Compiled by Jasper Baumann and Tess Connery
Raising awareness of perinatal depression and anxiety with 1 in 5 Mothers, 1 in 10 Fathers
To help raise awareness for perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA), Gidget Foundation Australia and LiSTNR have launched the 1 in 5 Mothers, 1 in 10 Fathers podcast series.
PNDA impacts around 100,000 Australians each year – in fact, it affects 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers – and often comes as a surprise to the parents or families affected. This is a temporary and treatable condition and support services are available across Australia.
Podcast Week’s Tess Connery spoke to Gidget Foundation Australia CEO, Arabella Gibson about how the podcast deals with such a sensitive subject matter, and what she hopes listeners get from the series.
“We did some market research that told us that one in three expectant and new parents feel really validated when they hear stories from other parents who might have experienced similar things,” says Gibson. “From that perspective, it just made absolute sense that we share stories more widely, because that drives education and awareness of the issue.
“Having a baby is meant to be a hugely joyful, exciting, fabulous time, but actually, it can be incredibly challenging. We go through a phase of having a complete identity change, so being able to tap into other people’s stories can actually normalise some of those feelings – particularly if they’re isolated and living in regional, rural, or remote communities.”
The series is hosted by Nine News presenter Davina Smith, a woman that Gibson says was perfect for the job.
“Davina is one of our ambassadors and she has been for quite some time now. She’s really invested in our cause because she personally experienced perinatal depression with both of her children. She’s very passionate about ensuring that we educate people, and we really drive awareness of this illness.
“It’s a recoverable illness. By sharing what the symptoms are, what the contributing factors can be, and having someone with a high profile out there and vulnerable as they share their own story has really created that raw, honest conversation.”
The podcast speaks to a wide range of people with a wide range of experiences. Thsi is no accident, with Gibson pointing out that the team were “quite specific about looking for diversity” when looking for guests.
“We’re really conscious that PNDA doesn’t discriminate, and it can happen to anyone at any time in that journey of having a child. What we really tried to do was look at different aspects of what that can look like – so we cover topics like postnatal psychosis, grief and loss, issues around IVF and infertility. We’ve also got stories with people from the LGBTQIA+ community, we’ve got a beautiful First Nations mum who shares her story, and we’ve got a brilliant story from a dad who is just so raw, but so relatable.”
Perinatal depression and anxiety can be a deeply personal topic, and ibson says that the team behind 1 in 5 Mothers, 1 in 10 Fathers is very, very aware of that.
“We have a real responsibility to each of the talent that goes through the podcast, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We have a counsellor available for recording, and someone who can pre-brief and debrief with those people to talk them through how they’re feeling. We know that it can be really traumatic to retell your story, but not only that, it can be really triggering and it has the potential to bring on additional mental health challenges.”
Ultimately, Gibson says that she hopes listeners come away from the podcast with a greater understanding of what perinatal depression and anxiety actually is, and that it’s incredibly common.
“We know that one in five mothers and one in ten fathers are diagnosed with this illness, but we know that so many people go undiagnosed.
“I hope people understand what the signs are and how to spot them, either in yourself or in someone you care about, and to get them the right support earlier on in that journey. In doing so, we know that we can really help to build resilient families and we can help to keep families together.”
[Listen to 1 in 5 Mothers, 1 in 10 Fathers here]
Newscast debuts six-episode true crime podcast, The Missing Australia
NewsCast, News Corp Australia’s on-demand audio arm, has released The Missing Australia, a new six-episode true crime podcast investigating unsolved missing persons cases across the country.
The Missing Australia examines some of the more than 38,000 missing persons reports made to police each year – that’s one every 14 minutes.
Hosted by former policeman Meni Caroutas, The Missing Australia relies on the simple truth that someone, somewhere, knows something. These are cases that can be solved and the podcast sets out to do that.
Investing in and producing new episodes of The Missing Australia under its True Crime Australia arm, NewsCast will build on the success of Caroutas’ freelance work investigating missing persons cases.
[Listen to The Missing Australia here]
LiSTNR showcase 12 crime podcasts for Winter in 2023
LiSTNR has showcased 12 of their popular crime podcasts to binge during the winter months.
