Category Archives: Pitches

calls for pitches

Pitches

Call for stories! Bad Advice/Second Chances at Audio Under the Stars, deadline Sept 12

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Call for story submissions for Audio Under the Stars. Details HERE and below! – Mia
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Audio Under the Stars, Durham, N.C.'s summer-long audio festival, is looking for audio stories for the final show of the summer: Bad Advice and Second Chances.

Some of us have actually paid cash money for a 1974 Dodge Dart. Tell us your stories about when you listened to your Uncle Leo rather than your common sense and a Consumer Reports review . . . or any other time you told that small voice in your head to shut up and sit down, and how you've lived to tell the tale.

We love sound-rich stories that make us think, make us laugh, and take us to places near and far. Share your work or work you find compelling made by someone else. We want to hear it all, even if it's not a perfect fit for the theme.

We need your help to find the best of the best. Use this form to submit a story for consideration— submit as many stories as you'd like! The deadline is 11:59 p.m. on September 12, 2015.

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Pitches

Modern Notion call for (written) pitches

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Call for PRINT pitches from Modern Notion. They have a radio show/podcast as well. Details and contact info below. -Mia
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Modern Notion: Call for pitches
Science and history touch every aspect of life—life is science and history, it's just that sometimes, it's hard to see. We want pieces that amplify the science and/or history behind a story and thread it through to create a compelling, original but anchored piece. 

We’re looking for a range of pieces. Pieces that answer everyday questions, like: does blowing on your coffee actually cool the hot liquid? To pieces that explore current events: how will barnacles help us unearth Malaysia Airline's MH370's flight path? To pieces that take a strong opinion of cultural phenomena though the lens of science or history: why Americans should (but won't) eat horse.
Sometimes the science or the real history is controversial, and we don't want to shy away from that. And sometimes, the science and history leaves us with more questions than answers. We love mysteries on Modern Notion, and even if we don't always solve them, we like spelunking through them and emerging with a deeper understanding of their significance.
We pay for all stories. That number varies with each story (length, type, etc).

You can send pitches to dara@modernnotion.com


Pitches

Upworthy is now accepting freelance pitches

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This post has been making the rounds, but in case you haven't seen it, Upworthy is now taking freelance pitches. Request your freelancer packet at the address below. (I did!) -Mia
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From Amy O'Leary,

Hey!


I hope you're all doing great!  I've been working for the last six months at Upworthy, where I'm running the editorial team these days. Since I joined the company, we've been making a transition toward doing more original storytelling, and just this week we launched a freelance program.  We are excited to be hearing from all kinds of storytellers — not just traditional text-based journalists — to bring attention to stories for a better world.  And we are looking for pitches!  We've already worked with one radio journalist who has done some Upworthy versions of his original reporting for radio. We're happy to find ways to make stories you've done in other mediums go viral.

We love stories that are SURPRISING, VISUAL, MEANINGFUL and SHARABLE. Most of our stories are short — around 500 words, and are most interested in empathetic storytelling about human beings (we are less interested in essays, but more interested in surprising anecdotes). We love photo stories, too.

If you are interested in learning more, email pitches@upworthy.com for a freelancer packet that explains what we're looking for!

And pitch us!  We've already taken nearly a dozen stories in the last 2-3 days.

Feel free to share this email with your own networks of storytellers as well!

Cheers,

Amy

Pitches

Call for Pitches from Making Contact

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Call for pitches from Making Contact. A great place for longer-form radio stories on important topics. Details below!

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Dear Freelancers,

We’re looking for pitches from freelancers on several themes. If you feel you have a story that fits or a new idea, please let us know!

We’re also always interested in pitches on any of our regular beats: prisons, poverty, corporations’ undue influence, reproductive health, climate change and the environment.

Formerly Incarcerated Change Makers

Do you know someone making change in your community or at the national level who was formerly incarcerated? It doesn’t have to be in the area of criminal justice but we’re looking for stories about people who are in some way working for change, after spending time in prison.

Tent Cities

“Hoovervilles” were named in shame a US President who was blamed for the great depression.  But collective living among the homeless has its supporters too.

