U of Montana Journalism School Podcast On 2026 Best-So-Far List

A podcast borne out of a journalism classroom at the University of Montana has been named to Apple Podcasts’ “Best So Far” list for 2026.

GET TO KNOW "THE OBIT PROJECT"

In an arena full of thousands upon thousands of programs, what was it that made this one stand out? UM News Service tells us that Apple's "Best-So-Far" List for 2026 has recognized this Griz endeavor as one of the year’s standout new shows.

The 12-episode series called “The Obit Project” is a production of the Montana Media Lad at the UM School of Journalism, co-hosted by Jad Abumrad — founder of “Radiolab” and creator of “Dolly Parton’s America,” and Jule Banville, a UM journalism professor and creator of the podcast “An Absurd Result.”

The University of Montana

HOW OBITS WERE BROUGHT TO LIFE

The show grew out of Banville’s longtime classroom practice of having students report and write obituaries about strangers in western Montana, reimagining the form as a way to explore universal truths about memory, legacy and letting go. Produced in partnership with Montana Public Radio, students and professional journalists, including several UM Journalism alumni, reported and narrated the episodes. The shows range from a Montana fighter pilot lost over Vietnam to a circus elephant buried in Dillon.

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PROFESSOR BANVILLE ON THE PROJECT

Jule Banville was quoted in the UM News Service release as saying, “It’s very cool and unexpected to be singled out by Apple Podcasts in a sea of so many shows. It’s like being the Little Podcast That Could from the University and journalism school...They put so much work heart into these narratives."

Congratulations to the University of Montana School of Journalism for another amazing achievement. More details on "The Obit Project" can be found here.