“AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Presents” is a new podcast that brings a fresh take on the iconic stories told on TV’s most-watched history series. The 10-episode anthology launches with explorations of three transformative figures: Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-communist crusade terrorized 1950s America; media titan William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper mogul whose empire shaped public opinion for decades; and Sgt. Isaac Woodard, the decorated World War II veteran whose brutal assault by police sparked a civil rights awakening. This new GBH podcast examines how these three men shaped pivotal moments in 20th-century America, bringing their stories to life for a new audience. We caught up with GBH’s Managing Director of Podcasts Devon Maverick Robins to learn how audio is used to recount history by igniting imagination.
Tell us about the podcast and why AMERICAN EXPERIENCE is launching it now.
We launched the podcast with three powerful narratives that resonate with contemporary discussions about democracy, media influence, and civil rights. The timing feels particularly relevant as it explores themes that mirror many of today’s pressing issues.
The podcast focuses on individuals featured in previously released AMERICAN EXPERIENCE films: Joseph McCarthy, William Randolph Hearst, and Sgt. Isaac Woodard. Why did you choose these particular stories to launch the podcast?
These three powerful stories were chosen to launch “AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Presents” because they each illuminate how individuals can fundamentally reshape American society while speaking directly to issues still relevant today.
Joseph McCarthy’s rise from obscure senator to national figure shows how one politician’s exploitation of fear and suspicion can test democratic institutions. William Randolph Hearst’s transformation from Harvard dropout to media titan reveals the profound influence of media in shaping public opinion and political events. And Sgt. Isaac Woodard’s tragic story demonstrates how one person’s experience can catalyze major social change - his brutal blinding by police hours after his honorable discharge from World War II not only sparked national outrage but helped inspire President Truman’s evolution on civil rights and set in motion events that would lead to military desegregation.
Together, these narratives examine different faces of power - political, media, and moral - and how they’ve impacted pivotal moments in American history. Each carries clear echoes to contemporary discussions about democracy, media influence, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
Walk us through your process for retelling these stories in podcast form.
We reimagined the visual elements from the original television versions, transforming them into compelling audio that engages listeners’ imaginations through vivid descriptions, sound, and carefully paced revelations.
With McCarthy, we trace his journey from Wisconsin farm life through his meteoric political rise, using host James Edwards’ storytelling to build dramatic tension. The episodes are structured to reveal how McCarthy’s tactics evolved, from his explosive speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, to the televised hearings that would ultimately lead to his downfall.
For Hearst, we chart his journey through specific, vivid moments - like timing how long it takes a ferry to rescue an overboard reporter to boost circulation, or poaching Joseph Pulitzer’s pressroom cat during their legendary newspaper wars. These colorful details help bring the era and characters to life.
In telling Sgt. Woodard’s story, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Executive Producer and host Cameo George weaves together multiple perspectives - from Orson Welles’ radio broadcasts investigating the case to the dramatic courtroom confrontation between Woodard and his attacker. The series shows how this personal tragedy connected to broader historical changes through President Truman’s evolution on civil rights.
The podcast format allows these historical figures to come alive in new ways, using rare archival audio, expert insights, and immersive sound design to make these pivotal moments in 20th-century American history accessible and engaging for a new generation of listeners.
What was the most challenging part of making these audio episodes?
One of the biggest challenges in creating these episodes was reimagining stories that were originally told through rich visuals into compelling audio that would capture and hold listeners’ attention. Each presented unique challenges in this transformation.
For McCarthy’s story, we needed to convey the mounting tension and paranoia of the era without the benefit of the powerful visual imagery that defined the period - the dramatic committee hearings, the fearful faces, the confrontations that were captured on camera. We had to find ways to make listeners feel the growing sense of fear and suspicion through pacing and strategic use of archival audio.
With Hearst’s saga, the challenge was bringing to life the grandeur and scope of his empire - from his newspapers’ sensational headlines to the magnificence of his castle at San Simeon - through audio alone. We had to carefully select vivid details and anecdotes, like his outrageous publicity stunts and the poaching of Pulitzer’s pressroom cat, to help listeners visualize this larger-than-life figure and his world.
In telling Sgt. Woodard’s devastating story, we faced the delicate task of conveying the brutal violence he experienced while ensuring his humanity and dignity remained at the center. We needed to balance the shocking details of his assault with the broader historical significance of his case and its impact on civil rights in America.
The goal throughout was to create an intimate, immersive listening experience that would make these historical moments feel immediate and relevant to today’s audiences.
Can you tell us about future topics? Will there be a second season?
Yes, we’re excited to continue adapting more from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’s rich archive of documentaries and films. We’re currently exploring which narratives from our collection will best translate for the ear and resonate with listeners.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Executive Producer Cameo George said, “We knew we had powerful content in our archive. The challenge was finding an innovative way to bring it to new audiences. Ultimately, what started as an experiment in efficient production became a remarkable success story. By reimagining our films for audio, we’ve reached nearly 300,000 listeners to date and broke into Apple’s top 10 charts. This has opened up exciting possibilities for us.”
Listen to the “AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Presents” podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
