The Sound School Podcast

The Sound School Podcast The Sound School Podcast is the bi-weekly show on audio storytelling produced by Rob Rosenthal for and . Formerly HowSound

The Sound School Podcast is a bi-weekly show presenting the backstory to great audio storytelling. From fieldwork and recording techniques to narrative and ethics, Sound School Podcast explores the ins-and-outs of radio production. Each episode highlights the work of producers such as Al Letson, Alex Blumberg, Noel King, Leila Day, Saidu Tejan-Thomas, Jr., Phoebe Judge, David Isay, and Susan Stamb

erg, as well as emerging producers from podcasts and local NPR stations around the country. Rob Rosenthal is the host. Rob launched and directed the radio program at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies for eleven years. He was the lead instructor for the Transom Story Workshops for ten years. He’s an audio guy through and through producing podcasts, documentaries, features, multi-media, and audio tours. He now works mostly as a story editor and still teaches from time to time.

David Isay's "Witness to an Ex*****on," still has a grip on me twenty-six years after I first heard it. It's that powerf...
06/03/2026

David Isay's "Witness to an Ex*****on," still has a grip on me twenty-six years after I first heard it. It's that powerful. Listen and discover why I chose it for Sound School's 100th episode. PRX, Transom.org, NPR, StoryCorps.

Witness to an Ex*****on - Transom

By far and away, some of the coolest, hippest, nicest people in audio work at Radio Workshop. And, they were kind enough...
05/21/2026

By far and away, some of the coolest, hippest, nicest people in audio work at Radio Workshop. And, they were kind enough to let me feature a chat Lesedi Mogoatlhe had with Jad Abumrad & Efe Odudu, the Peabody Awards-winnning makers of "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man." Your ears want you to listen! PRX Transom.org

Jad and Fay Fay Talk “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man” - Transom

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 pod...
04/21/2026

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 existence on the latest Sound School. PRX. Transom.org.

Salman Khan’s March to “More Muslim” - Transom

Back when I worked at radio stations, people joked "Silence is bad juju." We're not supposed to include much, if any, si...
04/08/2026

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 in the opposite direction and embraced silence -- lots of it! -- on a recent episode of "Unexplainable," the science podcast from Vox. Noam explains how he craftily deployed silence in his storytelling on the latest episode of Sound School. PRX. Transom.org.

Silence Is Worth Your Time - Transom

Pejk Malinovsky followed a cow for eleven hours. He recorded the whole thing. So, my obvious first question for Pejk was...
03/24/2026

Pejk Malinovsky followed a cow for eleven hours. He recorded the whole thing. So, my obvious first question for Pejk was: "Why the hell did you think that would make for a good radio story?" Pejk's answer? You'll have to listen to find out. BBC Radio 3. PRX. Transom.org.

Revisiting: A Cow a Day - Transom

The best thing about my job hosting Sound School is talking with smart people producing creative stories. Like on the la...
03/12/2026

The best thing about my job hosting Sound School is talking with smart people producing creative stories. Like on the latest episode. Julie Shapiro and John Delore take a dive deep, deep dive into how they brought Audio Flux from idea to podcast. Settle in for this one with stories from Aaron Edwards and Chloe Prasinos. PRX. Transom.org.

Dialing In the Audio Flux Podcast - Transom

She's at Vox now, but back in 2017, when I talked to Noel King she was working at NPR's Planet Money and she offered the...
02/10/2026

She's at Vox now, but back in 2017, when I talked to Noel King she was working at NPR's Planet Money and she offered the best writing advice: Imagine you walk into a bar to tell a friend a story about the economy. That nugget about writing and several more on this archive episode of Sound School. PRX. Transom.org.

Revisiting: Don't Write, Tell - Transom

More New Year inspiration on Sound School. This time from Kabir Jugram. For his first audio documentary, Kabir waded int...
01/27/2026

More New Year inspiration on Sound School. This time from Kabir Jugram. For his first audio documentary, Kabir waded into a thorny topic that cut close to home - the problem South African men have expressing emotions. Radio Workshop. Transom.org. PRX.

Reporting on Emotions in South Africa - Transom

I don't know about you, but after 2025 I sure as heck could use some inspiration. Well, I found some. Late last year, I ...
01/13/2026

I don't know about you, but after 2025 I sure as heck could use some inspiration. Well, I found some.

Late last year, I interviewed two young and emerging producers. I'm featuring those chats as the first episodes of 2026 - an antidote to 2025.

The first is today. An interview with 28-year-old Anna Van Dine who deployed an unusual and somewhat risky maneuver in a documentary she made for Vermont Public.

PRX. Transom.org

What If the Main Character Narrates? - Transom

Let's hear it for newbies! My conversations w/ new & emerging producers are always enlightening. Like my chat with Champ...
12/16/2025

Let's hear it for newbies! My conversations w/ new & emerging producers are always enlightening. Like my chat with Champika Fernando. The narrative maneuver she pulled at the end of a profile she produced was.... well... magic! Especially for someone just starting out. PRX Transom.org

It's Magic - Transom

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