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Is it More Than Morbid Fascination?
The Empowering Effect of True Crime Podcasts
Shawna Sheperd
In this article, Shawna Sheperd will explore True Crime as an
activity system. Inside this activity system, readers will dive
deep into the True Crime podcasts subgenre, addressing
issues of ethical communication, civic engagement, and
discourse communities. In her exploration, Sheperd will
ask, how do True Crime podcasts interact with the real
world? What do we gain from listening to sometimes
horrific tales? Is it more than just morbid fascination?
Podcasts as a Genre
?PMV1ÅZ[\_I[QV\ZWL]KML\WXWLKI[[1QUUMLQI\MTaJMKIUMI\IKPML In a matter of twenty minutes to an hour of listening, I would be thrown into a whirlwind of stories that emphasized innovation, drama, research, WZ[]Z^Q^IT1VPMZMV\TaXWLKI[[IZMLM[QOVML\WJMTQ[\MVML\W¹WV\PMOWº Through my cellphone, computer, tablet, and car radio I can stream a podcast whenever and wherever I please.
Podcasts can be considered a genre because they follow genre KWV^MV\QWV[[]KPI[JMQVO[MZQITQbMLI]LQWÅTM[\PI\IZMLW_VTWILIJTMWZ [\ZMIUML NZWU \PM 1V\MZVM\ =VLMZ \PM ]UJZMTTI \MZU ¹XWLKI[[º UIVa subgenres exist. For instance, subgenres of podcasts can include shows that focus specifically on different kinds of goals (entertainment, news, education), topics (sports, history, storytelling, true crime), and audiences (kids, adults, people interested in fashion etc.). No matter what subgenre you are thinking of, podcasts have become an accessible multimodal genre that allow listeners to cherry pick what information they receive about the topics that interest them. Podcasts are multimodal because they combine
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written research (which is an alphabetical mode), what information they articulate (which is an oral mode), and how they articulate that information for listeners (which is an aural mode). Besides being multimodal, podcasts are developed through many mediums. Podcasts combine text, audio, and sometimes images—as many podcasts will have social media pages where \PMaXW[\QUIOM[¸\WKZMI\MIÅVIT multimedia product.
True Crime Podcasts as an Activity System
In this article, I will explore how True Crime functions as an activity system, of which True Crime podcasts are a part of. I will then explore the podcast subgenre, True Crime, more closely to see how their socialization has generated intercultural communities. Activity Systems are networks of people, tools, activities and genres. They usually involve one or more people trying to achieve a goal in the world (to change something, to create something, to communicate something, to share something). In some cases, activity systems can work on a really large scale to shape the way discourse communities function. That is, large groups of people who are working on similar goals, or interested in similar things, all act within particular activity systems that are interrelated, and that use similar genres.
A True Crime discourse community would be a group of people who share the common goal of researching, listening, and retelling real-life crime stories. Often, people taking part in a True Crime discourse community would use similar genres for their research such as nonfiction books, documentaries, websites, news articles, police reports, court proceedings, magazines, and podcasts. A small-scale example of a True Crime discourse community I am a part of is my Podcast Book Club. We are a group of ten women who were previously strangers until one mutual friend of ours on Facebook connected us. We meet biweekly to discuss a pre-decided podcast episode, centered on True Crime. We share the common goal of confronting our own fears and anxieties while we discuss real cases. Often, group members will bring outside researched information into our meetings if the podcast episode didn’t satisfy their questions.
When considering True Crime as an activity system, levels of participation from the discourse community will vary. For instance, a person who is avidly engaged in this activity system would use multiple genres, tools, and interactions to better research certain cases (i.e. listening to a podcast episode, reading a book on that case, or browsing the Internet for more QVNWZUI\QWV;QUQTIZTaIXMZ[WV_PWQ[UWLMZI\MTaMVOIOMLKIVJM[I\Q[ÅML with choosing only one or two genres or tools to investigate a particular
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most depraved parts of humanity. When I choose a podcast, I look for hosts and production teams sensitive to victims’ legacies and families, and that handle the complexities of trauma and mental health with care.
