On the Titanic

An Exclusive Radio Broadcast with Two Survivors

Posted by Patrick Sheldon Wee on October 25, 2016

The radio revolutionized how reporting was done. So as part of our class project, we had to create a radio broadcast about a significant historical event. We had quite a wide range of ideas: from the inauguaration of presidents, to popes fighting each other.

Ultimately, we decided to do it on the Titanic, the "unsinkable" ship! The script of the broadcast is available here, and the audio file should be available shortly! Without further ado, here is the exclusive radio broadcast!


On the Titanic

An Exclusive Radio Broadcast with Two Survivors

("My heart will go on" violin instrumental)

Mateo: BREAKING NEWS: Titanic, the world's unsinkable ship, has descended into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Today, right here in New York City, we have a special broadcast with 2 of the survivors, Mousseur Jean-Renauld Marie-Antoine Joseph Laussane de la Chapelle, and Vlada Nikolaevna Gorbacheva. Today, at the studio, we will start with the Mousseur Jean-Renaud....uhhh, what is the rest of your name?

(French music playing)

Jean: Excuse moi, it is Mousseur Jean-Renauld Marie-Antoine Joseph Laussane de la Chapelle. Bonjour!

Mateo: Thank you for that, Mr. Jean-Renaud. Okay, Mr. JZ, let us begin.

Jean: No, it is JR.

Mateo: Anyways, Mr. JZ, I have a couple of questions for you. Let's begin with the night of the sinking.

Jean: Yes, the night we were singing. Of course, Le Marsaille. Ouie, it was a great experience.

Mateo: No, no, no, the sinking.

Jean: Oh oui oui oui oui. It was a very terrible moment. I was smoking my cuban cigars in the cigarette room when suddenly my maid came to tell me that the boat was singing. I told her, what do you mean singing, boats do not do singing. But she clarified with her terrible Francais that por sure the boat was going down. So, I told her to start packing my belongings including my paintings of Cezanne, the apples from Paris, and of course, I told her not to forget my wife and my kids.

Mateo: Oh, Mr. JayZ, that's a very quaint portrait of the scene you have brought us. So, what happened exactly afterwards?

Jean: So I used the elevator, had a glass of French champagne and prepared for the worst. I obviously had experience swimming in piscines in Paris.

Mateo: What, you were pissing?

Jean: It is the piscine. You know, what these Americans call swimming pools. Oh, so terrible.

Mateo: Okay, JayZ, okay. Going back to the event, how did you end up in New York?

Jean: I made sure that my wife was in the boat. Too bad my favorite painting of the nude women of avignon wasn't able to come with me. But it is okay. There's lots of it in New York.

Mateo: So what do you hope to do now that you're in New York?

Jean: Of course, it is going to be very difficult as all of my paintings and baguettes were destroyed with the boat. But I will open a baguette shop on 3rd avenue and 14 street. So all of you if you want to have a cappuccino or baguette, please come to my patisserie.

Mateo: Wow, that was such an account from Mr. JZ.

Jean: Excuse moi, it is not jz. It is Jean-Renauld Marie-Antoine Joseph Laussane de la Chapelle. But I have to go, Au revoir! (music fade out)

Mateo: Mr. Whatever. After this wonderful account, we are moving to our second survivor Vlada Gorbacheva. (cue music) Our correspondent JooHee is on the line. JooHee?

JooHee: Hello everyone! I am here with Vlada Nikolaevna Gorbacheva, a 27 year old Irish with Russian roots.

(Russian music playing)

Vlada: Not really, I am only Irish.

JooHee: Yes, Ms. Vlada. Thank you for joining us tonight.

Vlada: Thank you. Thank you. How do you do?

JooHee: So, tell me, what was it like to be on the greatest ship ever built by mankind.

Vlada: It was good, no rats. But terribly, there were no pelmeni, Russian dumplings. Should have packed some of my own. This European food is very bad, not enough nutrition. That is why they so skinny!

JooHee: I am very sad to hear this. What was your reaction when you found out the ship was sinking?

Vlada: No one told me about it until my cabin was filling out with water. I went out to complain to the boat people but everyone was running, I couldn't get anyone to fix it. I looked around, there was water, but I can't swim. People no swim in Russia, the water is too cold!

JooHee: Wait, so there was no one to assist you?

Vlada: No, but I not need help! I went to the deck and tried to force myself into the survival boat. There were many women and children in the tiny ship. People were panicking, but they were pushy, so I pushed even harder. Some people fell into the water, I think, but at least they could swim.

JooHee: Do you know the reason for the sinking?

Vlada: I heard the ship hit a big ice thing and bam! Ship is broken. That's not how we make ships in Russia, no no. Russian ships break ice, not other way around! These British people not know how to make things good.

JooHee: Did you travel with your family or friends?

Vlada: Only my dog, Pyotr. He went chasing a poodle, and could not find him anymore.

JooHee: I am very sorry to hear this! I am sure it saddened you. And I am very sorry you had to go through such a terrible experience. The sinking of the Titanic shocked everyone. Thank you for participation, Vlada. Going back to Mateo.

Mateo: Thank you to our two survivors. The investigation on the sinking of the greatest ship of all time is still ongoing. We are sending our condolences to all the families and relatives who lost their loved ones in this tragedy. We will be right back after this break.

(exciting music, starting with the lyrics “It's going down...” Timber)


Wasn't that cool?