiple sides of the story Make a connection to the listener Be objective: lets the listener decide Maintain privacy of sources Be accurate Media Conventions: Consider these conventions as you listen to Serial

Episode 1: The Alibi Key Terms: Hijab MosqueRamadan: Fasting (one of the 5 pillars of Islam) An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made Alibi: someone who can attest for your whereabouts

Memory Challenge: Sarah Koenig says it is difficult to account for our time in a detailed way. This is a major problem for Adnan’s case. Try the exercise below to understand the challenges Adnan faced when he was questioned. Last Wednesday: April 1st 6 Weeks ago: February 25th

Episode 1: The Alibi Goals: Develop background information about the case and podcast Understand the key people involved and how they are involved Connect the first episode to "Elements of a Podcast” Begin to understand persuasion through this medium Listening Skills Listen and fill in the notes as you go. Please ask to stop if you need to. At times there is a lot of detailed information. Most of it comes in order. We can go back and relisten if need be.

Episode 2: The Breakup Goals: Understanding "Spin” Understanding what makes reliable sources Discuss: If someone lies to their family, are they a bad person?

That Adnan lied to his parents about Hae is an important part of the case against Adnan. Listen for these ideas.

Discuss: What makes a reliable source? Discuss: If you were investigating a murder, who would you want to interview? What clues would you look for? What would be important to your investigation

Episode 3: Leakin Park What are your impressions of Leakin Park?

It says “This area patrolled. Dumpers will be prosecuted.” You could barely read it. It’s hard to read a sign that’s covered in graffiti and pierced with seven bullet holes.

About Polygraphs In this episode the police give Jay a polygraph test. He fails the first one, but passes the second. Can you beet a polygraph test?