In each podcast, hosts lay out the facts, and try to reveal to the listener where investigations sit, or how these crimes happened – from the shooting of Melbourne’s infamous ‘vampire gigolo’, to investigating if the murderous claims by Mark Brandon “Chopper” were true, to the dark secrets behind the filming of The Wizard of Oz, the real story behind the Bethesda Lululemon Athletica store attack, and how Aussie Dan Saunders was able to withdraw $1.6 million dollars when he found a glitch with his ATM card.
The Children In The Pictures
Australian documentary-maker Akhim Dev follows the Queensland Police investigation of a notorious child exploitation website. This eight-part series is an examination into how child abuse has become endemic online, and what we can do to fight it.
Crime Insiders In Focus: Trials of the Vampire
In 2003, Melbourne’s infamous ‘vampire gigolo’, Shane Chartres-Abbott, was shot down on his way to court to go on trial for an alleged rape. Both his death and trial seemed suspicious so investigative journalist Adam Shand decided to look into it in this podcast. Listen to the events that led to the so-called ‘trials of the vampire’.
My Favourite Murder: Emotional Money Booth
In the 1940s and 50s, forensic scientist Frances Glessner Lee revolutionised the way criminal investigations were studied. Hear the fascinating details of how she created intricate dollhouse-sized crime scenes to help train police officers to solve crimes.
[Read about all the other showcased podcasts here]
The Australian announces new podcast from the team behind The Teacher’s Pet
The Australian has released The Teacher’s Accuser, the third instalment from the team behind the popular The Teacher’s Pet and The Teacher’s Trial podcasts.
The Teacher’s Accuser, supported by Harvey Norman, will feature news and analysis from the trial of convicted murderer Chris Dawson who stands accused of having unlawful sex with a 16-year-old in 1980 when he was working as a physical education teacher on Sydney’s northern beaches.
The Australian’s team of journalists including Hedley Thomas, David Murray, Claire Harvey and Matthew Condon, will cover the court proceedings, unpacking every step of the legal drama as a weekly podcast.
The high-profile case, which began on May 29 in NSW’s District Court, follows Dawson’s sentencing last year to 24 years in jail for murdering his wife Lynette Simms 40 years after her disappearance. Dawson has indicated he will appeal that conviction.
[Listen to The Teacher’s Accuser here]
iHeartPodcast Network announce second series of Concealed with Art Simone
The premise of living double lives sits at the heart of Concealed with Art Simone, which returns for a second season on May 30 on ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network.
Art Simone knows quite a bit about living a double life as one of Australia’s best-known drag queens and live performers. In this podcast, Art talks to other Australians with secrets. From a mum who likes taxidermy to a lawyer who runs a nudist group. The guests might not use their real names, but the stories are all true.
Starring in the inaugural season of Stan’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Art’s artistry, smarts and sense of fun attracted a new audience and immediately cemented her as a fan favourite.
Art Simone said of returning for a second season: “I can’t wait to shine my spotlight on a new fabulous and eclectic mix of everyday Aussies with extraordinary stories. Concealed is a wonderful inclusive space where we celebrate people for their differences.
[Listen to Concealed with Art Simone here]
Hairdressing We Have A Problem rounds out its first season
Piccolo Podcasts’ ‘Hairdressing We Have A Problem’ reached its season finale this week with the series exploring the trials, triumphs, and untold stories of the Australian hairdressing industry.
In season 1, the podcast delved deep into the world of stylists, educators and entrepreneurs while uncovering their unique journeys, industry secrets, and challenges they face.
From hilarious anecdotes to tales of loss, each episode explores how to fix the Australian hairdressing industry.
[Listen to Hairdressing We Have A Problem here]
Macquarie University Podcast premieres Season 3 of Ethics podcast
Macquarie University’s podcast ‘In the Cave: An Ethics Podcast’ has started season 3 by gathering a diverse panel of experts and guests who will navigate the maze of ethical debates.
From the intersection of technology and ethics to the complexities of social justice and animal welfare each episode promises to challenge perspectives and ignite meaningful discussions.
[Listen to In the Cave: An Ethics Podcast here]
