More 'Serial,' and other audio stories

May 31, 2015 10:23 pm
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The Hollywood Reporter noted last week that "Serial" host Sarah Koenig will make two new seasons of the popular audio subscription story. The new seasons won't be sequels to the story of Adnan Syed's conviction for the Baltimore murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, but "distinct new stories," "very different" from the first season. "Serial" was number one on iTunes for several weeks and won a Peabody Award in April 2015. Audio storytelling is having its moment with the "podcast" term that Apple sold the media being mentioned more then ever. New York non-commercial radio station WNYC expanding more in this area, and breaking its distribution ties with National Public Radio, Current reports. Instead, WNYC will self-distribute its radio shows "Radiolab" and "On the Media" starting Oct. 1. That's when it will also start self-distributing its new show with The New Yorker magazine. WNYC will just charge flat fees for "Radiolab" and "On the Media," and The New Yorker show will be free, at least at first.