FRONTLINE, the acclaimed PBS investigative documentary series produced at GBH in Boston, announced it has – for the first time – published American Sign Language (ASL)-interpreted videos for each episode of its podcast Breakdown: Turning Anguish Into Action, a six-part series in collaboration with Maine Public Radio and the Portland Press Herald.
Publishing the innovative ASL-interpreted videos is part of an effort by FRONTLINE, Maine Public Radio and the Portland Press Herald to make this award-winning investigative podcast accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community.
Breakdown examined the deadly 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, and the aftermath for shooting victims, some of whom were deaf and hard of hearing. The shooting is believed to be the worst mass shooting of deaf people in U.S. history, and as the series reports, deaf victims and their families faced both accessibility constraints and communication and information barriers in the aftermath.
“Podcasts are a vital and growing part of the American news ecosystem, yet they remain mostly inaccessible to the millions of Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing,” said Erin Texeira, senior editor and director of the FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative. “We’re proud that, through innovative storytelling, we can now bring this important investigative project to all audiences. And we hope this inspires much more accessibility in journalism.”
For the project, FRONTLINE worked with the sign language and captioning company Partners Interpreting and its two interpreters: Joshua Ayoub, who is hearing, and Alicia McClurkan, who is deaf and lives in Maine. Filming in GBH’s Boston studios, Ayoub interpreted the audio for McClurkan, a Certified Deaf Interpreter, who signed on camera. Each 30-40-minute podcast episode took about eight hours to film.
Texeira added, “We’re so grateful to Alicia and Josh. This project would not have been possible without their insights, dedication and top-notch skills.”
“I’m tremendously proud of the work and learning Maine Public News and FRONTLINE have put forward in the creation of our American Sign Language episodes of the podcast,” said Mark Simpson, Maine Public’s Director, News and Public Affairs.
“This effort furthers our shared goals of more inclusivity for more audiences to experience our reporting, and importantly so that those audiences that are part of the coverage, are engaged on their preferred platforms and know their communities are reflected in our coverage. I think this is an important step for our journalism.”
"At GBH, our long-standing commitment to accessibility has always been rooted in the belief that media should reflect and serve the diverse communities it represents,” said Donna Danielewski, Executive Director of Accessibility for GBH. “Collaborating with Erin and the FRONTLINE podcast team on the ASL-interpreted podcast series has opened the door to countless possibilities, allowing us to ensure that the d/Deaf community has full access to vital stories—stories that reflect their experiences, challenges, and contributions. With years of deep engagement with the disability community, we continue to drive inclusive innovation, making sure all voices are heard and represented in the media we produce,” Danielewski added.
FRONTLINE, Maine Public Radio and the Portland Press Herald’s joint reporting is borne out of the PBS series’ Local Journalism Initiative, which aims to promote sustainable, public interest journalism in communities where local news organizations have been hit hard by financial pressures, or in news deserts. In addition to the National Headliner Award-winning podcast series, the reporting also includes an Emmy Award- and Peabody Award-nominated documentary, Breakdown in Maine, and text stories published online and in print.