Inner Frequency
An audio drama produced by convergent media students was used as a teaching tool for a Canadian youth workshop this summer.
COMM 470C: Convergent Media, at Penn State Altoona gives students experience in crossing between media forms. Professor Shaheed Nick Mohammed covers a lot of ground, including the history and basics of traditional radio, news broadcasting, and audio production and delivery, which encompasses podcasting and audio drama.
Existing before television and film, audio dramas were broadcast over the radio. Today, they are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, in part because they are more accessible and convenient than ever. They can be heard on various platforms like Audible, Spotify, YouTube, and podcast apps on phones, tablets, computers, and televisions.
As the name suggests, audio dramas are purely auditory, relying on dialogue, sound effects, and music to bring a story to life. They’re engaging in unique ways and offer an immersive and personal experience.
“After Hours” is an episode of “Inner Frequency” written and edited by Alawnia Diehl.
Credit: COMM 470 Spring 2025
The four students in the spring 2025 course were intrigued by some of the dramas Mohammed introduced them to, classics like “The Shadow,” “War of the Worlds,” and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
For a final class project, they were tasked with creating something audio-based with an online component. They decided they wanted to try their hand at making their own audio drama and settled on something with a creepy vibe.
Mohammed talked students through the process of creating an audio drama, the techniques used, rules and conventions, workarounds, narration, and especially the importance of telling, not showing, an audience.
From there, students jumped into the writing process, each writing their own episode to be part of a show they named “Inner Frequency.”
“I was impressed by the story drafts that were coming back, and the students were impressed with each other,” says Mohammed. “At first, they approached it as just something to get done for a grade, but as it started to develop, and they saw the potential for it, they started to get more enthusiastic about it. I told them that if they could make their words jump off the paper, they were going to have a really good product.”
“The One Outside” is an episode of “Inner Frequency” written and edited by Shaun Zafar.
Credit: COMM 470 Spring 2025
To do that, their audio work would be imperative, but not just the technical stuff like levels, mixing, and editing. The heart of it would really lie in the students’ commitment to and immersion in their characters, the delivery and intonation of their lines, the proper pauses, a perfectly placed emphasis, and the overall quality of their performances.
The finishing touches were the music and sound effects, which the students created themselves.
“The four of us were such a tight-knit group,” says Alawnia Diehl, a senior studying communications. “There was a real team aspect to the whole project. Even our individual pieces relied heavily on everybody else's feedback and contributions. It was very rewarding and a lot of fun.”
In the end, students produced a full auditory experience for listeners’ ears and minds. Diehl says she was proud of the final product, hardly believing she’d been able to generate something so professional.
Mohammed was proud of his students, as well, taking note of their growth in skill and confidence throughout the process.
“The Message From the Stars” is an episode of “Inner Frequency” written and edited by Zachary Hopson.
Credit: COMM 470 Spring 2025
“There were snags along the way, sure. Students being students, they forgot things, they lost files. There are some flaws in the acting and other things that could be better, but by the time we were done with it, I knew it was really good content.”
So much so that he shared the audio drama with a few family members and colleagues who were all equally impressed. That prompted him to share the project with a wider audience, specifically community radio stations. Having worked at many of them throughout his career, Mohammed knew “Inner Frequency” was content that program managers could be interested in.
No one was exactly expecting to be “discovered,” but they also weren’t expecting to be tapped for advice on how to make an audio drama.
CFCR 90.5 FM, the community radio station in Saskatoon, Canada, is one of the places Mohammed sent “Inner Frequency.” Shalyn Nicole is the volunteer and community outreach coordinator there.
In an almost unbelievable twist of fate, Nicole was in the process of developing an audio drama camp for one of the station’s summer youth programs. Curiosity piqued, she gave “Inner Frequency” a listen.
“I was immediately so impressed. I could tell they put a lot of work into it, and I thought they did a great job of using the format to be creative. They were really brought their stories to life.”
Nicole planned for her workshop to include script work, character development, vocal performance and expression, and creating sound effects—everything the students in Convergent Media had just undertaken.
“The Pony Express” is an episode of “Inner Frequency” written and edited by Sydnee McConnell.
Credit: COMM 470 Spring 2025
She thought “Inner Frequency” would be a perfect teaching tool and example of what can be done with limited resources or budget. She also liked the idea of including a peer-to-peer element to her camp.
She invited the comm students to record a short video sharing their insights, experiences, and creative processes to share with camp participants.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” says Mohammed. “At most, I expected to hear a lot of, ‘hey, thanks, we'll have a listen’ or something like that. But for Shalyn to be impressed enough to ask our students to do this is a pretty big achievement.”
Diehl agrees. “I couldn’t believe that a professional in the field recognized our work and thought we would be inspiring to others.”
In her video, Diehl spoke about the challenges she faced, including her difficulties learning audio production and editing. She shared her worries that she didn’t have the creativity an audio drama demands and the number of times she second guessed herself and her ability.
“I wanted them to know that it’s okay to learn and practice new things, and that it’s okay not to be perfect. I told them to just go for it and have fun, that they have what it takes and will end up with a result they can be proud of.”
Nicole says the positive connection that has been made with Penn State Altoona could lead to more collaborations with the college and its communications students on workshops and programming.
Mohammed is focused on the new, upcoming semester but still fondly thinks about the spring’s Communications 470C group.
“I don't always have a class where everyone is extremely talented, competent, and hard working,” he says. “It was one of the best classes I've ever had.”
Diehl is thinking about going into marketing after she graduates but appreciates what the convergent media course taught her. She’s also grateful for Mohammed and the endless support he offered throughout the course.
“Doctor Nick is the biggest cheerleader,” she says. “He was always there helping us along and getting the project to the best it could be. It makes me happy to know that he is so proud of us for what we accomplished.”
