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Audio Journalism

Join Us

The Audio Journalism program emphasizes rigorous reporting, on-air experience, teamwork, and developing strong narratives, whether for short news reports on live radio or longform podcasts.

Students learn the foundations of writing and reporting for the ear, as well as basic digital sound editing and recording, in our first-semester course Fundamentals of Multimedia Storytelling. Over the next two semesters, they can choose courses in Advanced Audio Reporting and Newswriting, Audio Documentary, Narrative Podcasts, Audio News Magazine, Sound Design and Studio Skills, Podcast Pitching and Development, Radio Voice, and Advanced Interviewing. 

Our professors combine top-notch editorial and production skills with a passion for education and innovation. They are award-winning professionals who report, produce, and write for media outlets such as NPR, WNYC, Bloomberg Radio Network, ESPN, Stitcher, CBS Radio, and WFUV.

Stories produced in our classes have aired on Latino USA, WHYY’s The Pulse, WNYC News, Planet Money, Marketplace, BBC Radio, NPR News, Pacifica, and CBS Radio.  Our in-house news magazine, AudioFiles, has won more than 20 regional Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence awards since 2012.

Our alums now host and report throughout the public radio system and have helped start podcasts for The Intercept, Spotify, WAMU, Google/PRX, Fusion Media, Forbes and more.

Our Faculty

Tanzina Vega in WNYC studio

Student and Alumni Work

Check out our students’ Audio Documentaries and Audiofiles, our live-to-tape radio news magazine. And follow us on SoundCloud to listen to more student work from audio courses.

Here’s a small sampling of published work by students and alums of the audio specialty:

  • Tanzina Vega, ‘07, was named the new host of WNYC’s flagship morning show “The Takeaway” in May 2018.
  • Rebecca Lee Douglas, ‘11, produced an episode of “Freaknomics” called “Yes, the Open Office Is Terrible — But It Doesn’t Have to Be,” and is developing a new science and technology podcast for the Boston Globe.
  • Sarah Barrett, ‘14, won a grant from the International Reporting Project to investigate legislation affecting transgender people in Costa Rica and Guatemala. Her reporting was featured on many national shows, including PRI’s “The World.”
  • NPR Producer Noah Caldwell, ‘16, works closely with host Audie Cornish. While on assignment in Memphis, he produced a story about the removal of controversial Confederate statues. 
  • Selly Thiam, ‘11, was selected from thousands of applicants for the Google Podcasts creator program. She will be expanding her AfroQueer podcast, an Africa-wide LGBT show. 
  • “New Yorker Radio Hour” Associate Producer KalaLea, ‘16, produced two conversations featuring “Surviving R. Kelly” executive producer dream hampton and New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb and writer Aaron Sorkin about his adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Contact Us

Do you have a question about the Audio Journalism specialty? If so, please contact us.

Kalli Anderson
Director of Audio Journalism
kalli.anderson@journalism.cuny.edu