Radio Diaries

[Grant Barrett]

Folks looking for samples of varying unprofessional accents and voices could do
worse than to check out this site.

(From the Scout Report)

14. Radio Diaries [RealPlayer]
http://www.radiodiaries.org/

Radio Diaries is a nonprofit radio production company which looks "to
find extraordinary stories in ordinary places, to create original and
moving first-person documentaries - true radio verite - from voices
that are rarely heard." And that it does. Radio Diaries staff train
all kinds of people -- from teenagers to the elderly -- to become
reporters. These fledgling reporters create tapes about their area of
interest, tell their stories, and send their product back to Radio
Diaries. A collaborative editing process then ensues, and the end
product is aired as part of National Public Radio's All Things
Considered. The Radio Diaries site brings together an amazing range
of recorded stories divided into adult and teen areas. Two examples
of diaries on the site include a piece by a teenager from New York
City with Tourette's Syndrome as well as the story of the last two
known remaining Civil War widows whose husbands fought on opposing
sides of the war. Users can listen to the recordings using
RealPlayer, or they can read transcripts; other materials are
occasionally included too. The site encourages users to send in their
own story ideas and will provide even more support for creative
ventures with their Handbook for Teen Reporters (available in January
of 2000). The site also has a store section where tapes of various
radio diaries are for sale. [REB]