‘Long Distance’ Podcast Evolves for Season Two

Last year, we introduced you to one of the most exciting new podcasts to hit your AirPods! Long Distance is the first and only independent documentary podcast series about stories in the Filipino diaspora, and its new season will feature a companion video series, Long Distance TV, that will highlight important elements in the podcast’s stories. Both the podcast and video series will premiere on November 5.

“Long Distance is a podcast for and about Filipinos around the world but its stories and themes are universal,” said Long Distance host, creator, and producer Paola Mardo. “I’ve always loved the depth and intimacy of podcasting. Long Distance TV helps us amplify our show’s reach while adding a visual component to our storytelling.”

Each episode of the podcast will be released with a short documentary from Long Distance TV, to be directed and edited by Patrick Epino, a producer and voice actor on the podcast. The video series will be available on National Film Society, a YouTube channel and founding member of PBS Digital Studios.

“I’m excited to add a new dimension to Long Distance storytelling,” said Epino. “Podcasting is still growing internationally and the documentary video series is a way for us to connect with a wider audience. Long Distance TV serves as a stand alone video experience that complements the stories Paola tells on the podcast.”

In its second season, Long Distance will dive deep into the past to make sense of our present. Stories include how an immigrant couple paved the way for the rise of Filipino food in the
United States; a gay man’s search for identity and community during the AIDS crisis in San Francisco; and how a woman survived torture and incarceration in the one of the darkest chapters of Philippine history.

Earlier this year, Long Distance was selected as one of six teams — out of over 6,000 applications from more than 100 countries — to be part of the inaugural Google Podcasts creator program with PRX. Long Distance has also been featured on Apple Podcasts’ New and Noteworthy, Spotify Podcasts, CBC Podcast Playlist’s Best Indie Podcasts, and Bello Collective’s 100 Outstanding Podcasts of 2018. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and RadioPublic.