seidel fellowship

Since 1996, Radio Diaries has been giving people tape recorders and working with them to report on their own lives and histories. These unscripted stories, intricately weave together dozens of hours of tape to create intimate, first-person documentaries. Radio Diaries has worked this way for more than 30 years and produced dozens of award-winning pieces for broadcast on NPR and the Radio Diaries Podcast. 

About the Fellowship

The Seidel Fellow will receive mentoring, editorial support and funds to produce an unscripted audio diary in our signature, non-narrated style of audio storytelling. The Fellow should pitch a story centered on an individual (other than themselves) whose willing to record their lives. This is not intended for personal, autobiographical projects based on the Fellow's own life. The Radio Diaries production team will mentor and support the Fellow, training them how to work with diarists, from tape collection to production to final mix.

The final story should be completed within 12 months of the start of the Fellowship. Fellow will be required to meet with the Radio Diaries team for mentoring and editing sessions on a semi-monthly basis, in person or via video conferencing. Fellow may use funds as they see fit, for their time, travel, recording gear, DAW subscription, etc.

Radio Diaries has non-exclusive rights to feature the story on the Radio Diaries Podcast and www.radiodiaries.org. A version of the Fellow’s story will be pitched to NPR, with which Radio Diaries has a 30-year relationship. The Fellow is welcome to obtain additional funding and after the initial release, they are welcome to distribute the story on other outlets as they see fit.

We strongly encourage applicants from under-represented groups in public media to apply, including but not limited to, people of color, veterans, people with disabilities, and gender-nonconforming candidates.