A audio documentary recorded in early 2006, when the Archdiocese of New Orleans was attempting to shutter the St. Augustine Catholic Church, located in the of the oldest African American neighborhoods in the United States, featuring the voices of Drextal Brumfield, Chuck Siler, Lyndon Butler, Jacques Morial and Father Jerome LeDoux. 

The Steeple of Saint Augustine

A 2005 radio documentary about three Mardi Gras Indian Big Chiefs, Monk Boudreaux, Victor Harris and Alfred Doucette - and how they were preparing for their first Mardi Gras after Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the federal levee system. 

Won't Bow Down - Mardi Gras 2006 after Katrina

Is the mental health problem for international students just a tragic affair or is it a task that Canada should solve with continuous interest? Reporter Emily Kim examines the fundamental reasons for the mental health problems of international students and cover how to maintain the mental health of foreign students and what methods and opinions are available.

All About International Students' Mental Health

In the Mississippi River, between the Franklin Avenue and Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridges, sits an abandoned ruin. The ruin is almost invisible from the river bank. You may never know it exists unless you’re paddling directly on top of it, or avoiding its edges in a motor boat. The ghostly structure was once a fully operational lock and dam, the very first built on the Upper Mississippi River: The Meeker Island Lock and Dam.

In the season 9 premiere, producer Lydia Moran inspects this industrial ruin to understand why and how the slow moving river we know today was "invented" at the turn of the 20th century. Plans to remove the Upper Mississippi’s locks and dams might reinvent the river once again.

This episode was written and produced by Lydia Moran. Mixing by Kalen Keir. Special thanks to Paddle Bridge Kayak Tours.

The MinneCulture podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

MinneCulture is hosted by John Gebretatose and edited by Julie Censullo.  Support for MinneCulture is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Ghost of the Upper Mississippi River

At around 12:00 AM on October 7, 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming, Matt Shepard was tied up and brutally beaten because he was gay. 18 hours later a passing bicyclist found his body and called 911. He died 5 days later in Poudre Valley Hospital in Colorado.

Made in the same location, time, and day, this 18-hour binaural recording commemorates the day when Matt was found as he would have heard it.
Recorded with a DIY binaural head with 3Dio Silicone ears and DPA 4061 microphones. Audio recorded with a vintage Sony TC-D5 and Sony EF Type 1 Cassettes. Comfortable, circumaural headphones are highly recommended as the audio is very quiet but also because a correct binaural image requires playback through headphones.

Level settings: The soundscape was very silent. Our general recommendation for your level settings is to set the level so that the tape noise is bearable, then lower it one or two more clicks.

Special thanks to: Michele Josue, Matthew Shepard Foundation, Laramie PD, and the landowner for making this project possible.

For more news and information about this album please visit:
https://bivouacrecording.com/post/780976596162117633/social-tapes-matthew-shepard-tapes

All audio recorded on location in Laramie, WY on October 7, 2016.

50% of proceeds is donated to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. After your purchase you will receive a copy of the donation receipt within 24 hours.

Buy album on Bandcamp

Social Tapes- Matthew Shepard Tape 03

There were celebrations around the world when the statue of Edward Colston, a prominent figure in the transatlantic slave trade, was pulled down during a Black Lives Matter march in Bristol in 2020. But not everyone agreed it was a step forward for racial justice. How did this act of protest impact those who are fighting against racism in Bristol today? 

This radio documentary revisits the story of Colston’s toppling and goes beyond the headlines to uncover voices and perspectives that were overlooked. Through interviews with community activists, poets and historians, the programme highlights a range of unexpected opinions and personal reflections on the event and its aftermath.

After Colston Fell

Pan Andrzej przywołuje rodzinną historię krzyża i karuzeli z ulicy Pogranicznej, oraz wspomina okupacyjne losy swoich dziadków. 

Historia krzyża i karuzeli

Is the dream of home ownership still worth it? Or are we just chasing a version of security that no longer exists? This documentary follows two first-home buyers: one just starting out, the other navigating life post-purchase.

The before and after struggles of buying your first home

Kiedy wybuchła II Wojna Światowa Zofia miała 12 lat. Osiemdziesiąt lat później, tak wspomina te chwile.

Bomba na Grembachu

In August 2024, unrest swept across the UK after the tragic killings in Southport, fuelled by online misinformation and weaponised fears about migration. In Bristol, the tension erupted in Castle Park and outside the Mercure Hotel, where asylum seekers were housed. The police presence was thin. The danger was real. And yet, what happened next was extraordinary, ordinary Bristolians put their bodies on the line to defend their neighbours.

We Don’t Do That Here is a one-hour audio documentary from Bristol's community radio stations - BCfm and Ujima, weaving together multiple in-depth interviews with those who lived it: refugees inside the hotel with their children, activists and local residents on the streets, police officers, youth workers, charity leaders, journalists, and community broadcasters. Their voices reveal the fear of that week, the courage of those who stood in solidarity, and the deep divisions that surfaced under pressure.

The programme also investigates the powerful role of media and misinformation, such as how a single false claim spiralled into riots, how national outlets inflamed stereotypes, and how community radio and grassroots networks became lifelines of truth. Listeners hear not just about what happened, but why, and what it tells us about Britain in an age of polarisation.

Above all, this is a story of resilience. From smiles through hotel windows to grandmothers holding banners, from grassroots charities to city-wide counter-protests, Bristol’s communities demonstrated that hate would not go unchallenged. This documentary asks: what does it take to keep a city safe, welcoming, and united, and what can the rest of the country learn?

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Contributors:
Muneera Pilgrim – Creative and Broadcaster
Roger Ball – Academic Researcher
Anonymous – Afghan Asylum Seeker
Jim (Not real name) - Bristol Anti-Fascists
Serena Sergeant – Avon & Somserset Police
Desmond Brown – Growing Futures CIC
Olivia Lamont Bishop – Borderlands Bristol
Maya Mate-Kole – Mwanzo Project

Producers: Marcus Smith & Miranda Rae
Sound Design: George Colwey
Photo Credit: Simon Holliday
Funding: Bristol City Council

We Don't Do That Here

MinneCulture is KFAI’s award-winning audio storytelling program. We produce audio documentaries exploring Minnesota’s art, culture, and history — stories about musical sensations, small town heroes, cultural icons, local lore, and everything in between.

Radio documentarian, producer, sound recordist for film; lover of food and all things New Orleans.

aka (at times)DJ Crushed Velvet (VLVT)

Radio and Podcast Producer 📻 
Anthropology BA, Audio Journalism MA 🎤

Hi, I’m Amy, a Digital Media student from Newcastle, Australia. This audio documentary explores the emotional and financial realities of first-home buyers navigating the Aussie Dream.

Community Radio for Bristol.

BCfm promotes community cohesion and well-being by providing an engaging and challenging audio experience. We use a mix of talk and music shows to inform, educate and entertain.

There are 60+ weekly shows broadcasting 24 hours a day in different languages, including Polish, Somali, Arabic and Spanish.

#LoveBristol #LoveBCfm

Bivouac Recording is a sound label based in Hong Kong.
Bivouac Recording是一个录音品牌且提供录音服务的公司，致力于推进独立现场录音项目。

For a richer experience of the field recordings and audio please read the descriptions for each track. 

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New tracks tagged #audio documentary