A Conversation With Al Letson, Host of “More To The Story,” New from “Reveal” Podcast
Interview by Andreea Coscai, EarBuds Newsletter & Community Coordinator
Al Letson is the Peabody Award-winning host of Reveal. His new podcast, More To The Story with Al Letson, launches today. Every Wednesday, the Peabody-award winning journalist will sit down with guests to have candid—and sometimes uncomfortable—conversations that make you rethink your perceptions of current events. Whether he's sounding the alarm about the future of democracy, grappling with the shifting dynamics of political power, or debating big cultural moments, Al always brings his unfiltered curiosity to topics and perspectives that are too often ignored.
“My goal with the show is to discuss topics and perspectives that are too often ignored by other news organizations,” said Letson. “I want to provide our listeners with candid—and sometimes uncomfortable—conversations that force them to rethink what they’ve been hearing, reading, or watching.”
I spoke to him for the EarBuds blog about his new show.
Al Letson
In Letson’s travels around the country, he realized that the America he was seeing on the news was far different from the one he was experiencing up close. In 2007, he competed in the Public Radio Talent Quest, where he pitched a show called State of the Re:Union that reflected the conversations he was having throughout the US. The show ran for five seasons and won a Peabody Award in 2014.
In 2015, Letson helped create and launch Reveal, the nation’s first weekly investigative radio show, which has won four duPont Awards and three Peabody Awards and been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize three times. He has also hosted the podcast Errthang; wrote for several major TV or streaming shows, including AMC’s Moonhaven and AppleTV’s Monarch; and is currently writing a comic for DC Comics (he loves comics.)
Andreea Coscai: What inspired you to launch More To The Story? In what ways is the new show similar to and different from Reveal?
Al Letson: It’s similar because we tackle the big issues of the day. It’s different because investigations for the flagship show take time—a lot of time. More To The Story is more nimble and can cover stories as they unfold. It’s just me, a guest, and two microphones.
AC: You’ve been guiding listeners through investigative stories for nearly a decade on Reveal. How does your approach change when you’re sitting down for an in-depth conversation versus leading an investigation?
AL: With Reveal, I don’t really lead investigations. I guide the audience through them, but the producers and reporters do most of the investigative work—except the Mississippi Goddam series and a few other episodes. Hosting is a different beast from interviewing. Hosting is almost like performing, while interviewing is really about listening—taking in what the guest says and pushing the conversation deeper. I love doing both!
More To The Story with Al Letson Podcast Cover Art
AC: How does your diverse artistic background shape the way you approach storytelling in audio?
AL: I think my perspective on stories is shaped by the different art forms I’ve worked in. Everyone approaches storytelling a little differently. For me, it’s influenced by my life and artistic experiences. I still very much think like a hip-hop producer, even though I haven’t produced hip-hop in almost 30 years.
AC: You’ve covered everything from politics to culture to true crime. What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about journalism today, especially in podcasting and public radio?
AL: I’m not sure, but the one thing everyone should know is that journalism is in danger. People get used to having it and take it for granted. Journalism has been in a rough place for years, but now it’s moving quickly toward extinction.
AC: There’s a lot of uncertainty about the future of journalism and democracy. What role do you think podcasts like More To The Story and Reveal play in helping listeners make sense of it all?
AL: In a world where more and more people get their news from social media, it’s easy to miss what’s really going on. With long-form, one-on-one interviews, listeners get much more context and depth than they ever could from social media alone.
AC: If someone has never listened to your work before, what’s the one episode—of Reveal or More To The Story—you’d recommend they start with, and why?
AL: I’d say Mississippi Goddam, Chapter 1 or the Rob Schenck interview. Mississippi Goddam was a passion project that I’m most proud of, and the Rob Schenck interview was such a great conversation where I really got to bring my full self into the discussion.
Reveal is produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting, which also publishes Mother Jones. The Center for Investigative Reporting is a listener and reader supported nonprofit organization, with offices in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and New York City.
Listen to More To The Story with Al Letson here.