This Australian Life

October 7, 2013 12:08 AM

Each week we choose a theme and bring you a variety of stories on that theme... well, not quite. But the Australian radio station ABC Radio National has had a program, Now Hear This, running for almost three years now. It showcases storytelling efforts from amateurs and pros, each given five minutes to tell a story on a particular theme. The results are funny, sad, and beautiful, sometimes all at once. You don't need to be Australian to appreciate them. Official site. SoundCloud.

From the program page:

A 'slam' event is where all storytellers are chosen at random and have five minutes to tell their story to the theme. A 'curated' event is where all storytellers have been selected and had their stories worked on before the event to tell an 8-10 minute story.

Slam stories are judged and one is deemed the "slam winner." This story, on the theme of 'Accident', is the only story to date to get a perfect score. You might want to start with it. Then you should listen to more stories.

posted by Quilford (10 comments total)

Oh, and here are some links to full episodes:

Beyond Comfort
Busted
Fame
Families
The First Time
Never Again
Accident!
Standing On The Outside Looking In
Stories of Misadventure
Family (again)
Love and Desire
Canberra (a bit too Australia-oriented, perhaps.)
posted by Quilford at 12:19 AM on October 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

ABC Radio National has some of the best and most innovative radio being produced anywhere in the world right now. Sound Fix and The Night Air are two of my favorites, but there is so much more, and Now Hear This is among them. Great post!
posted by mykescipark at 12:21 AM on October 7, 2013

I need a face book or a google plus to access? grrr.... I fart in your general direction.
posted by panaceanot at 5:01 AM on October 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I'm not aware of that. You sure?
posted by Quilford at 5:27 AM on October 7, 2013

Please select your preferred player: Windows Media - RealPlayer

WTF? Are you kidding me?

The operation couldn't be completed.
The file is not a movie file. (-2048)

Apparently I am using the wrong frequency on my Marconi.
posted by charlie don't surf at 5:28 AM on October 7, 2013

ABC Radio National has some of the best and most innovative radio being produced anywhere in the world right now.

It is a go-to for me. I've not heard of this before, though. So thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Apparently I am using the wrong frequency on my Marconi.

The ABC says hello, and it pleased you have updated from .rm
posted by Mezentian at 5:51 AM on October 7, 2013

Not to be a pedant, but the more appropriate American public radio analogy is The Moth Radio Hour which is also about story slams: true stories told by the people who experienced them and performed either with a random draw+time limit or as part of a fixed showcase. This American Life is a radio documentary. Both are great, but the distinction is worth maintaining as they are two different formats.

With that said, I was about to make a sad face on the real audio and windows media selections, but then was delighted to scroll up and see the soundcloud account. The link to that ought to be more visible
posted by bl1nk at 5:52 AM on October 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

Very strange this is all rm and Windows Media when everything else on the ABC is a simple podcast.
posted by Jimbob at 6:34 AM on October 7, 2013

One of these- about a disastrous job announcing at the MCG- is by a colleague of mine. It's thoroughly amusing.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 12:58 PM on October 7, 2013

Hah! Kathryn Bendall's story is hilarious on reinvention.

from aspiring local politician to self described drug lord.
posted by Nanukthedog at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2013