Deez Interviews: Meet the On Point producer finagling the finer details of a live radio show and who also has some good “Spotlight” goss
Happy Friday, Deezers! This week’s interview is with Allison Pohle, who talked to us about her work for WBUR’s “On Point,” what it was like to be at The Boston Globe during the “Spotlight” premiere, and her fave NBA boys.
//
The interviewee: Allison Pohle (follow her @AllisonPohle!)
The gig: Producer for WBUR’s “On Point” radio program
The hustle:
So, On Point is a nationally syndicated NPR show that airs on about 300 stations nationwide. It’s a live show, but some stations choose to rebroadcast it later in the day. We tend to focus on one topic for an hour, which can be a challenge when it comes to pitching.
We have to think about topics that are broad enough to last an hour, but narrow enough so that people know what they're listening to. I'm a producer, and also serve as the backup director for the show, so my days have become a blend of both.
As a producer, I pitch show topics, find guests, pre-interview the guests to make sure they’re comfortable going on the air, assemble research related to the show, and write a script for the host, who then recreates everything live on the air. Usually, I have about 36 hours to put each show together.
And then as director, I’m basically the live editor. I’m the person talking in the host’s ear, making sure they stay on topic, and coordinating with the producer to answer any questions they might have in the moment. I also help the technical director troubleshoot if we have any issues connecting to the guests in their remote studios.
So everyone & their mom has their own podcast these days — what’s the difference between producing a radio show versus your garden variety podcast? Is there a difference?
Yes! With podcasts, even if they come out every week, or every day, you’re often starting with a bunch of tape and editing it down to make it sound as clean as possible. You can take out all the “ums,” all the times someone’s cell phone dings with a breaking news alert, all the times someone sneezes.
But with a live radio show like On Point, we have to embrace the fact that shit happens. And, in my opinion, that makes it super exciting. We’re a call-in show, so, even though we screen the calls, we’re never 100 percent sure what callers will say when they make it on the air.
Let me give you an example. We just did a show about the affirmative action lawsuit going on now at Harvard, and we had a listener call and share the story of how her white daughter lied and said she was black to see if it would make a difference in her acceptance to Johns Hopkins.
We could’ve never anticipated that phone call, and what it would add to the show, but it ended up giving our host a chance to push back on the caller, and explore how affirmative action affects the very people who listen to our show. Live radio makes for spontaneous moments like that. And you can have those in podcasts, too. They’re just more choreographed.
What's the side of producing an NPR-syndicated radio show that people don't ever see?
Oh man, this is a silly one, but something we deal with ALL the time: So, On Point is live from 10 am to noon EST, but, like I said, rebroadcasts across the country all throughout the day. To preserve the live feeling, we encourage all of our guests to keep their language time neutral.
Most often, it means telling our callers not to say “good morning” when they get on the air. And, given the excitement of being able to talk live on the radio, it’s only natural they forget, then realize they weren’t supposed to say “good morning,” and start spewing out every time- neutral greeting they can think of, something along the lines of, “Good morning, oh, I mean, hello, how’s it going, good day, thank you so much for taking my call.” It’s charming, and still makes me giggle.
You were also at the Boston Globe for a few years before WBUR. What do you think are the most interesting big-trend stories coming out of Boston that everyone should be paying attention to?
The East Coast, and Massachusetts in particular, have a reputation of being super liberal, accepting places to live. And, yes, we mainly have Democratic politicians in office here, but Boston is a deeply segregated, super expensive and racist city. The way the city tries to work through this will be noteworthy, and this Boston Globe series does a good job of starting a conversation about the challenges ahead.
Another interesting big trend story is the biotech boom emerging from the city. Eighteen of the top 20 drug companies now have a major presence in the area, and, in 2017, venture capitalists invested $3.1 billion in Massachusetts biopharma companies alone. Biotech is becoming one of the defining industries in the region, and the research done here will impact people all across the world.
According to our LinkedIn stalking, you were at the Globe when “Spotlight” came out, yes??? What was that like?
Well it was EXTREMELY exciting for me. And I think that sentiment was largely shared. The Globe offered free movie screenings, and everyone liked telling Mike Rezendes how Mark Ruffalo nailed his mannerisms. The Globe has since moved offices, but the old space had this little snack room and we were all incredibly excited to see the place where we bought emergency M&Ms in the movie.
The attention to detail was spectacular. And, more than anything else, it was great to see people in the city celebrate the movie and journalism as a whole.
Finally, word on the street is that you're a big Cleveland Cavs fan. To kick off the bball season for Deez Links, what's your favorite NBA-related story that everyone should read??
It’s true, I’m all in on the Kevin Love Cavs, though I’ll never stop rooting for LeBron. I love this short piece on how Kevin (yes, we’re on a first-name basis) is looking to be a leader after LeBron’s departure. And, I’d encourage all the LeBron haters out there to read about how thoughtful he was in planning the I Promise school in Akron.
//
Have a b-ball’in weekend (srry) everyone!!
Like Deez Links? Forward to the kevkev to your LeBron.