We were brought together by a shared belief: some stories matter too much to be ignored.
The idea for a podcast was born over lunch in Istanbul, where we realized the kind of deeply researched, nuanced stories we care about were becoming harder to pitch to mainstream media outlets. So we made our own space.
On Spec doesn’t just report the news—we take you behind the scenes. We share the backstory, the context, and the messy, sometimes risky process of getting the facts right. Our goal is to show how freelance journalism works, why it matters, and why independent reporting—free from political and financial pressure—is worth supporting.
ON SPEC’S HOST
Fariba Nawa
“Interviewing people in crises in the field gives me a sense of purpose, a connection to traumatized communities I know too well. I was born to share real life stories — mine and theirs.”
Fariba Nawa has been covering global news for 25 years from places like Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan and now Turkey. She is also a speaker and author of the book Opium Nation: Child Brides, Drug Lords and One Woman’s Journey through Afghanistan. A native Afghan, Fariba’s fluent in Farsi/Dari and can get by in Arabic and Turkish. Some recent work can be found in The World, Time, The Christian Science Monitor, The New Yorker, and The Financial Times.
Our Founding Members
We believe journalism should be independent, transparent, and human. Made by people who are from the communities they are reporting on. If that sounds like something worth supporting, we’d be grateful for your help.
On Spec Podcast is fiscally sponsored by the Media Alliance, a 501(c)(3) media support organization. Your contributions are tax-deductible.