Making a Podcast About Lawrence Wong: 20+ Interviews, 15+ Drafts and a Story to Weave | Jean Hew - E739

Jean Hew explains how The Neighbourhood Boy, Jom's podcast series on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, was made over three years. The team picked the subject because Wong had just been named the next PM, and Sudhir and economist Donald Low could speak about his early years. Most interviewees described a guai, down-to-earth technocrat, while Low alone saw him as a PM frontrunner. Each episode went through about 15 drafts, and recording paused when the general election was called, which revealed a more political side of Wong. When the planned narrator withdrew, Jean became host, aiming for a kopi-chat tone. She covers the feedback, including requests for more criticism of the PAP, and why most of her 20-plus interviewees felt Singapore is on the right track.

Jean Hew was the first employee and head of research at Jom, a weekly digital magazine covering arts, culture, politics, business, technology and more in Singapore. She is the host, producer and co-author of Jom's podcast on prime minister Lawrence Wong, titled "The Neighbourhood Boy". She now works in corporate investigative research.

Jean Hew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-hew/

Jom: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jom-media-mag/

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/jean-hew-lawrence-wong-podcast

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00:00 Introduction

01:43 Stumbling into journalism

05:08 Why philosophy fits journalism

07:42 Joining Jom when it had nothing

09:49 Year one and the editorial boot camp

12:22 Carrie Bradshaw and paying for journalism

16:14 Why a podcast, and why Lawrence Wong

18:58 Born on reclaimed land, and very guai

21:19 "I don't care about being sweet"

24:08 How the GE changed the script

28:15 Coffee in Siem Reap, and becoming the host

32:13 Gossiping about the Prime Minister

35:31 Launch nerves and letting go

38:52 How it was received

41:31 Is Singapore on the right track?

43:38 Being brave

45:06 Three takeaways