The Public Radio Exchange podcast network Radiotopia has picked 10 proposals submitted to its Podquest contest, which will ultimately select at least one podcaster to join the network this fall.
The contest received 1,537 entries from 53 countries, the network said last week.
Here are the semifinalists, three of whom will move into the next round of competition in July:
Dear and Sincerely, Genevieve Kersten
Kersten is living in her parent’s basement. In the podcast she asks herself for advice.
Do Over, Kelly Jones, Chioke L’Anson and Claire Tacon
Jones, a producer for BackStory, and L’Anson, community producer for the Localore project UnMonumental, will explore what would be different if you had done one thing differently in your life.
Ear Hustle, Nigel Poor, Antwan Williams and Earlonne Woods
Stories of prison life from a producer serving a life sentence.
Meat, Jonathan Zenti
The podcast will discuss “our bodies and the lives we live because of them,” according to PRX. Zenti, an independent producer, is based in Rome.
Reflected Message, Jon Tjhia
The podcast will mix music and storytelling. Tjhia is a writer, editor, audio-maker and musician from Melbourne, Australia.
The Difference Between, Jericho Saria and Hadrian Santos
The show looks into the world of “information doppelgängers.”
The Stoop, Leila Day, Hana Baba, Julie Caine and Chris Hoff
Day and Baba, reporters for KALW in San Francisco, discuss issues of black identity.
Third Culture, Naima Sakande
The podcast will get into stories of “juggled identities.” Sakande is based in London.
This Isn’t Working, Susie Cagle
The show is about working in the U.S. “in an age of corporate domination, industrial transition, and general labor weirdness.”
Villain-ish, Vivian Le
The podcast looks at different perspectives on people “we’ve been taught to revile.”
Each semifinalist receives $300 and the chance to discuss their ideas with a Radiotopia producer before creating outlines for eight potential episodes. The three finalists chosen next month will receive $10,000 to produce three full episodes. At least one finalist will be chosen in November to become a member of Radiotopia.
PRX is funding the contest with a portion of the $1 million grant it received from the Knight Foundation in 2015.