Killed is the podcast unearthing stories buried by legacy media giants

🎧 Stories come and go. Some make headlines, and others are buried and sentenced to oblivion — only to be exhumed and dissected in Killed, a podcast where exposés, investigative journalism pieces, and stories that would get dangerous people in trouble see the light of day once more after attempts to make them disappear backfired.

What to expect: Hosted by journalist and serial podcaster Justine Harman, Killed digs up controversial stories axed by legacy media for a slew of different reasons — be that danger, controversy, or corruption. Harman taps the journalists who penned these pieces, key stakeholders, policy experts, and — at times — the people who killed the story, as she chronicles the events behind each buried tale.

The first episode of the show’s second season looks into journalist and Pulitzer recipient Paul Pringle’s investigation of former USC medical school dean Carmen Puliafito, who Pringle found was involved in a series of illegal activities — mostly targeting vulnerable young women. When Pringle set out to run the story, his editors immediately killed it. As it turns out, this wasn’t Puliafito’s first rodeo — everyone knew, and they kept silent. For Pringle, getting the story out became the number one priority, regardless of consequences.

What we liked: At under 30 minutes, brevity proves to be the podcast’s strength. Oscillating between Pringle’s first-hand testimony, Harman’s own narration, and interviews with the editors who attempted to kill the story — and paid the price for it — the show offers a comprehensive narrative from start to finish, leaving no questions unanswered. In great detail, it explores the lengths authorities will go to protect influential men, how politics impact newsrooms, and why institutions protect the people they do. It’s true crime meets media — which, in our book, is a recipe for success.

Our verdict: Our only gripe with the podcast is the frequent ad breaks, which were sudden and, quite frankly, annoying at times. Aside from that, we thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience from start to finish. Given its brevity, it makes for a great listen for your commute.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | PodBean.