That was fast – but isn’t it always? Kudos to those of you who managed to snag a ticket. But if not, don’t worry! You have until October to trawl the boards and list servs for resale…
And now, in this edition, we’ve got professional development courses, awards deadlines, and more KCRW Summer Nights!
By the way, I have reached and subsequently eclipsed the "almost crying on the Metro” phase of grad school. I’m having a blast, but what happens on my commute there and back is between me and whatever small number of people also populate the E line at 7 a.m. on weekdays.
The International Women’s Podcast Awards (IWPA), hosted by Lauren Passell-led Tink Media, celebrate and uplift women’s voices across podcasting and are proudly queer and trans inclusive. Open to indie creators and established audio companies alike, the awards are size agnostic, with 11 categories focused on intention rather than audience numbers.
Categories include – comedy gold, best storytelling, artistry in advertising, and absolute honesty.
Entries are open through July 31, 2026, and each submission USD $50. Scholarship options are available. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Toronto during the Fall (likely early October).
You can enter now or email awards@tinkmedia.co for more information.
RESONATE Podcast Festival tickets were snapped up FAST! But there are often resale tickets floating around the community, so keep an eye out.
This year, the theme is “Press,” looking at trust and persuasion in journalistic practice. Presenters include Brian Reed, Nikki Silva, Davia Nelson, Gene Demby, B.A. Parker, John Biewen, Chenjerai Kumanyika, Emily Kwong, Simon Fung, Alex Sujong Laughlin, and many more.
![A faint circle and line pattern black background with a circle icons that show a question mark, a brain icon, a microphone, and a lightbulb. The overlaying text reads, "Go Fact Yourself LIVE".](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VBRl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8468b3f4-e082-45e3-a449-a438687623d9_672x448.jpeg "A faint circle and line pattern black background with a circle icons that show a question mark, a brain icon, a microphone, and a lightbulb. The overlaying text reads, "Go Fact Yourself LIVE".")
Go Fact Yourself is a pop culture trivia show hosted by J. Keith van Straaten (he/him) (Ask Me Another, Senior Writer) and Helen Hong (she/her) (Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me, recurring panelist).
On July 17, comedian, actor, writer and voice artist Dana Gould (Emmy-winning The Simpsons writer/producer, creator of IFC’s Stan Against Evil, and pioneer of the alternative comedy scene) and other special guests, plus surprise experts will join J. Keith and Helen for a trivia show like no other!
📅 July 17th
⏰ 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
👤 LAist
💰 Free (first come, first serve) - $20 (guaranteed seating)
🎟️ Tickets
Head to Long Beach for a free, all-ages KCRW Summer Nights party with the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). Dance under the stars to sets from KCRW DJs Tyler Boudreaux & Wyldeflower, then explore the museum’s vibrant exhibitions featuring Latin American artists like Mercedes Gertz, Guillermo Bert, and Antonio Romero. Enjoy food trucks, a full bar, and an open-air courtyard as music, art, and community come together.
📅 July 24th
⏰ 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
👤 KCRW
💰 Free
🎟️ Tickets
KCRW Summer Nights returns to Grand Performances for a free, all-ages outdoor concert in the heart of DTLA. Mariachi El Bronx headlines the night with their electrifying blend of punk spirit and traditional mariachi, following an opening set from Tijuana Panthers, while KCRW DJ LeRoy Downs keeps the energy flowing throughout the evening. Pack a picnic and come ready for a memorable night of music under the open sky.
📅 July 25th
⏰ 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
👤 KCRW
💰 Free
🎟️ Tickets
![A faint circle and line pattern black background with a circle icons that show a question mark, a brain icon, a microphone, and a lightbulb. The overlaying text reads, "Go Fact Yourself LIVE".](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VBRl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8468b3f4-e082-45e3-a449-a438687623d9_672x448.jpeg "A faint circle and line pattern black background with a circle icons that show a question mark, a brain icon, a microphone, and a lightbulb. The overlaying text reads, "Go Fact Yourself LIVE".")
Go Fact Yourself is a pop culture trivia show hosted by J. Keith van Straaten (he/him) (Ask Me Another, Senior Writer) and Helen Hong (she/her) (Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me, recurring panelist).
On July 26, comedian Roz Hernandez (“Ghosted! by Roz Hernandez” podcast, named one of 2024’s Comedians You Should and Will Know by New York Magazine’s Vulture) and other special guests, plus surprise experts will join J. Keith and Helen for a trivia show like no other!