Dignity Village in Portland and Nickelsville in Seattle are just two examples of self-managed “tent cities” that have arisen in the recent past—not simply last resorts stemming from an underfunded social service system, but chosen alternatives for those alienated by the institutional approach. And as the years go by, some of these “temporary” communities are threatening to become a permanent part of America’s future urban landscapes.

We are looking for personal stories that take us inside temporary communal homeless villages, small and large.  The listener should learn about the honest pros and cons, in an effort to see whether collective knowledge is being gained about arrangement and management.

***Please note–We did a show on squats last year, so we are not looking for that type of situation. The communities should be constructed by and for the homeless, not a reclamation of already existing structures.

Guilt by Association

We’re looking for stories about people who are targeted, not because of what they might have done, but because of their connection to an individual or group. It could be a story from the criminal justice system, but we’re also open to other stories that might fit this description.

Informal Labor Markets

What do you do when you can’t find a job? Whether it’s because the local economy is severely lacking employment opportunities; or how age, gender, and race play out in the labor market; or the marketability of skill sets, there are various reasons people are pushed into informal labor. These are essentially marginal jobs people take on to survive, such as collecting recyclables, or  transporting goods categorized as personal luggage across borders. Some suggest training and certificate programs are what’s needed.  But is that really getting to the heart of the problem? What pushes people into informal labor markets? What impact does that have on economies and people’s lives?

Climate Change

“Climate Resilience” and “Social Cohesion” are terms used by environmental justice advocates and academics to mean various things. We want stories that explore these terms. It could be a local clean energy project, local economies, New  York after Sandy or something else. How are communities working not just to survive but thrive?

OR

What’s faith got to do with climate? “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment and humanity’s responsibility to protect it, might give faith-based environmentalists added stimulus to organize. What are groups like Global Catholic Climate Movement doing to mobilize young Catholics. What are the tensions and contradictions between the Pope’s hopes and the general churches’ actions? And how significant was this call to action from the Islamic Climate Change Symposium?

The Starkest Borders

US/Mexico  Spain/Morocco  Israel/Palestine Greece/Albania  Singapore/Malaysia South Africa/Zimbabwe

It's at these crossroads of rich and poor nations, that the arbitrary nature of our borders is truly revealed. Why is the water undrinkable, 50 yards away from a place where it’s clean? Why are robust social services only available on one side of a fence?

This show is not about immigration.

We are looking for stories that bring us to one or both sides of borders between countries with vastly different standards of living, and see how the disparity affects the people and culture of those who live in close proximity. Interesting stories about professions that require people to cross everyday to work? Kids who cross to go to school?  Cross border medical care dilemmas?

What about the parallel histories of border cities on each side? Who drew that border, and why were some people left on the “wrong side”.

We would also be open to stories about the border between a country at war, and another at peace.

Specifications

Making Contact is an award-winning, 29-minute weekly magazine/documentary-style public affairs program heard on 140 radio stations in the USA, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.  Amplifying voices and perspectives rarely heard in mainstream media, Making Contact focuses on the human realities of politics and the connections between local and global events, emphasizing positive and creative ways to solve problems.

This call for pitches is for segments of about 8 minutes(unless otherwise noted), and we pay $450 per story of this length. We also occasionally take longer pieces (12 or 26 minutes).  

As with any pitches you send us, please check out our show and read our guidelines before you pitch. http://www.radioproject.org/production/submission-guidelines/

Consider the following. Does the story:

Link grassroots issues and human realities to national or international trends?

Give listeners a historical, political, or social context of major national and international events?

Shed light on social and economic inequities?

Explore any alternatives or solutions?

Send pitches to pitches@radioproject.org. Please be detailed but succinct, and include a description of your idea, narrative/story arc, interview subjects, scenes, and sounds/ambi. If you’re pitching to us for the first time, please include a brief bio and relevant audio clips.


We look forward to hearing from you!

Laura Flynn, Jasmín López, Andrew Stelzer & George Lavender

Making Contact producers


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Pitches

Snap Judgment Call for Pitches, rolling deadline (they ALWAYS want great pitches)

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Call for pitches from SNAP!! (Newly partnered with WNYC – nice!)

