KALW Audio Academy Student Hopes Experience Leads to Richer Audio Storytelling

Students attending The KALW Audio Academy were asked to reflect on what they hope to achieve during the two semesters. Here is the fifth of those musings.

By Guest Blogger Rachel Wong, Student, The KALW Audio Academy

When I visited KALW for the first time, I tried to etch these early observations into my memory, knowing full well that soon enough the place will feel deeply familiar. I made note of the sound-insulated nooks for the engineers, the lively newsroom, the passionate staff hunched over computers. It was officially “before.”
What do I expect for “after”? Some thoughts:

1. Insights from the experts.
One amazing benefit of this program is the opportunity to work alongside talented people who have done this for years – I aspire to make good use of their mentorship.

2. Knowledge of the industry.
I have quickly realized how little I know about public radio in particular and journalism in general. I would like to better understand the language, the principles, the players, the values and expectations, and leave feeling confident that I can navigate these worlds in a culturally appropriate manner.

3. Technical knowledge.
Part of this program is simply about learning the nuts and bolts – I’d love to know how to edit in ProTools, for instance.

4. Local savvy.
Working on local programming means that I will need to delve into my community in ways I may not have before. I look forward to this new way of thinking about my surroundings and the people I meet.

5. Richer storytelling.
And finally, and perhaps most importantly, I would like to grow as a storyteller. I would love to better understand what is effective for audio, and to leave feeling as though I helped to create at least one piece that pushed my boundaries, that felt genuinely strong, and that listeners found enlightening.

Who’s Rachel?

Rachel Wong is a design researcher, strategist, and storyteller with over 12 years

Rachel Wong hopes to expand her technical knowledge and grow as a storyteller with her time at The KALW Audio Academy.

of experience in the design industry. Rachel has worked inside firms such as IDEO, as well as directly with consumer product companies. Employing her social science background, she conducts interviews and observations to uncover needs and opportunities, which she then shares using a variety of storytelling techniques. Rachel has taught courses on design research at California College for the Arts and Parsons. Her work has exposed her to a wide range of industries – from food to toys to tech to healthcare – and has taken her to Europe, Asia, and all over the US for fieldwork.