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In the spring 2025 semester, I began my internship at North Country Public Radio. I started by learning the basics of writing for the radio by writing copy. Copy is a short news story that is later read aloud by the hosts of NCPR's morning show. It needs to be quick, to the point, and easy to listen to. Learning how to write copy was a very important skill because it set the foundation for the longer stories I worked on in the summer. I also learned how to properly use recording devices and edit with audio software such as Adobe Audition. Learning these skills helped prepare me for the rest of my time at NCPR.
During the summer portion of the internship, I continued to write copy, but focused more on pitching and producing my own news and feature stories. These stories allowed me to practice the skills I had learned, such as interviewing people, using recording devices, and editing and recording my own audio. The process was very fulfilling, and I continued to learn from my coworkers and supervisors every day.
The stories I wrote covered a large variety of topics, from features on an old-school event center in Hermon, NY, to news stories about the impacts Medicaid cuts had on Planned Parenthood of the North Country. I was also able to travel around the North Country as part of NCPR's North Country at Work project, which highlights different jobs that people do in the area. I even got to go out on a milfoil-pulling dive boat and take pictures of the process with an underwater GoPro.
My time working at NCPR allowed me to learn more about the area surrounding St. Lawrence and helped me connect with the community. I continued to pursue my passion for journalism and understand the importance of providing accurate and timely information. I will continue to use the skills I learned during my internship in my everyday writing, my work at The Hill News, and any future professional endeavors.