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Hello everyone,


I'm excited to share the most recent edition of Snap Judgment themes! 

Before you pitch, please review our guidelines at www.snapjudgment.org/pitches to make sure your story is a good fit. You can send your brilliant pitches or questions to performers@snapjudgment.org.

Okay, onto the themes:

***Any Really Good Story***

We will never stop saying this.  If your story is amazing, it will make it on the air, theme or no theme.  In fact, consider the following themes inspiration, but do not take them as gospel.    

***Black Box***

Stories which only work because of what we don't know.  An unopened letter. The secret behind a magic trick.  The room you weren't allowed to enter as a child.  Stories in which some people want to open the box, and others don't, because — this time — the truth just might not set them free.  

***Long Distance***

Stories about that time someone went the extra mile with unexpected results. Long distance competitions, adventures, relationships, etc. Just remember, there’s gotta be a darn good reason for going just that far.

***Shangri La/Atlantis/Paradise Lost***

A childhood fantasy world or a grown up’s Eden, we want your stories about that hidden utopia that no one else knows about, or maybe just that one else else cares about!

***Water Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink***

Sometimes we’re surrounded by a bounty that’s just out of reach. Bring us your stories of famine during feasts, the virgin at the sex party, the blind juggler in a circus tent. Don’t be afraid to get creative!  

***Albatros/My Cross to Bear***

Stories of people carrying around something (either figuratively or literally) that weighs them down.  A duty.  A debt.  A reputation.  A lingering question.  Do they shake it off or learn to live with it?  Let us know.

***The Tax Man***

Yup, stories about taxes.  Fair or unfair.  Collecting them.  Dodging them.  And not just government taxes.  Crushing loans. Protection money.  The makeup tax.  But remember: no exploring an issue for the sake of exploring an issue.  We need plot, people.

***Rising Tide***

Do you know someone who is denying a change that’s happening all around them? Or something that's going to happen whether they want it to or not? Stories of confronting, fighting or fleeing a mounting force of nature, stories that inch towards something big, real big.

***Sell Out***

What’d they do? Why did they do it? Calling all stories of backroom dealings and record label signings.

***The Tape***

Stories in which a recording – once seen or listened to – has the power to change everything.   


Pitches

Reveal call for pitches on race and gender, deadline Aug 28

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Reveal put out a rare call for pitches on race and gender. Details HERE and below. Deadline Aug 28. 

Wanted: Pitch us your investigations on race and gender

We want to invest in groundbreaking investigations into two of the biggest issues around: race and gender in America.

So, whether you’re an independent journalist with a hot idea to pitch or a newsroom that could use help, we want to hear from you.

It’s hard to imagine two more important issues in America today. Basic promises of civil rights made generations ago continue to go unfulfilled. Systemic racism and sexism make inequality a reality for entire swathes of Americans every day.

We want to uncover these stories of injustice, and we strive to do so each year. But we’re also setting aside a significant budget over the next year to fund stories from independent journalists or to support newsrooms that might not have the budget or the investigative expertise to meet their ambitions.

We might seed one big story or a number of individual stories from different sources. We’d look to do the stories on one or all of our platforms. In particular, we’re looking for radio-friendly stories with strong characters for our new show, “Reveal.”

Looking for examples of the kinds of stories we want? We’d like to keep it as open as possible, so we cast a wide net. Instead, here’s our list of questions we think about for each investigative story:

  • Is it uncovering a new problem?
  • Are people being harmed?
  • Can you quantify the problem?
  • Can you hold people accountable?

If you’re interested, please send me an email at adonohue@cironline.org answering the above questions. Deadline for submissions is Friday, Aug. 28.


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Pitches

Bay Area audio tour company, Detour, now accepting pitches, deadline Aug 19

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Very awesome Bay Area company wants your pitches. Details and RFP below!
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Juliet here, Production Manager at Detour. Detour makes "stories that take you places — gorgeous location-aware audio walks" and I'm writing to let you know that we are now open for pitches! We are actively seeking ideas for new great Detours — and the producers to create them — in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We’re commissioning Detours that will be put together over a 3 to 4 month production process, starting in September 2015. We’re most interested in pitches from producers / teams with significant audio or video production background.

