East by northeast – Hackney Podcast ahoy!

Directed and produced by partners Francesca Panetta and Felix Carey, these variegated and somewhat quirky online digital recordings at www.hackneypodcast.co.uk claim to be the borough’s first professionally produced project of this type. Presented by Francesca, the recordings consist of interviews with local residents, and are an easily-digestible twenty minutes or so in length.

The first three have covered topics from music and theatre to bicycle repair and allotments, whilst ‘resident philosopher’, lecturer James Wilson, has begun a series on ethical issues with a discussion of the limits of tolerance. Also included in the podcasts so far are interviews with local politicians, as well as breakfast reviews at local cafes.

Lined up for future months are features on author Iain Sinclair, Green Hackney, and a guide to Hackney Wick’s art galleries. There are also plans for a series of ‘Hackney Podcast extras’ such as stand-alone walking guides or ‘podtours’.

Not many places are lucky enough to have a podcast dedicated to them, but Francesca and Felix are both professional broadcasters as well as musicians, and are using their skills to create these recordings as a new type of local medium.

Motivated by a fascination with the borough and its positive energy, as well as by a desire to explore sound techniques, Francesca says, “I wanted my own project where I could really push the boundaries for techniques of radio using sound art”. Her interest is clearly apparent in the sonic variety of the recordings, replete with noises ranging from the textured cacophony of a street market and the high-pitched squeal of bicycle breaks to the melodic tones of new Japanese music.

Keen to “portray lots of different people’s stories in different ways”, Francesca hopes that the podcasts will not only be enjoyable, but also help to “bind different parts of Hackney together”, in capturing the life and the spirit of the borough.