<PMÅZ[\<Z]M+ZQUMXWLKI[\1TQ[\MVML\WQ[ My Favorite Murder ( MFM ). MFM is a self-declared true-crime comedy XWLKI[\PMPW[[NWZUMZKWUMLQIV3IZMV3QTOIZQٺIVL /MWZOQI 0IZL[\IZS KTIZQNa \PI\ \PM ¹KWUMLaº XWZ\QWV WN their podcast isn’t intended to be insensitive to any victim or the victims’ family, but rather the jokes made often target the perpetrators and are used to make processing heavy case details easier. Not only does the MFM team clarify their comedic intentions at each live show, they hold I¹KWZZMK\QWV[KWZVMZºI\\PMJMOQVVQVOWN \PMQZZMKWZLML episodes where they address previous inaccurate facts or statements they may have expressed in past episodes. Since MFM _I[UaÅZ[\M`XMZQMVKM_Q\P<Z]M+ZQUMXWLKI[[1 felt relieved and encouraged by how they spoke about the cases.
There are many ethical True Crime podcasts that exist with different stylistic approaches. For instance, an Australian True Crime podcast called +I[M .QTM is LZIUI\QKITTaLQٺMZMV\NZWU MFM because instead of having a dialogic storytelling conversation, this podcast relies on a scripted narrative by one host. +I[M.QTM takes on a more serious tone by focusing on narrative reports and facts found within original public or police documents, and excludes any personal information or anecdotes about the host +ZQUM2]VSQM is another podcast that exists between MFM and +I[M.QTM¼[ stylistic extremes. The host, Ashley Flowers, reports facts on cases while having her co-host Brit Prawat act as a commentator on those cases. +ZQUM2]VSQM includes personal anecdotes and has a dialogic and improvised feel like MFM , but also follows a closely scripted narrative that isn’t necessarily comedic. No matter what style a True Crime podcast uses, the subject discussed moves beyond entertainment by interacting with the real-world crimes.
P-CHAT and True Crime Podcasts
To better understand how True Crime podcasts interact within the real world, I will break down the subgenre using terms from an analytical theory
Figure 1: Link to My Favorite Murder ( MFM ).
Figure 2: Link to +I[M.QTM podcast.
Figure 3: Link to +ZQUM2]VSQM
Sheperd —Is it More Than Morbid Fascination? 65
called cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT). Illinois State University’s Writing Program uses a version of this theory framework (PCHAT, or pedagogical CHAT) to think critically about literate activities, such as listening to a podcast. (To learn more about the seven terms: production, representation, distribution, reception, socialization, activity, and ecology check out resources on the isuwriting.com website.) The fascinating thing IJW]\][QVO8+0)<Q[\PI\\PM\MZUXZW^QLM[IÆM`QJTMIVLQV\MZIK\Q^M way to investigate a new genre. That being said, every time you investigate a new genre or new writing situation, you don’t always have to use each of the seven terms to generate or complicate your ideas.
For the purpose of investigating True Crime podcasts, I focused on five P-CHAT terms: production, distribution, reception, socialization, and ecology. I chose these elements of P-CHAT because I am interested in the inherent multimodal research and nature of True Crime podcasts and how they generate intercultural communities. Intercultural communities are generated when two (or UWZMK]T]ZITTaLQٺMZMV\OZW]X[KWUM\WOM\PMZ\WU]]ITTa exchange ideas, cultural norms, and develop connections among each other. To begin, it is important to discuss how True Crime podcasts are produced.
