The Naked Pitch

The Naked Pitch

Author: Rob Rosenthal/PRX/Transom.org February 24, 2026 Duration: 13:32
Short Cuts said no. WNYC said no. Hell Gate said no. Even Transom said no. Finally, after about six months of pitching, Will Coley heard "Yes." Will regales us with his story of how he made it to "yes" with his pitch about public nudity on the latest Sound School. 

Ever wonder how your favorite audio stories are actually put together? Sound School Podcast pulls back the curtain, offering a rare and detailed look at the craft behind compelling narrative audio. Host Rob Rosenthal, drawing from his work with Transom and PRX, doesn’t just play finished pieces; he breaks them down with the producers and editors who made them. You’ll hear the early drafts, the interview clips that didn’t make the cut, and the pivotal editorial choices that shaped the final story. Each episode feels like a candid workshop, dissecting the techniques of pacing, scoring, and interviewing that transform raw tape into emotional journeys. This isn't about abstract theory-it's a practical, behind-the-scenes examination for anyone curious about the how and why of audio production. Whether you're an aspiring creator or simply a dedicated fan of the medium, this podcast provides an invaluable education in the meticulous, often unseen, work that goes into great storytelling. Tune in for honest conversations about what works, what doesn’t, and why the process itself is as fascinating as the finished product.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Sound School Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Witness to an Execution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
How powerful can audio storytelling be? So powerful that distraught listeners stand-up, wave their arms, and yell "Turn it off! Turn it off!" That's how good the documentary we're featuring on Sound School is.
Jad and FayFay Talk "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:52
Jad Abumrad and FayFay Odudu, drop some valuable audio storytelling reporting and production insights on the latest episode of Sound School. Jad and FayFay recently earned a Peabody Award for "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man," th…
Revisiting: Nausea and Forehead Mics - Reporting in Zero Gravity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
Almost every reporting trip has its pitfalls. Andrew Leland's story for Radiolab in 2022 had more than most including nausea, flying in the equivalent of zero gravity, and his blindness. On this encore episode of Sound S…
Salman Khan’s March to “More Muslim” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:44
You could describe it as a long walk. Or a climb up a hill. But, it seems like Salman Khan's path to launching a new podcast was more like a slow, persistent march. Hear how Salman practically willed "More Muslim" into e…
Silence Is Worth Your Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:13
Back when I worked at radio stations, people joked "Silence is bad juju." We're not supposed to include much, if any, silence in audio stories -- for broadcast or podcast. Noam Hassenfeld went the opposite direction and…
Revisiting: A Cow A Day [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:16
The first question I had to ask Pejk Malinovsky was "Why the hell did you think that would make for a good radio story?" Of course it was. Pejk followed a cow for eleven hours recording her every move and turned it into…
Dialing In the Audio Flux Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
Julie Shapiro and John Delore made a pilot for the Audio Flux podcast. Okay, now what? How did they go from pilot in 2024 to podcast in late 2025? On this episode of Sound School, a deep dive comparing the Audio Flux pil…
Revisiting - Don't Write, Tell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:46
Noel King says first things first. Before writing a story, take a friend to a bar and tell them the story. On this archive episode of Sound School, Noel says that's the approach she took back when she reported for Planet…
Reporting on Emotions in South Africa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:49
Twenty-one year old reporter Kabir Jagram says young men in South Africa are stoic. Holding back emotions is a survival mechanism in a country wracked with youth unemployment and that can lead to serious mental health is…
What If the Main Character Narrates? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:25
We're starting the new year with an antidote to 2025 -- two episodes featuring inspiring early-career producers. On this episode, 28-year-old Anna Van Dine from Vermont who deployed an unusual storytelling maneuver that…