Following an intermittent break the Sound of Pursuit returns to a steady release cadence (fingers crossed).

Back in 2014 the team first introduced the Sound of Pursuit podcast driven primarily by passion rather than careful planning. As veterans of public radio they aimed for broadcast quality work complete with in depth reported segments delivered through the sharp voice of a seasoned slightly cynical detective who had witnessed plenty. They obsessed over sound quality insisting on face to face interviews captured with a large shotgun microphone or skipping the conversation entirely. Calls and low fidelity recordings were avoided unless brief and unavoidable.

The debut installment titled PI Perceptions was crafted by colleague Daniel Potter and spotlighted several investigator pals including Brian Willingham Kelly Paxton Eli Rosenblatt and Joe Stiles. It landed strongly and the nine follow up shows released during the 2014 15 season matched that energy with some produced internally and others handled by public radio talents such as Jakob Lewis and Sean Cole. Among them the standout remains Sean Cole exploration of cell phone tracking methods still available via SoundCloud or the archive.

The effort proved highly enjoyable yet proved difficult to sustain. Each installment demanded a full week or longer when handled internally or required meaningful payment when outsourced. An audio engineer handled final mastering. Sponsorships never offset the shortfall leaving every release deeply in the red.

Regular high end production would have required it to be the sole focus with extra funds available.

Neither condition held true.

By that point Pursuit and PI Education had been under ownership for nearly two years. Stephanie Mitchell managed daily PI Ed tasks leaving time to refresh Pursuit stories and overhaul PI Education materials both of which needed urgent updates. With no direct earnings from the business Hal and Kim pursued separate income streams Hal handling defense work in Texas while Kim took on freelance journalism and began the research that led to Slow Noodles. The podcast was paused.

Microphones were set aside yet the underlying interest in audio persisted.

Then 2020 arrived bringing unexpected free time along with Zoom. Remote interviews became feasible with acceptable audio quality. The team accepted that flawless production should not block decent output. It made sense to create conversations worth hearing even if they lacked elaborate sound design.

Expectations adjusted and occasional Zoom then Ecamm interviews began appearing a few times annually from 2023 onward. Meanwhile Storyboard EMP expanded to include continuing education for investigators appraisers and real estate professionals along with three podcasts an online magazine and a yearly Las Vegas appraisal event.

The workload remained heavy yet managing multiple regular shows and events taught better efficiency and reduced perfectionism. This year two Sound of Pursuit episodes now appear monthly.

Without the goal of redefining audio standards each show now requires roughly four to six hours for research recording and editing plus any preparatory reading or listening. Releases appear on YouTube and standard podcast directories. Guest possibilities widened to include due diligence specialists threat assessors nonfiction writers crime fiction authors and ethical true crime podcasters. Dual host experiments occurred and the format served as a way to connect with interesting figures. Deep exchanges happened with guests willing to discuss rarely shared topics such as those with Ben Lopez.

In short a podcast exists once more. Preciousness has been set aside. While less glossy than the original vision the current version succeeds by simply being available. It still delivers the core promise of revealing the realities of investigative work and highlighting admirable colleagues.

The goal that counts is showcasing how skilled and interesting the guests are. Their abilities matter most. The hosts serve only as a conduit and that conduit should stay largely unseen.

The interviewer remains present of course. Hal strengths show throughout each episode. He has developed into an effective conversationalist. Though personal bias exists as his spouse the ease he brings to interviews helps guests relax through humor and sincere interest. His approach centers on elevating the guest rather than drawing attention to himself which ultimately enhances his own presence.

Hoping the twice monthly pace continues has proven harder than expected though many achieve it. Several episodes sit ready with enough material to cover summer releases. Upcoming conversations include an investigator focused on questionable televangelists a mitigation specialist with a new book an Innocence Project of Texas lawyer featured in a notable documentary and a Nashville conviction review unit attorney.

Watch for those installments over the coming months. Subscriptions and shares are appreciated if the episodes resonate. Episode suggestions are welcome via a brief note that includes background links expertise details and a specific topic angle rather than broad categories. Not every idea can be accepted yet new voices are always of interest.

The podcast remains a genuine dialogue between living people. AI generated voices will never appear. There is little reason to listen to such material. Only authentic human exchanges are offered. Thanks for tuning in.

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About the author:

Kim Green is a writer public radio producer and occasional flight instructor. She has created pieces for NPR and Marketplace and co translated Red Sky Black Death while co writing Slow Noodles A Cambodian Memoir of Love Loss and Family Recipes. She serves as managing editor of Pursuit Magazine and produces the Sound of Pursuit podcast.