Sound Judgment

Elaine Appleton Grant

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The Heist: How to Produce an Award-Winning Investigative Series with Sally Herships

4/20/2023 • 48 min

When the Center for Public Integrity decided to look into who was pulling the strings behind Trump's 2017 tax bill — one reporters would ultimately call a swindle that benefited only the wealthiest Americans — they turned to award-winning reporter Sally Herships. In this episode, Herships pulls back the covers on the making of The Heist, and in particular, an investigation of Trump's treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin -- the man once known as the "foreclosure king." If you've ever wanted to report, host, or produce a longform audio documentary series or an investigative piece, this is the episode for you. You'll learn several ways to add drama to a complex story; how to use scenes wisely and ethically to immerse listeners; tactics for persuading people to talk with you, even if they're scared to talk; how to make sure you have the facts; and when a red Porsche says something important about a character's personality — and about how power works in Washington. And you'll get to watch Elaine squirm in an awkward moment. Herships directs the audio journalism program at Columbia University and is the founder of Radio Bootcamp.

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