Every week, millions of devoted fans tune in to or download "This American Life," "The Moth," "Radiolab," "Planet Money," "Snap Judgment," "Serial," "Invisibilia" and other narrative radio shows. Using personal stories to breathe life into complex ideas and issues, these beloved programs help us to understand ourselves and our world a little bit better. Each has a distinct style, but every one delivers stories that are brilliantly told and produced. OUT ON THE WIRE offers an unexpected window into this new kind of storytelling --- one that literally illustrates the making of a purely auditory medium. 

With the help of Ira Glass of "This American Life," Jessica Abel, a cartoonist and devotee of narrative radio, uncovers just how radio producers construct narrative, spilling some juicy insider details. Jad Abumrad of "Radiolab" talks about chasing moments of awe with scientists, while  Robert Smith of "Planet Money" lets us in on his slightly goofy strategy for putting interviewees at ease. And Abel reveals how mad --- really mad --- Ira Glass becomes when he receives edits from his colleagues. Informative and engaging, OUT ON THE WIRE demonstrates that narrative radio and podcasts are creating some of the most exciting and innovative storytelling available today.