When I stepped into the KYW newsradio building, I knew I was destined to be a journalist. After moving into the lush suburban neighborhood of Voorhees, New Jersey, my mother and I drove back to our old roots of Center City for the chance of a lifetime.

   The KYW Newstudies program.

   This class let hear from skilled reporters, learn journalism techniques, and create your own news story live on the air. It was a dream come true! And, with the help of my expert recommendation (thanks Bowne!) I was on my way to becoming a news reporter/writer extraordinaire!

   I grabbed my badge and went up to the fourth floor, where I sat down along with about fifty other students for a warm welcome to the program. This panel was full of the best and brightest journalists, eager to tell their stories and show what led them to the field. I was awed by the amount of diversity, and whether someone is a radio personality, a bilingual reporter, or a city hall journalist, the center of journalism is about connecting with people in their day-to-day lives.

   A segment of the panel that stood out to me was about Racquel Williams, KYW Community Impact reporter. She went to Roxborough High School after the shooting on September 27th to report on the situation and hear from the community, and ended up aiding a family member who’s nephew had died during the shooting. Williams put away her microphone and comforted her, and a bystander who was looking to support the community gifted her flowers. This taught me that throughout the tragedy that comes with the news, there will always be human interest and hope in the world.

   Another segment that stood out to me was explaining how to stay safe while being a reporter. Being a journalist is dangerous and scary, and can get them killed in painful, nasty ways. The panelists’ advice while reporting in a dangerous situation was to stick with your gut. If you feel threatened and are in danger, there is no shame in leaving the area. A news story isn’t worth more than a life.

   After the panel, our class was split into sections alphabetically to start learning about conducting interviews and how to write a radio broadcast. Hadas Kusnits was assigned as my teacher, and she explained how to get the most interesting audio from our stories. It’s all about not being afraid to follow up with questions you haven’t written, and not being afraid to be on the spot. Improvisation and communication is essential to becoming a reporter.

   Exploring radio journalism has been very interesting. It’s better to base things on facts and let the listener come to their own conclusions, which is much less opinionated than that of newspapers and television. I’m interested to see what facet of journalism I like best.

   During the first week, the KYW Newstudies program has shown me a lot. I’ve gotten to broaden my horizons, hear from different perspectives, and learn the ropes of  broadcast journalism. I’m looking forward to starting my report on Eastern’s DECA program, interviewing Mr Sherman and the club officers, and attending my next class of the KYW Newstudies program. 

   Thank you for tuning in, and be sure to read next time on KYW with Kaitlin!