Haven't taken a Detour yet? There's a code in the RFP (attached) that will let you take one for free.


We’ve got a few specific places and themes we are interested in this time around, but we’re open to other ideas you have too. All the details are in the RFP attached.

Deadline to respond with a one-page pitch is 8/19.

Get in touch with any questions by emailing submissions@detour.com


Looking forward to what comes!

Juliet

PS: Please forward to any great radio/audio/place-based story people you know. We want to give them work!

pdf icon Detour-RFP-July-2015.pdf

Pitches

Call for pitches – immigration + food + sustainability, deadline Aug 15

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Feet in 2 Worlds seeks pitches – many media accepted. Deadline Aug 15. Details below.
-mia
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Hello Everyone,

The New School's 10-year-old immigration reporting project Feet in 2 Worlds is looking for new contributors for their fall food issue — please pitch us! 

Full details re: topics + medium are below. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly. 

This is a really excellent journalism project that works to bring immigrant reporters + perspectives into public media. Good work + good people — please join us!

Many thanks,

Anne Noyes Saini
Producer, WNYC's The Sporkful
Food Editor, Feet in 2 Worlds
Co-creator, MOTHER

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Sustainable, local, organic, artisanal – these terms help define and frame today’s food culture. Do these terms have different meanings for immigrants? If organic food is harvested by immigrant workers who are underpaid for their labor, is it sustainable? 

The next issue of the Feet in 2 Worlds online magazine will explore the intersection of immigrant food and culture with these concepts from today’s food scene. Immigrants – their labor, culture, and recipes – occupy every position in the food chain, yet their stories often go untold or are misrepresented. 

We are looking for stories in any medium – audio, video, photo essay, text, info-graphic – that help bring a deeper understanding to these complex issues and shine a light on unseen parts of the food system. The stories we seek to tell will use the tools of narrative journalism, be investigative in nature, go beyond clichés and stereotypes, and will advance our mission to bring underreported stories from immigrant communities to new audiences on public radio and online.

Some possible areas include:

  • Healthy eating in immigrant communities
  • Deconstructing a meal – where do the ingredients come from?
  • What does sustainability look like in an immigrant neighborhood or household
  • Hidden food systems/hidden people – how immigrants participate in food industries and food culture in unseen ways.
  • Immigrant food entrepreneurs and locally made ethnic food products.
  • Scraps – how food is reused and conserved in ethnic dishes and immigrant kitchens.

The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2015. Please send submissions by email to anne [at] cityspoonful [dot] com.

Pitches

Freelance opportunity from new podcast about the outdoors

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A new podcast about the outdoors – Out There – wants your pitches. Details below! -Mia
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I host a podcast about the outdoors called Out There, and I'm looking for pitches. Features, essays, and short stories are all welcome. I'm looking for smart, engaging pieces that make you laugh, cry, and think about the world differently. They need to have something to do with the outdoors (yes, this can include the urban outdoors), and should be no longer than 30 minutes.

If you have an idea, I'd love to hear from you, and of course feel free to forward this to other reporters/writers who might be interested.

This is a new show, so my budget isn't huge, but there is some money on the table.

Here are some additional guidelines about submissions, for anyone who's interested.

Hope to hear from some of you!

Cheers,
-Willow

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Willow Belden

Host and Executive Producer
Out There: A Podcast about the Outdoors

Pitches

Interfaith Voices seeks radio reporters in Russia and South Africa

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Interfaith Voices is seeking radio reporters in Russia and South Africa. Details below!
-mia
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Russia and South Africa, not two countries that typically hang out in the same subject line but…

Interfaith Voices (the nationally distributed, award-winning public radio program) is on the hunt for skilled RADIO reporters in both Russia and South Africa to craft a strong, character-driven radio feature about one aspect (your pitch) of the relationship between religion and government.
You can hear past stories here: www.interfaithradio.org/godandgov

Please send your suggestions to JocelynFrankOffice@gmail.com with the subject line "Russia Reporter" or "South Africa reporter."

Thanks!
-Jocelyn
Commissioning Editor
Interfaith Voices
God and Government Series
JocelynFrankOffice@gmail.com