Producer: Susan Melville / Centerville-Washington History
Introduction:
Susan Melville is the Finance Manager and Newsletter Editor for Centerville-Washington History. In 2022, Susan signed up for the free podcasting workshop at MVCC and now has a regularly scheduled series that can be seen each week on both GATV5 and CATV 991, online at www.mvcc.video, and on Centerville-Washington History’s social media sites.
We met with Susan to talk about her podcasting.
Q: Susan, congratulations on reaching this milestone – 25 podcast episodes is quite an accomplishment! Did you ever think you’d be adding Podcaster to your work with Centerville- Washington History?
“It has been an interesting way for me to learn the local history. I love hearing people’s stories and drawing out the things that might be engaging to our local listeners. I’m really grateful to be able to represent Centerville-Washington History in this important part of our mission.”
Q: How does podcasting fit into the mission of Centerville-Washington History?
“The mission of Centerville-Washington History is to connect the community to its heritage by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and promoting the history of our local area. I think when we record oral history, we check all those boxes.”
Q: I love listening about our local history from residents who recall the shops, roads, schools, and even farms of this area from decades ago. I tend to remember these stories better too!
“Yes, learning about our history helps us understand so much about our community. We are fortunate to have local museums to help the community stay connected to its past.”
Q: Tell us about some of the feedback you’ve received from listeners and viewers.
“It has been a great way to connect with people who aren’t a part of our membership. I think listeners really respond to guests who have a shared experience. As we get older, we especially like to look back and remember places and people from our past.”
Q: How much scripting do you prepare for a show, and do you get through it all?
“I try to do a bit of research about what each guest might be able to share a story about. I guide them towards history topics so that we are fulfilling our history mission. I write my questions ahead of time but sometimes we don’t get to all of them, or they might be in a different order.”
Q: You’ve been producing shows for two years now. What are some tips you learned along the way that have improved your programs?
“I have learned that having a phone interview before recording the interview helps me prepare some follow up questions. I have also learned not to script things too much because it is best when some of the stories are fresh.”
Q: If someone was considering whether to start a podcast, what would you tell them?
“It can be intimidating to do something new but stepping out of our comfort zone is really the best way to continue to grow as a person and stay engaged in life.”
Thank you for creating local media that matters with us, Susan! We appreciate your time.
