NPR's Next Generation Radio

Series produced by Next Generation Radio

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PRX default Series image 

Pieces conceived, reported, written, edited and produced by college journalists

Next Generation Radio came out of hundreds of "coffee klatch" conversation I have had over my 20+years in public radio. I'm a producer, but I'll talk to anyone.. editors, engineers, reporters, writers, marketers, PR professionals, lawyers and yes, even business people. Within public radio, many were concerned about who would replace them when they decided they didn't want to do it anymore. I had wondered that myself. Most of the people I spoke with had/have stellar careers, but felt a little marginalized. They could rage against the machine. Many employed lawyers to do so, but I thought otherwise. If they say they can't find qualified people, then lets invest in developing and nurturing those missing qualified people. We'll grow our own.
Nobility will only get you so far because when it comes down to it, everything costs money. Yet, at NPR, we have been fortunate to have advocates in high places who made sure some money was there. They created the budget line, we created the people. It's not easy and often difficult. We're on the road or at NPR working with people who have never seriously put a radio story together. Everything could blow up and early on it did a few times. Why did we keep going? You should see the students faces once they hear their own idea as a finished "public service journalism" story. The light bulbs go on and today, so do we. I understand now why my Dad in college, and my Aunt's in Detroit and New Orleans public schools have taught each for over 30 years. By my count 40 or 50 people former college students who came through our projects are now working in public radio someplace
In summing up her frustration while attending a journalism conference, one of my mentor's said something I'll never forget. She said, "Everybody's bitching, but what are they doing about it."
I remember that each time we hit the road for another training project. We're doing something about it. This series is on-going and, oh by the way, the people you see and hear in this area of PRX are either looking for work or need to graduate so they can look for work.
From several dozen pieces, I tried to select those that best represent what we do and who we work with. These pieces were created over a few weeks and produced in a few days. They would like to know what you think and so do I. Hide full description

Next Generation Radio came out of hundreds of "coffee klatch" conversation I have had over my 20+years in public radio. I'm a producer, but I'll talk to anyone.. editors, engineers, reporters, writers, marketers, PR professionals, lawyers and yes, even business people. Within public radio, many were concerned about who would replace them when they decided they didn't want to do it anymore. I had wondered that myself. Most of the people I spoke with had/have stellar careers, but felt a little marginalized. They could rage against the machine. Many employed lawyers to do so, but I thought otherwise. If they say they can't find qualified people, then lets invest in developing and nurturing those missing qualified people. We'll grow our own. Nobility will only get you so far because... Show full description


127 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Judaic obligations to the environment

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 20, 2006
  • Length: 04:01
  • Purchases: 1
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Next Generation student considers herself "Latina" but doesn't look the way she's "supposed to look."

Bought by Georgia Public Broadcasting and KOOP


  • Added: Nov 20, 2006
  • Length: 03:01
  • Purchases: 2
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Look at Job Corps, 40 plus years later.

Bought by WOUB


  • Added: Nov 20, 2006
  • Length: 04:50
  • Purchases: 1
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The number of Tribal Colleges is growing. We visit one in Oklahoma.

Bought by KSUT


  • Added: Nov 17, 2006
  • Length: 04:22
  • Purchases: 1
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Musicians in St. Louis find a home at The Way Out club.

  • Added: Nov 16, 2006
  • Length: 04:11
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Muslim Youth and the teaching of Islam

Bought by New Hampshire Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 16, 2006
  • Length: 05:03
  • Purchases: 1
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Short piece on what is and isn't "private" on the Internet

Bought by BSR Radio, WSCS-FM, and WAMC Northeast Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 16, 2006
  • Length: 04:46
  • Purchases: 3
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Piece on Indian Casinos

Bought by KSUT


  • Added: Nov 16, 2006
  • Length: 04:53
  • Purchases: 1
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Ko Im interviews Asian women in Washington, D.C., about an eyelid surgery that makes the lid look wider and bigger. The surgery is popular among ma...

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:07
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An estimated 150,000 American children are "unschooled." Jeff Swingle examines the motives behind this movement.

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 04:27
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Christina Tran finds out how the Spanish-speaking community relied on this important source of information and what this loss means to the community.

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 02:27
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At a Fourth of July parade, Sarah Laskow observes the national and international flavors that compose the United States.

Bought by WTIP


  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:01
  • Purchases: 1
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A suburban family?s secret struggle with an uncommon addiction comes to light in this personal essay by Laura Mirsch.

Bought by KUT, PRX to iTunes, and WUAL


  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 04:46
  • Purchases: 3
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Danielle Trusso interviews a gospel group to find out how Hurricane Katrina survivors are using music to find inspiration and hope for their futures.

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:57
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When the pressure rises to give a perfect performance, many collegiate and professional musicians turn to beta-blockers to calm the symptoms of anx...

Bought by New Hampshire Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:08
  • Purchases: 1
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The Washington, D.C., district of Penn Quarter lacks a grocery store. The Balducci's store that was planned fell through.

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:35
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Jacqueline Jove takes a look at the unconventional teaching style of The Children's Studio School in downtown Washington, D.C.

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 03:47
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Courtney Kerrigan wonders about the future of advertisements. If DVRs remain, what is the future of ad-skipping? She researches the possibility tha...

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 04:00
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Kelly Reeves tromps out to a chestnut orchard to see a Maryland group pollinate a sapling and to find out why volunteers spend so much time trying ...

  • Added: Sep 14, 2006
  • Length: 05:10
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Alana Lowe reports on the improvement in race relations between black and white Americans in Indianapolis.

  • Added: Sep 11, 2006
  • Length: 03:19