How true crime stories shape society

True crime is a huge cultural industry, yet behind its stories lies real victims and uncomfortable ethical implications.

In this podcast, Richard Kemp speaks with Ian Cummins and Martin King, two of the authors of ‘True Crime: Key Themes and Perspectives’, about the impact true crime has on society.

They discuss Serial, the groundbreaking podcast, and how it sparked the industry anew, the media’s reaction to the Lucy Letby case, and the wider issue of using crime stories to push sales and clicks.

Ian Cummins is Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford. Martin King is an independent scholar and author.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/true-crime

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/12/04/podcast-how-true-crime-stories-shape-society/

Timestamps:

00:01:55 - Why does true crime fascinate us?

00:08:27 - What is the importance of 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote?

00:11:14 - What effects does the interplay between fact and fiction in true crime have?

00:19:10 - What is the relationship between the Central Park Five and true crime media?

00:28:25 - What does the reverence of famous serial killers tell us about our culture's values?

00:42:59 - What ethical issues do podcasts like Serial have?

00:53:34 - What do cases like Sutcliffe tell us about our collective attitude towards violence against women?

00:57:31 - What does the media coverage of the Lucy Letby case tell us about our media landscape?

01:08:33 - Does our celebritisation of criminals pose issues, and how could we change things going forward?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com

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