Emma Grazado

was the NPR Training team's 2022 writing and reporting intern.

A person with light-green wavy hair, wearing a green T-shirt and overalls, speaks into a microphone held by a woman wearing glasses and a light-blue hijab. The woman is not entirely opaque, and the background of purple rowhouses shows through her.

When interviewing sources, transparency is the key to trust

These best practices from NPR editors and producers will help you set clear expectations for what happens during and after an interview.

A college-age, half-Korean woman, with shoulder-length dark hair, brown eyes and freckles, looks out a curtained window.

How a self-taught podcaster won NPR’s College Podcast Challenge

Anya Steinberg didn’t have any formal journalism training or experience, so when she set out to win the Challenge, she had a lot to learn.

In this drawing, a Black woman browses at a record store. She holds a record that she's taken from a shelf. The album covers on the shelf have audio waveforms on them. In the background, other people browse the store.

Find your groove when mixing audio stories about music

NPR producers share their techniques for mixing songs into stories about artists, shows, albums and more. Sample tip: Dance at your desk.

People in rowboats fish as they float on blue water. Golden fish congregate around a star attached to the fishing line of the person in the center.

A beginner’s guide to hooking audiences with Instagram Reels

Instagram’s answer to TikTok, Reels are vertical videos that can last up to a minute. They can engage your existing Instagram audience and expand your reach to new users.

On a blue background, three cartoon germs — one yellow, one purple and one red — are covered with spikes and are making evil faces.

Don’t let colds or allergies make you sound as bad as you feel

NPR announcer Jessica Hansen shares her tips for sounding healthy despite colds, flu, allergies and other voice-affecting afflictions.

A shotgun mic with a fuzzy cover is pointed at a man in casual dress; the mic is huge and the man is small.

Feign ignorance, demystify the mic and other audio interview tips

Here’s how to prepare for an interview, set your sources at ease and get all your questions answered.