Killing me Softly — why we’re obsessed with true crime podcasts.
This is an article I wrote a couple of years ago, for an assignment. The article had nothing to do with the unit the assignment was for — the challenge was to structure the article in such a way that it would fit in seamlessly with the publication it was meant for. My chosen publication was Buzzfeed, and Buzzfeed love popular culture. They also love lists. Had I been given free rein, the article would have been much longer — but there was a 550 word limit, and even then I was pushing it.
What was amazing for me in writing this article, was the enormous generosity from Hedley Thomas, journalist from The Australian and author of The Teacher’s Pet podcast. I had emailed Hedley asking for a quote — just one — to make my story more credible. Journalistic pieces need quotes, you can’t just make stuff up. But instead of just emailing me a one-liner, Hedley generously offered to call me and gave me a half-hour interview over the phone. Moral of the story — ask for what you want, because you just might get it.
Since this article was submitted for marking, there have been remarkable developments in the tragic story The Teacher’s Pet investigated. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the podcast, and the public interest it generated, the NSW Public Prosecutor decided to re-open the case of Lynnette Dawson’s disappearance, and placed Chris Dawson on trial.
Because of the laws around jury influence, Hedley Thomas’ podcast had to be removed from all platforms in case it influenced the jury in Dawson’s case. However, if Lynette Dawson’s disappearance piques your interest, there’s plenty of information on the internet about this case that you can find. I have my own theories about what happened to this unfortunate woman, but I’ll leave you to make your own minds up.
I have added one paragraph to the article— a paragraph I wanted to add back in 2018 but the word limit of the assignment meant I had to leave it out. It’s the paragraph on why women love true crime stories so much more than men, and its recent addition to the piece is the reason for the newer references in it. I’ve decided to leave the references in the story, just in case you want to check them out for yourselves.
In the meantime, enjoy dipping your toe into the waters of true crime.
When reporter Sarah Koenig and producer Julie Snyder decided to investigate the conviction of Adnan Syed — imprisoned for killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee in 1999 — they decided to tell the story through a podcast in case it was a flop. “No one will notice if it’s bad,” said Koenig. “We thought if we could get… 300,000 listeners, then that’s great (Jones, 2016).”
That production, 2014’s Serial, is now the most popular podcast of all time (National Public Radio, 2014). Since then, true crime podcasts have taken off like a murder suspect outrunning the cops, consistently making up around 20% of the podcast download charts (iTunes Charts (Aus), 2018).
Right now, Australia’s hottest podcast is undoubtedly The Teacher’s Pet, by The Australian journalist Hedley Thomas. The podcast investigates the unsolved disappearance, and possible murder, of Lynette Dawson on Sydney’s sunny northern beaches in January 1982.
Podcasting is hard work — so why didn’t Thomas just write the story for The Australian? “I had heard it was potentially possible to achieve greater results [with a podcast],” said Thomas (he’s right — The Teacher’s Pet been downloaded 22 million times (Thomas, 2018)). “A friend had been urging me to do a podcast series for a while [and], I guess I just wanted that challenge,” he said. “We’ve been able to achieve great results for Lyn’s family and by getting the authorities to focus on the case.”
Thomas agrees that audiences are drawn to true crime like no other genre. “Crime is riveting, but it always has been,” he said. “That’s why Agatha Christie is one of the greatest authors of the last 200 years.”
The fascination is multi-faceted. “I think people are interested because of a fear of the unknown, the thought that ‘it could happen to me’,” Thomas said. The popularity of criminal psychology is a factor too. “There’s so much interest in how the mind works now, weird psychopathic killers [who commit an] extraordinary crime, and it’s compelling,” he said.
Women, in particular, seem to be drawn to stories of true crime moreso than men. The reasons behind this are interesting — and quite primal. “While consuming this content, women subconsciously absorb information on coping with horrific situations, and tricks to recognise tell-tale signs which could cause lead to violence” (Sharma, 2020).
And, of course, everyone wants the bad guy caught. “Injustice fires people up too, and in this case (The Teacher’s Pet), people believed they could possibly listen to a podcast and see it be resolved, and I think it still could,” said Thomas.
Want to become a true crime expert — or just see what everyone’s talking about? Here’s five of the best:
1. The Teacher’s Pet — This year’s blockbuster investigates teacher Chris Dawson’s 1982 affair with his 16-year-old student, and the disappearance — and possible murder — of his wife Lynette.
2. Serial — The biggest podcast of all time, Season 1 investigates Adnan Syed’s trial and conviction, and considers whether a miscarriage of justice has occurred.
3. Undisclosed — If you loved Serial, Undisclosed is for you. Syed’s legal team investigate the evidence against him more closely — listen for the tapping sound in Episode 3 which blows the case wide open.
4. Criminal — Criminal explores crime from all angles — and some of the stories are so quirky they’ll even bring a smile to your face.
5. Dirty John –What starts out as decorator Debra Newell’s sweet new romance ends in stalking, manipulation and a brutal killing. Who’s? You’ll have to listen to find out.
Don’t know how to listen? This guide from wired will have you set up in no time.
References
iTunes Charts (Aus). (2018, August 29). Australian Podcasts Current Top 100. Retrieved from www.itunescharts.net: http://www.itunescharts.net/aus/charts/podcasts/current/
Jones, K. L. (2016, March 7). KQED Arts. Retrieved from Sarah Koenig on fame and the overwhelming pace of ‘Serial’: https://www.kqed.org/arts/11385455/sarah-koenig-on-fame-reporting-and-the-overwhelming-pace-of-serial
National Public Radio. (2014, December 23). Serial Host Sarah Koenig Says She Set Out To Report, Not Exonerate. Retrieved from www.npr.org: https://www.npr.org/2014/12/23/372577482/serial-host-sarah-koenig-says-she-set-out-to-report-not-exonerate
Sharma, M (2020, February 20). This might be the reason why women are obsessed with true crime stories. Vogue. Retrieved from https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/why-are-women-obsessed-with-true-crime-stories
Thomas, H. (2018, September 26). Phone interview with Hedley Thomas by Katherine Zarb. (K. Zarb, Interviewer)
Wikimedia Commons. (n.d.). File: Famous Crimes 54893.jpg. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Famous_Crimes_54893.JPG