Darley Newman realized she would have do it herself. As the host of “Travels With Darley” and “Equitrekking” on PBS, the D.C.-based host and filmmaker acts as her own writer, producer and editor — delivering a finished product to PBS of her journeys the world over.
Even with a support staff, it’s still basically a one-woman show.
“Balancing all of the varied things that I do and that need to be done is a challenge, especially in today’s multichannel world,” Ms. Newman said in an email to The Washington Times. “We’re operating on multiple platforms with multiple outlets, including social media, which can mean I’m often pulled in a variety of directions.
“I am a high-energy and creative person, so this fits me well, but can still be a challenge.”
Ms. Newman, a native of the District, graduated from George Washington and worked on “Frontline” and “48 Hours,” as well on air at “The Talk Radio News Service.” At “48 Hours,” she worked with executive producer Susan Zirinsky, who often acted as a mentor for the up-and-coming artist.
But it was always her dream to host her own show.
“I came up with an idea that no one had done before, the series ’Equitrekking,’ which combines my passions for travel and horseback riding and has taken me around the world on horseback,” she said of the earlier PBS series. That show has taken her on safari in Botswana and riding in Uruguay.
The male-dominated media industry can be difficult for even a woman as ambitious and talented as Ms. Newman, who says she was told flat out “people don’t want to watch a female travel host unless she’s in a bikini.”
“I think I’ve proven that is untrue,” Ms. Newman said. “Bringing my unique perspective as a female traveler and producer to the stories has been an asset, and I know it’s inspired many other women and girls to try to reach their dreams, whether it’s the dream to ride a horse in an exotic land or create a business and career themselves.”
In addition to “Equitrekking,” “Travels With Darby” has seen the hostess trotting the globe in a peripatetic fashion to discover the world’s foods, cultures and showing the destinations from what she calls a “personal perspective.” Recent episodes have seen Ms. Newman in Hong Kong, Alaska, Botswana and the wine regions of France.
“We’re often traveling to places that are lesser profiled in the media, and we are talking with both experts and also regular people who perhaps haven’t been interviewed before,” she said. “This means we are uncovering unique stories, which can certainly be surprising and fun to share.”
As her star has risen, Ms. Newman has resisted leaving the nation’s capital for the traditional media hotbeds of New York or Los Angeles, both to stay close to her roots as well as take advantage of the capital region’s three major airports.
“There is a small but active production community here, [and] the D.C. area is a great mix of culture with the outdoors, making living and producing here fun and feasible,” she said. “Plus, with changes in technology, we have the flexibility to produce almost anywhere. We’re often now creating content as we travel and putting it online while on the road, which is exciting for our followers and for us.”
With hundreds of channels and internet portals delivering ever more content, Ms. Newman believes it’s paramount for someone like herself to differentiate and offer a unique brand that will keep viewers returning.
“I came up with what seemed like a crazy idea at first … about riding horses around the world. That series became not only a brand and business in itself, but launched a new word, ’Equitrekking,’ and inspired a genre of travel that before wasn’t thought much about,” she said. ” ’Equitrekking’ has transcended horses and travel into … telling truly authentic and worthwhile stories about global cultures, history and modern adventure that everyone can appreciate.”
With both “Equitrekking” and “Travels With Darley,” Ms. Newman believes that the essence of creating compelling programming is to connect with people she meets on the road and to, above all, fashion a compelling narrative.
“With locals to guide you in each location, you truly get the essence of a place, its history and what makes that destination and its culture unique,” Ms. Newman said. “The backbone of everything that we produce is a good story, which you can most certainly find if you are a good listener who perhaps can also ask the right questions.”
A preview of the new season of “Travels With Darley” can be found at TravelsWithDarley.com. For more about “Equitrekking,” click on Equitrekking.com.
• Eric Althoff can be reached at twt@washingtontimes.com.
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