The University of New Mexico (UNM) announced its Department of Communication & Journalism (C&J) hosted NPR's Next Generation Radio Program. This national initiative, launched in 2000, aims to inspire the upcoming generation of storytellers to embrace narrative forms driven by audio. The program was held at UNM with a focus on Indigenous narratives, centering on the theme 'meaning of home.'
The collaboration between the C&J faculty and renowned professionals was an essential aspect of this endeavor. C&J faculty and staff collaborated with Founder and Director Doug Mitchell to offer resources, equipment, support, and training to selected participants for the Indigenous-focused session. The mentees, exploring the theme 'meaning of home,' independently pitched and coordinated stories with local community members, according to a press release by NMSU.
This unique program had specific criteria for selection. "This program at UNM is part of our series of ‘early-career’ programs for competitively selected Indigenous storytellers and rising journalists. This means they have, at most, five years of professional experience," said Mitchell according to a press release by UNM.
The project required intensive work from participants under tight deadlines. Paired with experienced journalists, the emerging reporters spent a week producing a three to four-minute non-narrated audio piece, along with a written version and an explainer video using advanced equipment. The participants worked every day collecting stories, creating multimedia content, and meeting tight, hour-by-hour deadlines. The week culminated in the presentation of their final projects as the pieces went live, according to a press release by NMSU.
The success of this initiative is reflective of UNM's commitment towards diversity. "It’s a testament to UNM’s commitment to diversity that we were invited to host this training. It is a true catapult for emerging talent," said C&J Professor Michael Marcotte, according to a press release by UNM.
Details about the Next Generation Radio Program further underscore its innovative approach and value to aspiring journalists. Next Gen Radio is a hybrid program, accommodating both in-person and remote participants, that aims to provide selected individuals with the chance to acquire skills in reporting and producing a non-narrated audio piece along with a corresponding multimedia story. Participants, chosen through a competitive process, are paired with experienced journalists who act as mentors for the week, and they receive a stipend for their contributions, according to the Next Generation Radio Program website.
