The NPR Next Generation Radio project was a great experience in learning the ins and outs of reporting an audio-driven story. I’ve been an avid NPR listener for years and am a regular consumer of numerous podcasts. As a photojournalist in my daily work, I’m no stranger to the journalism world, but I wanted to expand my skills and dive deeper into audio reporting.
The project offered me a chance to learn from knowledgeable professionals from the industry who cared about the stories we were telling. My mentor for the week, Kathleen Lees, is a local journalist and previous mentee in the program who offered a great deal of advice and support throughout the process.
I think the fact that a free program like this exists is a tremendous asset to aspiring and early-career journalists. With so many alumni from the program over the years, I’d say the project is a great way to build the next generation of audio reporters.