Need a new true crime podcast? Who doesn’t?
Bring it close to home with DIEOWA – the first Iowa-focused true crime podcast. Alli and Beth—native Iowans—share stories of murders and cold cases across the state of Iowa, one county at a time. Cool idea, right? The episodes average around twenty minutes, so they’re perfect for a morning commute or an evening walk.
Beth and Alli joined us on Zoom to talk about how they got started, what it’s like to start a podcast, and their thoughts on why true crime is so popular.
How It Started
The idea began in 2016 where all good ideas spawn: a happy hour.
Alli & Beth
The two ladies met while working in marketing at Hy-Vee and bonded over their collective love of true crime. Over drinks, Alli threw out the the idea of “99 counties and a murder in every one” (DIEOWA’s tagline!) as a concept for a podcast, proving that the best ideas can come to you when you least expect it.
The pair didn’t start working on the podcast for another three years. When they got serious, they decided that DIEOWA should be less on the chit-chat side and more factual. Alli and Beth researched and recorded 10 episodes before talking about releasing. They sent test episodes to family and friends for feedback before ultimately making the decision to publish their first episode in January 2021.
As of May 5, there are 16 episodes waiting for you to binge, with new releases each Tuesday.
Listen Now
What makes DIEOWA different from other true crime podcasts?
You can expect less chit-chat and more straight facts. Beth and Alli begin each episode placing each county on the map, which is honestly a helpful reminder for all of us to learn more about the geography of our own state.
They dive into the background and details of the case before bringing on TAPS – a one-of-a-kind former homicide detective, lawyer, professor, EMT, and more. The only thing missing from his crime repertoire is being an actual criminal (he’s not, promise). Though anonymous, TAPS is an essential part of the DIEOWA team and makes each episode special.
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Previous studies have shown that the true crime podcast audience is predominantly female (73% (Boling & Hull, 2018), why do you think that is?
Beth: “Every woman has a story they could tell of harassment or assault. It’s a sad fact, but violence against women is universal. These stories are relatable either emotionally or literally, so I think women try to listen to identify red flags, learn more about how to defend themselves, or think about what they would do in these situations.”
What is it like to write, produce and publish a podcast?
A podcast is a LOT of work. Beth tells us that if you want to go for it, you should – but anticipate three hours more per week than what you THINK it will take. This, of course, depends on the content and resources needed.
When it comes to true crime, the amount of time per case depends largely on the information out there. Some cases have full books written about them that the ladies read as they prepare the episode. Other episodes are more straightforward and can be researched exclusively online through sites like www.newspapers.com.
Alli says, “The amount of support we have received is overwhelming. We are so happy to have listeners from all over the country, including New York, Georgia, and Texas, among the Iowan listeners.”
What’s next for the podcast?
Ideally, an RV tour across the 99 counties with live shows. Wouldn’t that be amazing? For now, let’s help them get to 5,000 downloads!
