What's the Secret to Great Storytelling?

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host

Published April 28, 2009 at 7:00 AM PDT

This story was published more than 14 years ago.

What's the secret to good storytelling? Can anyone be trained to tell a story well? We'll talk with Jay Allison, the creator of the NPR series "This I Believe" about the art of citizen storytelling.

Originally aired on February 10, 2009.

Maureen Cavanaugh: It's said that everyone has at least one story that will stop your heart.

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If that is the case, my next guest, journalist Jay Allison, is lucky to be alive. He's spent 25 years collecting people's stories, compiling them in anthologies and broadcasting them in documentaries.

It's fair to say that anyone familiar with public broadcasting has heard something Jay Allison has produced. He's been behind projects such as "Lost and Found Sound" and the series of essays "This I Believe" for National Public Radio. And he produced documentaries for the ABC News show "Nightline."

Guest

Jay Allison, journalist, and host and creator of the NPR series "This I Believe." He is also co-producer of "Lost & Found Sound" and "Hidden Kitchens."

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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