HAVE YOU HEARD?
Behind The Yellow Tape: Crime and criminality
Have You Heard? is where the Pod Bible team meet the people behind the podcasts you may not have heard of yet. This time we’re speaking to J.A. Lovelock about her podcast crime podcast Behind The Yellow Tape…
Behind The Yellow Tape, or BTYTPodcast, is an independent show sharing short stories of serious crimes, as well as interviews with people involved in the Criminal Justice System. The host and creator, J.A. Lovelock, is a Barrister-at-Law, an academic lawyer, lecturing examining and training in legal education. Her background adjudicating in the Criminal Justice System gives the show an authority, but not at the expense of the storytelling (a recent episode took the theme of ‘evil step mothers’ to consider four real-life cases.) And despite the heavy content, the episodes are kept to short, digestible narrations.
We asked the J.A. Lovelock to tell us more about the show.
Who are you and what’s your podcast about?
My podcast BTYTPodcast – Behind The Yellow Tape – is a twice-monthly podcast covering crime and criminality, which I created, produce and host. It is a podcast for those interested in serious crime and the solving of it. We hear from the people who have had a relationship with the Criminal Justice System in some way and those in-between. And particularly hear from those who caused the yellow tape to be erected in the first place. The episodes consist of both interviews and the narration of legal cases and due to its oftentimes controversial outcome, these cases will interest, fascinate, and perhaps even shock the listener.
The podcast has had great response. For example, Will Hanrahan, award winning broadcaster and documentary film maker of crime, said he loved my podcast. That I ‘hold a story well and my natural warmth shines.’ He also said my ‘voice is smashing and [my] style refreshing.’ I’ll take that, thanks!
In addition, when Lee Cornell, CEO/Founder of leecornellmediaUSA/UK/International, was asked in an interview by Dave Charles, Canadian journalist, to name those podcasts he would recommend, my Behind The Yellow Tape podcast was one of the few he selected.
What was the first podcast you ever listened to?
I would say the first podcast I ever heard was, Have you Heard George’s Podcast? This was on BBC Radio 4, a couple of years ago. Up until that point, I had never even heard the word ‘podcast’. At the end of the programme I googled ‘Have you Heard…’ and that got me thinking…
But the first real podcast I listened to was Everything is Alive, where the guests are inanimate objects. Totally brilliant concept and loved it. I wish I’d thought of that one!
Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?
I had been a radio (and television) presenter and after 10 years out of it, I was really looking to get back into radio. For whatever reason, that didn’t work out. Then I thought there could be another way into audio. That’s when I started thinking maybe I could start a podcast. But what kind of podcast, I asked myself. Crime, almost immediately came to mind, bearing in mind my background, I suppose.
Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?
You would think I listen to a lot of crime podcasts. I have done in the past just to see what’s out there and what’s not, then I do my thing as I am not trying to emulate anyone else’s style. I am likely to listen to podcasts that uplift and inspire and I like the Dutty Sink Drama podcast and the issues it covers. Meaningful.
Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?
I have had some great guests so far. I have a profound interest in miscarriages of justice and the innocents who were incarcerated for crimes they did not commit and is then released after many years. So, I would like to interview any one of these (usually Black) men to hear about their experiences from start to finish. Another dream guest would be Byan Stevenson. He is a lawyer who works with cases like these. Another dream guest would be Clive Stafford-Smith. Gosh! How many dream guests can I have? Many years ago, I watched a documentary 14 Days in May about an American Black man sentenced to death for a murder he said he did not commit. Clive Stafford-Smith was the attorney trying to save his life. Sadly, to no avail. I would like to interview Mr Stafford-Smith about that experience as well as the producer and director of that documentary, Paul Hamann.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?
It’s hard work! Especially flying solo. The solo podcasting road is not laid with tarmac and many times I have wanted to give up. I have physically walked away from my desk when working on it, saying, that’s it. I’ve had enough. I can’t do this anymore. And then I think no-one’s even listening, so what’s the point. Then I randomly see an article with my podcast being mentioned as one to listen to, and I soldier on again. The thing is if you really believe in what you are doing and you really love it, as I do producing my podcast, then keep at it and don’t give up. The other thing I’ve learnt is that the people I reach out to for interviews – are nice!
Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?
That’s a tough one. Start anywhere. They are all just as good as the other!
Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?
Or you can follow me @JALovelock1 on Twitter.
Listen to Behind The Yellow Tape on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.
