‘Backed Up’ - A “Crappy” Podcast From Cincinnati Public Radio
Cover artwork for Cincinnati Public Radio by Nicole Tiffany.
This year, I had the privilege of working on Backed Up, a “crappy” podcast from Cincinnati Public Radio and 91.7 WVXU, the region’s NPR affiliate.
There’s something wrong with the plumbing in Cincinnati. Sewage is bubbling up in our basements and pouring into our waterways. Climate change is making it worse, and the powers that be can’t seem to fix it.
‘Backed Up’ is a podcast that demystifies one of the most complex systems of public infrastructure — our sewers — and tells the stories of the people suffering under decades of mismanagement.
Join hosts Becca Costello and Ella Rowen as they sort through the bullsh*t to flush out the real sh*t.
Hop in, gang — we’re solving a mystery.
Expertly created, produced, and hosted by Becca Costello and Ella Rowen—I worked on the digital and visual side of things alongside Jennifer Merritt. Backed Up was CPR’s first original podcast to feature a fully strategic, data-influenced rollout. From publishing to promotion and a unique visual style, the program received praise from both listeners and NPR alike, culminating in a live event which invited listeners to interact directly with the hosts during a live stream.
Listenership & Reach:
As of August 7, 2024, Backed Up has accumulated 32,000+ quality listens with an average audio consumption rate of 90% across over 20 digital platforms with a total of 757 dedicated followers.
Unique and Accessible Presentation:
Backed Up was hosted and maintained on the back-end of 91.7 WVXU’s website via NPR’s publishing services. To create a more engaging presentation beyond the traditional format, our team utilized the Shorthand digital storytelling service to combine supplemental content with embedded audio. This format allowed us to create a unique and inviting experience which prioritized both mobile and desktop viewing. Additionally, the program could be found at over 20 different podcast providers. The visual style was inspired by the “investigative boards” that are often associated with true-crime programs. Each episode received a unique, physically-assembled and photographed set of visuals that were also repurposed for promotion across social and advertising channels
Praise For Backed Up:
The limited-series podcast was featured by NPR as part of their “new & noteworthy” recommendations and also boasts a perfect 5.0 rating on both Apple Podcasts (20 ratings) and Spotify (26 ratings).
Backed Up featured on the NPR app and NPR.org.
“Accurate, excellent podcast - I’m a civil engineer and have worked on the public and private side of CSO management on a consent decree CSO program for a major west coast city. This show is an honest portrayal of the challenges, technical and political, in that space. I really enjoyed hearing someone else describe my world!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this episode, and I am already saddened that there’s only 6!! Bring on the information and history, along with the humor! 😀”
Backed Up: LIVE
On the evening of July 10, 2024, our team held a free, live event to celebrate the release of the sixth and final episode, as well as, to invite fans in for comments, questions, and socializing. Guests were also given complimentary, custom-made “zines” inspired by host Ella Rowen’s interest in the medium and as a callback to discussion from the program. The full event recording was made available for viewing after being live-streamed over Facebook.
Special thanks to the staff and team at WCET in Cincinnati who graciously donated one of their television studios for this event!
Looking Ahead:
Backed Up set a new standard at Cincinnati Public Radio for original podcasts and their associated projects. It’s hoped that this example will lead to further successful endeavors which truly embody the organization’s goal of “empowering a vibrant, engaged, and informed community.”
