New: Wendy Searle’s Home Truths
“A podcast series where I interview ordinary, everyday Australians, who have extraordinary stories,” is Wendy Searle’s modest description of her podcast Home Truths.
It is a brand new series with the first three episodes fresh off the PodcastOne production line this week.
And get this, it is a celebrity free zone! Searle speaks with everyday folk. “It might be the person on the bus or the person who makes your coffee. Average people – but behind every person there is a story. I go to their home and share a cuppa with them as they share their stories,” she explained to Mediaweek.
One story from the inaugural episodes is about Diane, a mother who’s marriage ended. “She became terribly ill and she realised after a long time that she had been infected by her second husband. The last thing the doctors tested her for was HIV, so by the time it was diagnosed it was full blown AIDS.”
Searle talks to people after they have dealt with dramatic situations and they reflect on what the learnings were. “What I find from people is that it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s what you do with it. A lot of people find that they are given a purpose to share their stories because they find meaning in it.”
Each episode of Home Truths is a separate story. PodcastOne gave Searle just one microphone for her podcasts so she can’t interject too much! “The podcasts are about people telling their story and I ask just a few questions.”
Searle also runs the Conversation Club, which brings people together to share their stories. “I realised podcasts are a way of making those stories available to people on their terms,” Searle explained.
Searle worked in journalism and PR before she approached PodcastOne with this concept. “I was sick of hearing the same stories from the same 250 people. I did a podcast course and then pitched a podcast I did to PodcastOne and they saw something in me.
“The podcast is a wonderful opportunity for which I am so grateful for.”
For more information visit WendySearle.com.au.
Vice launches The Anxiety Hour
Vice has launched its second new podcast series for 2019, with The Anxiety Hour, which meets and profiles people and discusses mental health. The series is hosted by Vice’s Wendy Syfret.
The new series has launched with Australian TV host Osher Günsberg who, in 2014, had a psychotic breakdown that left him wandering terrified and disorientated in Venice Beach, convinced the world was about to end. On the podcast he speaks about learning to trust your own brain after seeing how deeply it can betray you.
Wendy Syfret said, “Public discussion about anxiety has become so much more visible, but despite suffering from it myself since childhood it still often feels like this invisible presence between us that we pretended isn’t there. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve challenged myself to be open about my own mental health issues. Every time I’ve brought it up I’ve been shocked by how relieved the other person seems to be. This podcast came from those countless, quiet, private conversations and the comfort and clarity they offered me. I wanted to use the show as a space to focus on how despite feeling isolating, our mental health struggles bind us together.”
Listen to The Anxiety Hour here.
Team behind The Split
We reported on the new Mamamia podcast The Split earlier this week. Read the details here.
We can also report The Split will drop each Tuesday for eight weeks, and will be promoted across Mamamia’s owned assets including the 20+ show (60m+ downloads) podcast network, editorial, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
The show’s producer is Elissa Ratliff, who is also the producer of Mamamia’s flagship shows No Filter and Mamamia Out Loud. The project also includes Nama Winston, Mamamia’s commercial and parenting content producer, and the team is led by Rachel Corbett.
Podcast Week: My Top 5
A new weekly feature with media people choosing their favourite recordings.
Nicole Torossian, Senior Trader, OMD Australia
Chat 10, Looks 3
What could be better than Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales talking food, TV, books and movies. Their friendship really shines through as they bag each other out and Leigh breaks out into musical theatre at any moment. Shows another side to them that we don’t see on TV often.
Surviving Y2K
I was only nine years old when Y2K was a thing and I didn’t really know much about it. Y2K brings stories about that uncertain time in history from different walks of life. It has detail on how this all came about and what happened to those who said “I told you so” when everything was fine. It blew my mind the lengths and lifestyle changes people went to for what they thought was the end. It also made me consider all the work that big business were required to complete before the looming deadline.
Mum Says My Memoir is a Lie
This podcast follows the story of writer Rosie Waterland, also known for her Bachelor recaps on Mamamia. She has had an eventful life to say the least but Rosie approaches it with humour as she discusses her childhood with her mum (even if they recall completely different versions).
Making Oprah
Super interesting look at all that went on when Oprah was the best daytime talk show on air. Always wondered about the logistics of “You get a car!” and now I know!
The Dream
An eye opening podcast about multi-level marketing. I’ve been to a few product parties in my time but after listening to this I won’t be attending any more. Goes into detail about the history of MLMs and the tactics these businesses employ to keep people hooked on their failing business model.
