Australian satirical newspaper and podcast The Betoota Advocate (TBA) is heading to Broken Hill to run a podcast workshop aimed at encouraging the involvement of regional youth in media.
The publication, which named itself after the deserted town of Betoota in central-west Queensland, called itself "Australia's oldest newspaper" and has published several stories about Broken Hill.
The program held this weekend is designed for people aged 16-30 who want to build their skills in radio.
TBA founder Clancy Overell said he was keen to visit the outback city of Broken Hill again.
"It's hard to read [Broken Hill], but there's a charm and it's a great fun place to visit, and I imagine it's a great, fun place to live," he said.
Creating unique 'yarns'
Overell said he wanted to help young people learn diverse skills and get a deeper understanding of podcasting.
He said storytelling through podcasts differed from radio.
"Podcasting is a great way to tell your own stories and create your own kind of yarns," Mr Overell said.
"It's quite a lot more conversation, and quite chronic — podcasting can keep someone sitting there for three hours if the conversation is vibrant enough."
Overell said a person should not have to grow up in the city to work in media.
"Broken Hill has been the subject of many great books over the years and many great movies," he said, citing Mad Max and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
"We know Broken Hill knows better than anyone that some of the greatest Australian stories are out there, so it's good to spread those skills across the country, and not just in certain pockets of the city."
TBA is working with Broken Hill community radio station 2DryFM and West Darling Arts to deliver the program.
Building opportunities
Seth Kreitner, 19, has been involved in community radio with 2DryFM since he was 13.
He lives with autism and says it is important to support young people in media.
"Doing radio is quite fun. It's not too difficult, you experience music and I just love to communicate with other people," Mr Kreitner said.
He said such opportunities were important to connect young people with each other and to build relationships.
Mr Kreitner hoped to one day work with the ABC and present the weather on the radio.
Highlighting young voices
Broken Hill City Council community development officer Dionne Devlin said podcasting offered the opportunity to bridge the divide between young and old people in the community.
"It allows us to close that intergenerational divide a little," she said.
"To hear and see from young people is such a great asset.
"The more we can hear, the more those relationships are built, the better the outcome is."
She said the voice of young people was unique because they were "experts in their own lives".
"We all get a different perspective of our town and its future and what we should be looking at," Ms Devlin said.
She hoped TBA would "cut through for young people to find their unique sense of self from Broken Hill, or from a regional place".
"You can see from some of the stories they [TBA] have online, that they have some inside knowledge on Broken Hill," Ms Devlin said.
"It feels like they know us."