📅 July 26th
⏰ 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
👤 LAist
💰 Free (first come, first serve) - $20 (guaranteed seating)
🎟️ Tickets
You’ve spent years building valuable skills but have never been taught how to translate those skills into something people will actually pay for outside of a traditional job. So when a role ends, a contract isn’t renewed, or a job search takes longer than expected, it can feel like your only option is to keep applying and hope someone says yes. In the meantime your savings begins to dwindle and the roles you once passed on because they were out of alignment become more attractive.
Drawing on 25 years leading multimillion-dollar business lines, the host will show you how to identify the value you already bring, package it into a compelling offer, and create opportunities that aren’t dependent on a hiring manager’s decision.
At The NEXT Best Thing we believe that creating additional options is one of the smartest career moves you can make.
📅 July 14th
⏰ 3:30 PM
👤 The Write Course
💰$25
🎟️ Register
A free virtual webinar for indie podcasters who want brands to actually keep reading their sponsorship materials!
Your ad deck’s first page is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Before a sponsor ever sees your packages, rates, audience stats, or dreamiest partnership ideas, they’re asking one thing: “Why should I work with you?”
In this practical, free webinar, we’ll help indie podcasters nail the most important first impression in their sponsorship materials: who they are, who they reach, and why a brand should keep reading.
Join us for a virtual session all about making page 1 of your ad deck clear, compelling, and sponsor-ready.
📅 July 14th
⏰ 2:00 PM
👤 Well It Depends
💰 Free
🎟️ Register
Creativity is a fundamental quality and skill in our work. We know we need to take creativity seriously, yet the only way we can do that is by accessing our essential playfulness.
In this 3-part group coaching program, we explore the question, ‘How can I bring more creativity to my work?’
You will join a supportive group of like-minded audio practitioners to create a safe, non-judgmental space. We will work with a range of exercises and tools to encourage self-awareness and elicit creativity. You will be invited to be curious, to explore, and challenge yourself and one another in ways that support taking your learning and insights forward.
This is an invitation to enrich your audio practice and gift yourself the time and space to allow your creativity to bloom through the summer months. Rather than giving advice or teaching, coaching is grounded in presence, deep listening, and powerful questioning.
📅/⏰ Session 1: July 15, 7:00 AM 8:30 AM: Focuses on your relationship with your creativity.
Session 2: Aug 12, 7:00 AM 8:30 AM: We take the exploration further, developing greater awareness and discovering new ways of enhancing creativity in our work.
Session 3: Sep 16, 7:00 AM 8:30 AM: We will integrate all we have experienced and learned through the summer of creative inquiry, and define the next steps to sustain more creativity in your work.
👤 Radio Boot Camp
💰 $375
🎟️ Register
Members of the newly formed worker co-operative Good Egg Audio chat with members of Mumble Media to explore the upsides, downsides, lessons, and surprises of the co-op business structure for audio work.
The conversation will cover the challenge of envisioning and enacting a democratic workplace and how that impacts workers, partners, clients, and listeners. In an open, conversational format, both teams will compare notes on everything from the steps it took to found a co-operative to the realities of workplace politics when there’s no big boss to the question of whether membership in a co-operative business really makes a difference in pushing through the day-to-day grind.
📅 July 16th
⏰ 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
👤 Good Egg Audio and Mumble Media
💰Free for AIR members / $50 non-members
🎟️ Tickets
At their best, history podcasts welcome you into that foreign country and allow you to understand a moment in time like no other. But whether you have interviews with first-hand sources from a generation ago or you’re telling a story from centuries past, bringing history to life through an audio-only lens presents lots of challenges.
In this practical course, producer Andrew Parsons will walk you through gathering tape, finding archival sources, and sound design tips to turn back time as an audio storyteller. Using specific examples from a variety of audio documentaries and his own work producing Slow Burn and Fiasco, you’ll discover pitfalls to avoid and learn strategies to adopt. Ultimately, you’ll leave class with the knowledge of how to use living and past sources as guides to places and times that no longer exist.
📅 July 20th
⏰ 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
👤 Radio Boot Camp
💰 $100
🎟️ Register
Do you know of (or host!) a radio, podcasting, journalism, or audio event in LA? Shoot an email to losaudio@substack.com with the details! Include the date, time, location, any applicable links, and whether or not the event is recurring (along with any other relevant info, and maybe a photo of the best LA sunset you’ve seen recently.) Any kinds of events, meetups, and workshops are applicable.
Los Audio is a biweekly (every two weeks) newsletter – if your event is time-sensitive, please mention the timeframe you’d like it to appear and I’ll do my best to accommodate your request!
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