For ten years Transom.org has been a virtual workshop for public media storytelling for anyone with access to a computer, but the dream has always been to have an actual workshop in Woods Hole, the home of Atlantic Public Media. When instructor Rob Rosenthal, who developed and ran the radio track at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies for many years, told us he was available, we decided to give it a go. In the fall of 2011, we launched our pilot Transom Story Workshop for beginning radio producers.

For seven weeks, nine beginning radio students lived in Woods Hole learning the craft of telling stories with sound. The students ranged in age from their mid-twenties to mid-fifties, and haled from the United States, Canada, and Australia. The stories they produced focused on our local area. Teacher Rob Rosenthal said of the group, “It’s hard to believe, but in seven very hectic weeks, students with barely any radio experience produced some truly stellar stories. They’re funny, touching, and very creative. In fact, most of the stories are ready for broadcast — that’s quite an accomplishment for beginners.”

Another Transom Story Workshop will happen in the spring of 2012, this time our nine students will be with us for eight weeks. We can’t wait.

Visit the Transom.org’s official workshop page.