🤳Rethink Social Media with Sharp Journalism
Sounds Like Impact: A newsletter for audio and action
Welcome to Sounds Like Impact!
This edition of the newsletter was guest curated by John Patrick Pullen, founder of Long Lead and Executive Producer of Long Shadow.
Before we get into the curation, I want to acknowledge the recent layoffs at Wondery. Over the years, Wondery has created really impactful shows. In fact, up until this week’s announcement, I was working with two guest curators, T.J. Raphael from Liberty Lost and Zach Goldblum from Lawless Planet, to publish in this newsletter. Hopefully, we can still find a way to make the curations happen, but if not, I believe it is still important to support their work.
If you know of any audio roles that would be of interest to those looking for work, whether Wondery, Pineapple Street, or independent, please don’t hesitate to share so that I can amplify in this newsletter.
Coming on the heels of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s announcement, I know what is happening in media feels very bleak. But in the moments when it is darkest, we must go towards the light. Journalism still matters; let’s come together to figure out how we can keep making and supporting good work. For now, if you can, Adopt-A-Station.
-Ayo, Pulisher Sounds Like Impact
ICYMI: Last edition, we had a guest curation on “Inspiring through Education” from Betsy Burris of Teaching through Emotions.
#SLICommunity
Past Sounds Like Impact interviewee Ruxandra Guidi was interviewed about her show Happy Forgetting, which, if you have not listened to it yet, please do!
Opportunities
Black Podcasting Awards (BPAwards) has officially extended its 2025 application deadline through Monday, August 11. Apply now at apply.BlackPodAwards.com
Empact Exchange: Call for projects and services – Are you making a social impact-related audio show? Do you offer services that can help social impact podcasters bring their show from concept to reality, or can you assist with existing shows? Sign up for Empact Exchange!
Reminder: To guest curate, be interviewed, advertise and more, click here.
🎧 #AudioForAction Guest Curator: John Patrick Pullen
Rethink Social Media with Sharp Journalism
According to Pew Research, Americans’ views of both Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg — the heads of the world’s largest social media platforms — are predominantly unfavorable. And despite that distaste, 54% of U.S. adults still get at least some of their news from social media, and 83% say they haven’t paid for journalism in the past year.
I oversee editorial at Long Lead and produce the podcast Long Shadow: Breaking the Internet, and have seen firsthand how high-quality journalism can have a tremendous real-world impact. Changing your media diet is as easy as logging out of social networks and deleting apps off your phone’s home screen. These podcasts have helped me rethink how I consume news, and I hope they’ll change your mind, too.
-John Patrick Pullen, Executive Producer and Co-creator
Follow Long Lead on Instagram at @longlead.
The Ten News, News for Curious Kids
Sure, The New York Times and NPR have great daily news shows. But if we’re going to be smarter in the future, we have to begin with making sure our children get informed. The Ten News is an Ambie Award-winning newscast for kids that is informative enough to satisfy grownups. If I dare listen to something else during a drive with my little ones, they nudge me to stream the latest episode — and I don’t mind, because I get updates on everything from the conflict in Gaza to how tariffs impacted Nintendo Switch 2.
Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino
Who broke the story about Stephen Colbert getting cut loose from CBS? Not Variety. Who first reported the Wall Street Journal had a big Trump/Epstein story coming? Not the New York Post. Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino have been scooping everyone with their newsletter Status, and now it’s rounding up its news with the weekly Power Lines podcast that looks really good when you watch it on YouTube. Small outlets are the new big media — get on board.
Question Everything with Brian Reed
Journalism isn’t easy — just ask Brian Reed, who produced one of the greatest podcasts of all time (S-Town) only to have it hit with a lawsuit. The ordeal made Reed have to rethink journalism, both his and others’, and propelled him to produce this new series that examines the complicated issues surrounding the craft. Even if you’re not in the media, listening to Question Everything will make you a much smarter news consumer.
Though it’s five years old now (which practically makes it ancient in internet time), New York Times journalist Kevin Roose’s examination of how social media algorithms pull users out of society’s shared reality is timely as ever and a foundational education for every internet user today. Once you listen, you’ll never look at your YouTube account the same.
If the internet is a collection of all human knowledge, how do you make sense of everything without hyperventilating? Search Engine’s PJ Vogt serves as the guide in this ongoing effort, using top-notch journalistic chops to explore a new question every week. From memecoins to the national debt to Dave and Buster’s arcade games, this show cashes in on listener curiosity. For instance: “Is there a sane way to use the internet?” That’s an actual episode title.
🌟 Classifieds
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