Public Radio 101 | Northern Public Radio: WNIJ and WNIU

Public Radio 101

Northern Public Radio is concerned with helping students and members of the community develop professionally and advance their career skills.

To that end, the WNIJ News team has developed "Public Radio 101" a seminar conducted by professional journalists from the WNIJ News team at the beginning of the academic semesters. The first seminar was held in September 2016.

Students in this workshop are introduced to the principles and ethics of public radio, the basic practices of planning and gathering news stories, and recording and producing those stories for broadcast.

"Public Radio 101" graduates are invited to work with WNIJ News journalists on projects and stories during the remainder of the semester, with an eye on a future internship in the news department. They use professional equipment and receive professional guidance in preparing their work.

The next Public Radio 101 will be open to NIU students for a workshop on Monday, Sept. 16 from 6:30-8 p.m.

Sessions are planned to be held in-person, but will be held remotely if the NIU campus has switched to remote learning during these dates.

If you are interested, send your resume and cover letter explaining your aspirations to Jenna Dooley at jdooley@niu.edu with "Public Radio 101" in the subject line. You do not need previous newsroom experience.

Public Radio 101 Handbook

Public Radio 101 Handbook
Education

Public Radio 101's DIY Home Studio

Susan Stephens

So you want to build a home studio. You can do it! Two important factors are what you want to use it for and how much you'd like to spend.But let's start…
Tips For Writing Under Deadline

Find the key aspect of what you’re reporting on, and make that the focus of your radio spots. Example: A candidate for governor will be meeting at the…
Education

An Accuracy Checklist To Take With You

Mark Memmott

The checklist that follows is a reminder of things we all know we should do. It’s meant to be particularly useful to correspondents and producers. They…
Specials

Ready To Add A Photo To Your Story?

Common myths about photo use debunkedIt’s okay to use anything that’s online as long as I give credit. FALSEIt’s okay to use something if I asked for…
Specials

Strong Sound!

Susan Stephens

STRONG SOUND = STRONGER STORIESUse of sound sets public radio reporting apart. Always ask yourself what sound you can get as you are planning your story…
Specials

Interviewing Tips

Always say you want to record the interview. Do this when setting up the appointment and when you sit down with the interviewee.Once the interview begins,…
So You Want To Host A Podcast...

Susan Stephens

So what’s the difference between a podcast and a radio show, besides where you listen to them? 1) Podcasts have no time constraints. They can go long,…
Public Radio 101 Testimonials

Read what former students and broadcasters are saying about WNIJ's student opportunities.