As NPR's lead investigative podcast producer, Smith combines battlefield journalism rigor with innovative audio storytelling. His 15-year career has produced:
Smith's team actively pursues:
"Bring me the stories institutions hope we've forgotten." - Smith, 2023 On the Media interview
We've followed Graham Smith's evolution from battlefield reporter to award-winning investigative podcast producer. His career spans conflict zones across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with a particular focus on exposing military institutional failures. Smith's transition from supervising NPR's All Things Considered to spearheading long-form audio investigations demonstrates his commitment to depth over deadlines.
This 20-month investigation into the deadliest Marine-on-Marine friendly fire incident since Vietnam combined declassified documents with emotional veteran interviews. Smith's team tracked down Iraqi witnesses and surviving Marines to reconstruct the 2004 mortar attack that killed two servicemen. The piece exposed systemic failures in casualty notification processes and led to Senate Armed Services Committee inquiries. Its innovative use of battlefield audio recordings set a new standard for investigative podcasting.
Smith's boots-on-the-ground reporting from Lviv's cancer hospital highlighted the human cost of supply chain collapses. Through intimate portraits of oncologists rationing chemotherapy, he revealed how medical staff prioritized patient care over personal safety. The article's distribution across 47 NPR member stations demonstrated Smith's ability to localize global crises for American audiences.
This unexpected gaming industry piece showcases Smith's versatility in cultural reporting. By contrasting the franchise's 1990s arcade roots with modern simulation tech, he analyzed how nostalgia drives niche market revivals. The article's engagement metrics spiked 300% above platform averages, proving Smith's ability to adapt investigative rigor to entertainment reporting.
Prioritize stories exposing systemic failures in veteran support systems or equipment procurement processes. Smith's Pulitzer-finalist work on Marine Corps transparency issues demonstrates his preference for institutional critiques over battlefield narratives. Effective pitches might involve whistleblower accounts from military medical staff or National Guard procurement irregularities.
Seek sources who can speak to the moral complexities of wartime reporting. Smith's Peabody Award-winning series on teen sex trafficking informed his current focus on journalist-source power dynamics in conflict zones. Pitches should address documentation challenges in active war zones or refugee camp reporting protocols.
Propose technical deep dives into binaural recording tech or AI-assisted audio archival research. Smith's groundbreaking use of 3D battlefield audio reconstruction in Taking Cover shows his interest in sensory storytelling methods. Relevant pitches might explore emergency dispatch audio analysis tools or podcast transcript accessibility initiatives.
"The most thorough audio reconstruction of military failure since the Pentagon Papers." - 2024 Third Coast International Audio Festival Judges
2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalist: Recognized for White Lies, which redefined cold case investigation podcasting through its integration of civil rights historiography with forensic audio analysis. The Pulitzer Board specifically noted Smith's "innovative approach to truth reconciliation."
Edward R. Murrow Award (2022): Awarded for battlefield reporting from Ukraine, particularly his use of decentralized recording equipment to capture artillery strikes. This marked NPR's first Murrow in live conflict reporting since 2003.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Military, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
