Years ago, the Third Coast International Audio Festival hosted a competition for short-form audio documentaries called ShortDocs. The idea for the challenge was simple: invite people to make three-minute stories inspired by a theme or prompt. Listening back to these documentaries is a reminder of what’s possible with audio. It also shows how the whole medium benefits when there’s a place for all kinds of storytelling. However, in recent years, long-form, conversation-type podcasts dominate. That’s made finding a home for short-form, experimental audio harder than ever. Which is why Julie Shapiro and her creative partner, John DeLore, created Audio Flux.
Audio Flux is a modern take on ShortDocs. A new home for short-form, bold, innovative storytelling. Twice a year, the Audio Flux team invites people to create a story inspired by a specific challenge. And the results are often stunning and praiseworthy. The show was recently recognized by The New Yorker as one of the best podcasts of 2025. So today we’re sharing a handful of Audio Flux stories that will hopefully change what you think a podcast can be.
Featured Audio Flux stories include:
- The Sound of Silence by Gregory Warner and Sana Krasikov
- In Between Silence by Talia Augustidis
- The Ghost on Side B by Katelyn Hale Wood with sound design by Alan Goffinski
- First Words by Peter Lang-Stanton
- Red Card by Vivien Schütz and Laura Rojas Aponte
Find out more about Audio Flux by visiting: audioflux.org
Explore the original ShortDocs archive: Third Coast ShortDocs
Follow Audio Flux on Instagram: @audiofluxing
Subscribe to the Audio Flux podcast on your favorite app.
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