The Aaron Hernandez-centered collaboration with Wondery isn’t the only new podcast project that the Boston Globe is currently working on. This morning, WBUR and the Globe announced that they’re working together on a limited-run ten-episode audio documentary that focuses on one of the most valuable and confounding art heists in history: the 1990 theft of 13 works of art — valued at a combined $500 million+ — from the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. It remains unsolved, and the Gardner museum is currently offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the works.
The podcast, called Last Seen (great fucking name), will be hosted by WBUR’s Kelly Horan and Jack Rodolico, with support from the Globe’s Stephen Kurkjian, author of “Master Thieves: The Boston Gangsters Who Pulled Off the World’s Greatest Art Heist.” It’s scheduled to drop on September 17, and will run weekly.
Look, let me be real with you. I’m a huge fan of the Gardner, which I visited a couple of times when I was doing the Nieman fellowship last Fall. And I’m FRIGGING LOVE ART HEISTS. Which is to say, I’m PUMPED FOR THIS. LORD I’M SO PUMPED I’M FLYING TO THE MOON.
Anyway, good look from the Globe here. Smart strategy, this: a news org developing collaborative partnerships with different sources on different projects, spreading the risk and reward ratios around, expand the surface area of learning. A little bit like that sweet Vox Media action. Good shit.