Production encompasses the tools and practices that go into creating a text. In every podcast I listen to, the hosts mention where they have gotten their source material from. For instance, MFM often jokes about their use of Murderpedia. The interactive site allows users to research XIZ\QK]TIZKI[M[IVLXMZXM\ZI\WZ[\WWN\MVÅVLXQK]ZM[IVL case details. The website, great for initial case exploration, is just the tip of the iceberg for the research that goes into compiling and producing an informative podcast episode. Often, hosts will mention documentaries, movies, books, news articles that they pull from as source material. For QV[\IVKM\PMMXQ[WLM"¹1VNIUW]["<PM,M`\MZ3QTTMZºX]TT[ NZWU \PM VWVÅK\QWV JWWS _<PM ,M^QT¼[ +QVMUI" <PM =V\WTL ;\WZa*MPQVL5IZS<Q\KPMTT¼[3QTT:WWU CBC News articles, the -LUWV\WV2W]ZVIT various YouTube videos, and primary documents. Not only are these informative podcasts multimodal production pieces, but sometimes, cases covered in a True Crime podcast can inspire further multimodal trajectories after its aired, such as a docuseries or an art exhibit. The podcast Serial gained so much attention
Figure 4: Link to ¹5]ZLMZXMLQIº
.QO]ZM "4QVS\W¹1VNIUW][" The Dexter Killer.”
Figure 6: Link to the podcast ¹;MZQITº
Sheperd —Is it More Than Morbid Fascination? 67
Reception is not just about how a listener will respond to a podcast—even though that element is important—it is also how the listeners might re-purpose the podcasts’ episodes. For instance, in the True Crime discourse community, artistic renderings of True Crime podcast hosts are common. Found publicly on MFM , _5WZJQL" ) <Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[_ , and +ZQUM2]VSQM ’s Instagram account, loyal listeners of each of these podcasts have created fan art. In all three images (Figure 10, 11, 12) listeners have repurposed a common phrase or quote that was said in each respective podcast to inspire the creation of their artwork.
In Figure 10, 5.5¼[ Y]W\M¹4]UQVWTVM^MZ lies,” has become a popular reference to the substance that forensic investigators use to detect trace amounts of blood at crime scenes. Not only has this particular quote been used in fan art, but the MFM merchandise store sells a travel and traditional mugs with a reference to luminol as well. The mug and travel mug being sold in the MFM UMZKPIVLQ[M[\WZM[PW_VQV.QO]ZM[Ia[¹<PQ[UQOP\JM4]UQVWTº <PMZMNWZM¹4]UQVWTVM^MZTQM[ºPI[JMMVZMX]ZXW[MLQV_Ia[\PI\3IZMV 3QTOIZQٺIVL/MWZOQI0IZL[\IZSPILV¼\IV\QKQXI\ML;QUQTIZTaY]W\M[NZWU _5WZJQL" ) <Z]M +ZQUM 8WLKI[_ have been repurposed for both artwork and merchandise. See Figure 11 and 12.
Not only has the reception of many True Crime podcasts’ quotes moved beyond the original intention of reporting on a case, but the way
Figure 10: MFM fan art on Instagram by @Maddiewiththeglasses.
Figure 11: MFM UMZKPIVLQ[M¹<PQ[UQOP\JM4]UQVWTºU]O[NW]VLWV found on My Favorite Murder website.
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these podcasts become repurposed facilitates interactions between strangers. The interactions of strangers as True Crime podcasts are listened to and engaged with nationally, internationally and interculturally, are also known as socialization. According to ISU Writing, when people engage with a text, they are also consciously and unconsciously representing and transforming different SQVL[WN [WKQITWZK]T]ZITXZIK\QKM[1V.QO]ZM IVIZ\Q[\QK rendering of hosts Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat of +ZQUM 2]VSQM QVKT]LM[\PMQZXWX]TIZ[IaQVO¹M?MQZLM:]LM Stay Alive!” This saying, often repeated in episodes, has become a trending hashtag that deconstructs the notion a person must be polite even when feeling uncomfortable. Flowers and Prawat repeatedly claim that it is safer to be weird—like asking the security guard to walk you to your car, and to be rude—like confronting someone who is making you uncomfortable, than to remain silent and adhere to socially constructed politeness. Therefore, their trending hashtag has become an empowering statement for many of their podcast listeners across cultures, especially female identifying persons, to become active defenders of their safety, to stand up for themselves, and to tell others what is making them uncomfortable.
MFM also has a trending hashtag, #StaySexyandDon’tGetMurdered. For many listeners, podcasts have connected strangers to virtual support
Figure 12: 5WZJQL")<Z]M+ZQUM Podcast fan art on Instagram Ja(-UQTaZIM
Figure 13: _5WZJQL")<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[_ merchandise sweatshirt.
