Award-Winning Fiction Podcast The Truth Relaunches October 9th with New Stories and a New Distributor
The Truth, the acclaimed audio drama podcast known for its cinematic sound design and unforgettable stories, is back with a bold relaunch. Now distributed by Realm, The Truth begins a new chapter with brand-new episodes, a successful listener-funded campaign, and a renewed mission to push the boundaries of what audio fiction can be. New episodes begin October 9th.
A Respected Legacy in Audio Fiction Since its debut in 2012, The Truth has set the standard for modern audio drama anthologies. Its stories, sometimes surreal, sometimes frightening, sometimes heartbreakingly intimate, have been praised for combining sharp writing with meticulous sound design and naturalistic performances. The show has been downloaded more than 30 million times, consistently drawing a devoted audience of listeners who want audio that feels as powerful as film.
The Truth was recently named one of Apple Podcasts’ 20 Podcasts We Love: “Its true genius lies in subverting reality to create uncomfortable yet incredibly human stories.” And last month it was #36 on Left of Dial Media’s 100 Greatest Podcasts of All Time, which called it “smart, sharp, and hauntingly human.”
The Guardian has praised The Truth for “setting the benchmark for fiction-based audio anthologies.” Its stories have been featured on This American Life and Snap Judgment, and it has been recognized with some of the highest honors in the field, including multiple Sarah Awards for excellence in audio fiction, and The HearSay Audio Prize.
Four New Episodes Kick Off the Relaunch The relaunch begins with a slate of four strikingly different stories:
Operation Skill Shot, written by Hunter Nelson – A man obsessed with pinball discovers that his passion may be the key to finding a criminal. (coming October 9)
Here I Am, written by Louis Kornfeld – A mother learns piano to channel her silent son’s inner voice, and in the process heals her broken family. (coming October 23)
The Joke, written by Mary McDonnell – When an archivist in the future finds a single surviving joke, she risks her job to uncover its meaning—discovering forbidden laughter along the way. (coming November 6)
The Projectionists, written by Davy Gardner – A surreal story of a date night that takes a surprising turn when the movie previews become a little too familiar. (coming November 20) “These stories show what The Truth does best — they’re cinematic, emotional, and take you somewhere unexpected,” said producer Jonathan Mitchell. “They all explore the yearning for meaning and connection, which is a very relatable feeling these days. And they’re all intensely auditory experiences.”
A Community-Fueled Relaunch The show’s return was made possible by a passionate community of listeners who supported a fundraising campaign earlier this year.
Highlights included the show’s firstever vinyl pressing of two classic episodes:
Moon Graffiti (winner of the 2012 Gold Mark Time Award) and Silvia’s Blood (a fan favorite), giving listeners a chance to own a piece of The Truth’s history in analog form.
Why The Truth Matters In a media landscape filled with formulaic true crime and chatty talk shows, The Truth stands apart:
Cinematic Craftsmanship: Each episode is carefully written, performed, and sound-designed to transport listeners into a fully realized world.
Human Depth: Stories explore love, fear, hope, and heartbreak in ways that are nuanced, complex, and deeply empathetic.
Proven Influence: The Truth helped ignite the modern fiction podcast movement and continues to inspire creators across the industry. As podcasts grow ever more commercial, The Truth remains a beacon for what audio drama can achieve: surprising, moving, and profoundly alive.
About Jonathan Mitchell
Jonathan Mitchell is the creator, producer, director, and sound designer of The Truth. He’s widely recognized as one of the pioneers of modern audio fiction, helping define what a “cinematic podcast” could be. With The Truth, he introduced a new model for scripted audio drama: fully scripted, naturalistic short stories performed by theater ensembles and mixed with film-quality sound design.
Drawing on his background in public radio (Studio 360, Radiolab, This American Life), Mitchell brought a documentarylike intimacy and emotional depth to fiction podcasting, influencing a generation of creators and proving that anthology storytelling could sustain a loyal, large-scale audience.
His work is frequently cited by critics and educators as a benchmark for craft, inspiring countless shows that followed.
About Realm
Led by a powerful team from CAA, ESPN, Disney, Penguin Random House, Warner Brothers, and NBC Universal, Realm operates an ad-supported digital content network and the popular audio streaming service Pinna (pronounced ‘Pin-nah’), developed and curated exclusively for families with kids under 12.
Realm has a strong presence in Fandom & Entertainment, Family & Parenting, and a growing presence in Comedy, Sport, and Wellness/Self-Improvement. The company partners with top creators and hosts, as well as major IP holders for development & production, global distribution in all channels, 360 monetization and growth. The network’s focus is on categories that bring people together through fandom, storytelling, and shared experiences.
Shows include the top-charting DC High Volume: BATMAN ongoing scripted podcast; UNSPOOLED with hosts Paul Scheer and LA Times film critic Amy Nicholson; BUSINESS DAD hosted by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian; the 2025 Webby Best Kids Podcast GRIMM, GRIMMER, GRIMMEST; #1 Spotify podcast HARLEY QUINN & THE JOKER: SOUND MIND starring Christina Ricci; IGN’s NINTENDO VOICE CHAT; Netflix’s POPCORN BRAINSTORM; family favorite STORY PIRATES; CRITICAL ROLE & SAGAS OF SUNDRY; LEGENDS OF THE OLD WEST; SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW with broadcaster Mike Carruthers; and reality TV recappers BROS & SHOWS.
Truth matters. Quality journalism costs.
Your subscription to Mencari directly funds the investigative reporting our democracy needs. For less than a coffee per week, you enable our journalists to uncover stories that powerful interests would rather keep hidden. There is no corporate influence involved. No compromises. Just honest journalism when we need it most.
Not ready to be paid subscribe, but appreciate the newsletter ? Grab us a beer or snag the exclusive ad spot at the top of next week's newsletter.
