Q: What is your role in broadcast journalism?

A: We have a show, New Trier Now, which we release on YouTube and on New Trier’s TV channel and Instagram. I’ve been doing a lot of editing and segment making.

Q: What type of content do you create?

A: In February, we had a snow day that wasn’t a snow day so Mr. Syrek said “Go out, make a quick segment with your phone.”  I went out into the snow, filmed an intro, and I met Dr. Sally and we talked about why it wasn’t a snow day. The video was a hit and it was the video that put us on the map. That was the approach we started to take. Go out, ask people some questions at different locations, and we have a story by the end of class. 

Q: Tell me more about your radio show. What is it about? 

A: I have a radio show on WNTH 88.1 FM with sophomores Cooper Rowe and Sean O’Rourke. [O’Rourke] did a radio podcast last year so we started the show. I already knew Cooper and he was a guest on our third episode. People liked the dynamic with the three of us so we kept him on the show as a host. We record on Thursday mornings at 7. We talk about whatever we want and that is the point of the show. 

Q: What is the process of recording, interviewing, and executing? 

A: I’ve done podcasts before and a radio show is a little different. I’d say it’s easier and more fun because we find guests and a lot of them are students. The night before, we write an outline of topics we want to talk about, not a script. We will work with our guests to see what they want to talk about too. We go to the radio station which is on the second floor at New Trier and we record. Afterwards, I post them on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Q: How stressful is the show?

A: I used to be a lot more stressed about it because what you say on the radio is always out there forever. But it is a lot more normal now. 

Q: What is the team dynamic like between the hosts?

A: We switch around doing things, the outline, meeting with guests, recording, and posting. We’ve had a few arguments in the past that have always been about small things but overall the team dynamic is really good. 

Q: What is your favorite thing about doing the radio show?
A: It’s fun because you hear people in school say ‘I listened to your show yesterday!’ It’s different from podcasts because you are on live radio.

Q: What do you see for the future of the NT radio show?
A: Next year, we will probably have the afternoon slot to record. We want to make it more organized with more guests. Student guests are great but we want to have cooler guests like professionals. We want to make it as good as possible.