Figure 14: Link to _5WZJQL" )<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[_ merchandise sweatshirt.
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True Crime Podcast Festival that gives listeners the opportunity to meet and interact with various podcast production teams and hosts through something called a Podcast Gallery. At the festival, exclusive episodes, panel discussions, and crossover collaborations are shared. Overall, True Crime is socialized quite a bit. Through artistic renderings of podcast material, social media interaction, support groups, and in-person activities listening to a True Crime podcast becomes only one element of being part of a True Crime discourse community, like MFM Fan Club. Furthermore, discourse community members who create artwork or comment and post about the podcasts’ material, are given opportunities to use social media platforms to interact with and give feedback to the podcasts’ hosts. The open communication between hosts and listeners—seen in the above figures—strengthen the identities of those particular True Crime discourse communities because listeners often feel their wishes, fears, and concerns are being addressed. Secondly, merchandise sold can also work to validate and cultivate feelings of belonging to a True Crime discourse community through tangible means, especially if that community is spread across the globe. The cool thing about True Crime discourse communities is that True Crime is used as a means to have productive conversations with others regardless of race, culture, or background.
Now that we’ve discussed how popular True Crime podcasts are, seeing that there is a large consumer base, a few questions remain. Why TQ[\MV\W\Z]MKZQUM'?PI\LWMOIQVNZWUTQ[\MVQVO\WPWZZQÅK\ITM[' Ecology from the P-CHAT framework becomes one of the most important factors to consider when thinking of the greater picture of literate activity. Ecology is how environmental, social, or political factors shape our interaction with a text. True Crime podcasts get into intense details of solved, unsolved, and wrongful conviction cases. A few True Crime podcasts even work closely with TWKITTIMVNWZKMUMV\WZTI_MVNWZKMUMV\[]XXWZ\QVOVWVXZWÅ[[]KPI[ +ZQUM2]VSQM , who work with the Indiana Crime Stoppers. Podcast audiences have become a tangible avenue for police departments across the world to ask for tips, witnesses, or any information for various cases.
Not only is there often a direct call to justice targeted towards listeners, but True Crime podcasts have brought to light through their coverage previously misunderstood mental illnesses and disorders. When discussing these details, podcasts act as a tool that often sheds light on inequalities within the United States and abroad, bringing issues of race, religion, disability, and socioeconomic class to the forefront. Therefore, True Crime podcasts have gained traction in making substantial change by critically examining past cases and bringing attention to discrepancies within those investigations. For example, a true crime podcast can call attention to questions of bias,
Sheperd —Is it More Than Morbid Fascination? 71
prosecutorial misconduct, circumstantial evidence, or the criminal justice process.
These types of conversations started within a podcast are a form of civic engagement , which is how individuals or a group can address issues of public concern to change existing social or political policy. True Crime podcasts can function as a tool that deepens their listeners’ awareness of oppressive systems at work within our societies. For example, episodes can cover current or past cases that didn’t receive the media coverage it deserved because of race, class, or disability status. The disproportionate amount of national and local media coverage of cases dealing with white upper-middle- class persons is known as white privilege journalism.
A prominent example of aboriginal families not receiving the media coverage they deserved because of their ethnic background would be the disappearances and murders of mostly indigenous women or girls that have occurred along Highway 16, otherwise known as the Highway of Tears. According to Canadian statistics, aboriginal women and girls make up only WN \PM\W\ITNMUITMXWX]TI\QWVPW_M^MZIJWZQOQVIT_WUMVIVLOQZT[ IKKW]V\NWZIZW]VL WN ITTNMUITMPWUQKQLM[4M^QV<W\PQ[LIaUW[\ cases remain unsolved, as Indigenous families cite racial bias and frustrating encounters with law enforcement that didn’t take their pleas seriously about their loved ones (Levin).
I, for one, would have never heard of these cases if not for +ZQUM2]VSQM ’s episode detailing these cases. The attention OIZVMZMLNWZ\PM0QOP_IaWN MIZ[\PZW]OPNIUQTQITMٺWZ[ and podcasts has created enough public outcry in multiple cultures and communities for the provincial government to QUXZW^M[INM\aITWVO\PMPQOP_Ia[]KPI[N]VLQVO\ZIٻK cameras and vehicles for Indigenous communities.
