Fueling the next generation of storytellers
Chris Corcoran, an avid NPR listener since childhood, moved from Maryland to study Political Science at Ohio State. When it came time for him to secure an internship, he found the perfect fit at WOSU Public Media.
“I have loved my experience as a WOSU student intern, specifically as a student producer for All Sides. I’m proud of everything I’ve learned about effective communication, and I have had the opportunity to become really integrated into the production process.”
The two-hour weekday public affairs program features between 15-30 guests and individual stories each week, airing first on radio broadcast, then available through digital platforms.
“Student producers are an integral part of the production of All Sides,” shared Marcus Charleston, Senior Producer of All Sides. “The students learn the daily, behind-the-scenes work that gets the show on the air. They also learn how to produce a program from initial idea to broadcast.”
Corcoran shared that this opportunity allowed him to develop a very wide, well-rounded base of knowledge.
“I’ve been able to become an expert, at least enough to write a show, on so many varied subjects. I wrote a show about Woodstock, which was really fun to learn more about, then brought someone on who could talk about their experience. In the spring, I wrote and produced a show on vaping and nicotine use. It’s nice to have a body of work.”
When WOSU officially moved headquarters to the new, community-supported facility at 14th Ave and Pearl St in 2021, it was with sights set on being even more connected to the student and academic community with the benefit of proximity. Donor support of student experiences at WOSU has ensured that these opportunities will remain part of the fiber of central Ohio’s public media organization.
“This has been more beneficial than any other job I’ve ever worked as it relates to how I will approach work in the future.” When asked what he’d tell any future student considering applying for an internship at WOSU, Corcoran replied, “I’d say: do it. It’s 100% worthwhile.”
Community support has always been a point of pride for WOSU, and in light of the elimination of federal funding for public media nationally, it has been a defining factor of WOSU’s ability to tell and amplify the stories of the region.
“Whether it’s been a gift to support student experiences, or a leadership gift to The Storytellers Trust, which is currently powering the production of a new docuseries on the ancient indigenous earthworks of the Ohio Valley, those supporters have had a direct hand in making sure these deserving stories get told,” shared George Davis III, Director of Marketing at WOSU.
“Donor support is so important, greatly appreciated, and deeply felt here,” reiterated Charleston.
