This research-creation thesis explores the practice of subjectivity in journalistic storytelling and the broader concept of “genre-blending” in research. “Genre-blending” is described here as the practice of creating work that reaches beyond the institutional limitations of artistic, professional, or academic work. This kind of work is an effective way to create a cultural archive and to expand the knowledge pool beyond its previous boundaries. Subjective practice in narrative journalism, particularly with stories that require a high level of empathy, allows for greater connection between journalist, interviewee, and audience. This research works within the audio medium – the case study for subjective practice is established in a “genre-blended” podcast series that situates the journalist as a character in the story they are building. The audio medium
is a prime candidate both for “genre-blending” and for subjective journalism due to both the increased intimacy afforded by the recorded human voice and to the long history of audio documentary on the radio and more recently in podcasting. The topic discussed in this research as a good candidate for subjective narrative reporting is immigration/immigrants. Other reporting topics that could benefit from purposefully subjective and emotional reporting include stories
surrounding other vulnerable populations, or stories that engage with “wicked problems” like climate change, which are easier for an audience to understand via person-to-person narratives.