Concluding Thoughts
There is more to True Crime than morbid fascination. The storytelling used within True Crime podcasts is an empowering tool that makes audiences more aware of their surroundings, gives them permission to not be polite when uncomfortable, and not be afraid to seek professional help when VMMLML5WZMW^MZZ]M+ZQUMXWLKI[[PI^M\PQ[MUXW_MZQVOMٺMK\IKZW[[ cultures, allowing people from all walks of life to connect and share their anxieties, hopes, and fears in order to dismantle stereotypes and deconstruct social or political barriers. Although a lot of work still needs to be done to
Figure 17: +ZQUM2]VSQM podcast.
Sheperd —Is it More Than Morbid Fascination? 73
¹ M?MQZLM:]LM;\Ia)TQ^Mº Instagram Hashtag , www.instagram.com M`XTWZM\IO[JM_MQZLJMZ]LM[\IaITQ^M'PT%MV
(+ZIN\aGKZMI\QWV[GJaGSI\MG ¹*M ?MQZL *M :]LM ;\Ia )TQ^M +ZQUM Junkie Image.” +ZQUM 2]VSQM 1V[\IOZIU , www.instagram.com/p/B6Vg VK3AE--/.
(-UQTaZIM ¹.ZM[P)QZ1[.WZ,MIL8MWXTMº 5WZJQL")<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[\ Instagram , www.instagram.com/p/CAIgxOxJnCR/.
/WVbnTMb 5IZQ ¹+:7;;+=4<=:)4 ^[ 16<-:+=4<=:)4º IXMATI , 3 July 2014, ixmaticommunications.com/2011/02/03/cross -cultural-vs-intercultural/.
1;=?ZQ\QVO8ZWOZIU¹3Ma<MZU[IVL+WVKMX[º /ZI[[ZWW[?ZQ\QVO:M[MIZKP , ;MX\MUJMZ P\X"Q[]_ZQ\QVOKWUSMa\MZU[
4M^QV ,IV ¹,WbMV[ WN ?WUMV >IVQ[P WV +IVILI¼[ 0QOP_Ia WN <MIZ[ and Most Cases Are Unsolved.” 24 May 2016, www.nytimes KWU _WZTLIUMZQKI[KIVILIQVLQOMVW][_WUMV -highway-16.html.
(5ILLQM_Q\P\PMOTI[[M[ ¹4]UQVWT 6M^MZ 4QM[ 1UIOMº My Favorite Murder 8WLKI[\1V[\IOZIU www.instagram.com/p/CEC2AMVn-Ml/.
5IZS[)VLZMI¹?Pa4Q[\MVQVO\W5]ZLMZ;\WZQM[5ISM[;WUM8MWXTM4M[[ Anxious.” The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company, 21 Feb. 2017, www .theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/the-true-crime-podcast ]ZVMLUMV\ITPMIT\P[]XXWZ\OZW]X
¹5WZJQL")<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[\º 5WZJQL , www.morbidpodcast.com/.
¹5WZJQL" ) <Z]M +ZQUM 8WLKI[\ 5MZKPIVLQ[M ;\WZMº Murder Apparel , murderapparel.com/collections/morbid-podcast.
¹5a.I^WZQ\M5]ZLMZ5MZKPIVLQ[Mº Store , myfavoritemurder.com/store.
;KPQT\;\MXPIVQM>IV¹<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[[ ,WVM:QOP\º +ZQUM:MIL[ , 12 Sept. 2019, crimereads.com/true-crime-podcasts-done-right/.
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¹?MTKWUM\W+I[MÅTM"<Z]M+ZQUM8WLKI[\º +I[MÅTM KI[MÅTMXWLKI[\KWU
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Shawna Sheperd is Master’s student in literary and
cultural studies at Illinois State University. She is
interested in studying health psychology, disability,
and social experience within literary and educational
frameworks. In her free time, when not listening to some
form of podcast, she is hiking or exploring new areas.
