Kellams: An update. Now, usually when we say those words here, it's about a story we covered and how that story may have changed over time. But this time when we say an update, we're updating you about some voices you heard on Ozarks at Large earlier this year.
Dixon: Welcome to The Hillroom. I'm Aiden Dixon.
Leisch: I'm Sara Leisch.
Gretel: And I'm Andrea Gretel. We're the University of Arkansas podcast bringing the stories from campus in Northwest Arkansas to you.
Kellams: Aiden and Sara are not only students at the University of Arkansas, they're not only hosts of this new podcast, The Hillroom, they're former interns on this very program. Under Matthew Moore's guidance, they reported on maternal health, community issues and other matters. Now they're producing this podcast. Andrea Gretel, executive producer of The Hillroom, says the idea to create a podcast highlighting the work done by University of Arkansas journalism students has its origins at KUAF.
Gretel: Yeah. So I had an internship with Matthew Moore at KUAF, and we were just kind of talking about how there's not a podcast outlet, because that's what I want to go into. And the radio station isn't necessarily news.
So we were just, it was an idea that I had probably last fall. So probably a year ago around this time. And yeah, since then, it's just been kind of in the works. And finally first episode a couple weeks ago. But yeah.
Kellams: All three of you interned with Matthew Moore, right?
Gretel: Yes.
Kellams: Did that pay off?
Gretel: Yes, 100%. I am thinking about it, and I don't know if there's any other courses in the University of Arkansas that, we also all took Matthew's class. We also took the Advanced Podcasting and Radio class. So there's no other class that you can learn hands-on what Audition is. You don't learn that. It's Premiere, Photoshop, all the other ones.
But this class and interning with him really gives you the real-world experience. And a lot of us had an idea that we wanted to go into radio and podcasting, but these opportunities really showed us what that looks like and that we're actually capable of doing that.
Kellams: When I listen to the podcast, A, it sounds like the three of you sync well. B, it sounds like you have a common vision of what you want it to sound like. Is that right?
Gretel: I would say so for sure. I think that we're all just, it's the first time listening to it. I couldn't help but think, "Wow, we're all just, it's our first time in front of a mic." And we all are trying to find our voice and trying to find what we want this podcast to sound. And I think this first episode and this last episode was us kind of just figuring it out.
But I think moving forward, we have established roles. We have an established sound. Aiden's going to be our writer and our host. So he's going to be, the scripts are going to sound the same or not the same, but have more structure to it. Sara's going to be producing a lot more. So we're able to build the signature sound with that. But yeah, we're all just wanting to get some experience, learn how to do this, but also make it sound right.
Kellams: It sounds like a podcast and I don't, that sounds so generic, but you sound comfortable and you sound confident.
Gretel: Yeah. Well, thank you. I think that listening back, one of the things that I was like, "Oh, I need to be a little bit more confident in my voice whenever I'm in front of a mic," because whenever I know something's going to air, I don't really, I get really nervous because I'm like, "Oh, I'm so aware of what I'm saying and stuff."
But hearing that's really sweet and, yeah, I think it is all just, whenever I play it for other people, they're like, "No, this sounds real. This sounds like a podcast." In my head, it's like, "Oh, we're just three college students trying to make a podcast sounds like a podcast." But to hear that people think it sounds like a podcast is really good.
Kellams: Every other week?
Gretel: Yes.
Kellams: First two episodes have been about 18 and a half minutes.
Gretel: Yes.
Kellams: That the goal?
Gretel: We, yes. We want it to. So right now we're doing every other week because we're trying to figure it out, but we really want to do every week.
Kellams: OK.
Gretel: Faster turnaround. And then 20 minutes at most. Fifteen minutes is OK, but 20 minutes at most probably.
Kellams: So if Aiden is writing, Sara is producing, you're interviewing.
Gretel: I'm, me and Sara both kind of working together to do reporting. And then I kind of am, I think my role was executive producer, which is, it's a big name for the things that I guess I do. I do the social media, I do the uploading. I do just final say and things like, they send me the audio, they send me the script and I'm like, "Perfect, you guys did so good."
But yeah, I think I'm more in charge of just making sure everything's good, making sure that The Hillroom is staying The Hillroom and not, yeah, I want us to have that sound, I guess.
Kellams: All right. What is it that attracted you to audio journalism? And what is it that makes you want to keep doing it?
Gretel: Yes, I love that question. I love audio journalism because I feel like it's one of the fastest-growing mediums right now. Like print. I think audio journalism is kind of the new wave of what news is going to look like. And not every, I think we're so, everyone's so quick all the time. So no one has time to pull up a video and listen. People have time to put it on in their car, go to work, listen to it while they're at work. It's good. It's good news to pass the time, you know?
I personally love audio journalism and podcasting because it's behind the scenes, almost, there's not a face attached to it. There's not, obviously, I still have a personality in the news that I report for, but I love the editing. I love putting everything together. You can cut stuff out and it's not like you can pull out a magic wand. So I really love audio because of that. It's just so cool. And also just like I can talk.
Kellams: The cruelty of an academic year is you get started, you figure things out and you look up and the calendar's April.
Gretel: Yeah.
Kellams: So there is a limited time.
Gretel: Yeah.
Kellams: I hope the three of you, because you're all seniors.
Gretel: Yes.
Kellams: I hope you'll get another chance to do this sort of thing in your life and your career. But I hope you realize just how fun and special it is to have this opportunity right now.
Gretel: Yeah. Matthew keeps telling us, "This is so good, this is so important. But make sure you're having fun." And it's like, you're right. We are always having fun. The segments that are in the show are us just laughing. We all just get along really well.
And it's crazy because we all took. Me and Aiden actually are both from Bentonville. We both graduated at the same time. We both had Matthew's class, never spoke to each other.
Kellams: And you were both in Bentonville High?
Gretel: He went to West.
Kellams: OK.
Gretel: And I went to BHS.
Kellams: OK.
Gretel: Yeah, he went to the weird school, and I went to North. Just kidding.
Kellams: He went to the new school?
Gretel: Yeah, he went to the new school. But he, we had a class together, and then we were both sophomores in that class. And usually you take that class as a junior or senior, but it's really cool that that was there that whole time.
And then Matthew was like, he pulled all of us from different realms and put us together and was like, "OK, now make a podcast." So yeah, it's just crazy how we work so well together and it, but it's under the impression of this podcast, otherwise we would have never really crossed paths.
Kellams: I think if you and I talked in five years, you'd, if you had your wishes, you'd be in this realm somehow.
Gretel: Oh yeah, I would 100% be in this realm, hopefully in Oregon or something.
Kellams: OK. All right. Careful. You may end up doing it for 50 years.
Gretel: Oh, and I would not be upset about that.
Kellams: OK. So every other week. And where can people find it to listen?
Gretel: We are on Substack. If you don't have Apple or Spotify, we have, yeah, it's on Apple Podcasts, Spotify podcasts. And then link is in our bio. Our Instagram is at usual room and then everything is The Hillroom. So you can find us anywhere. Links are in our Instagram bio and yeah.
Kellams: Well, congratulations. Can't wait to hear the rest of the season.
Gretel: Thank you so much.
Kellams: Andrea Gretel is executive producer and one of three hosts of the new podcast, The Hillroom. You can find the first episodes wherever you find podcasts, and you can also find them at kuaf.com. Our conversation took place last week at the Carver Center for Public Radio.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline and edited for length and clarity. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
