Keep your ears open
Listening belongs beside reading in a journalist’s daily routine. Radio reaches conversations and audiences that other media can miss. Whatever your own platform, knowing what people hear helps you understand what concerns them, what amuses them and what deserves further reporting.
The essentials
Listen to the programmes your audience listens to, even when you work in print, television or digital media. Conversations on air can reveal what matters at the market, in a taxi or at home. Listening is a way of entering the public conversation rather than assuming you already know it.
Disciplined listening produces three returns. First, story ideas: a caller’s remark or an unresolved question may suggest a report. Second, sources: a knowledgeable guest may become a useful contact. Third, orientation: knowing which programmes matter locally helps you understand where discussion is taking place.
Keep the listening habit broad. FM radio matters, but podcasts and online audio also help you hear different generations and communities. Do not mistake a lively claim for established information. Record the lead, identify someone to contact and decide what evidence would be needed before publication. Listening starts the reporting process; it does not complete it.
Take it to the field
After listening, record three things: a story to investigate, someone to contact and a question left unanswered. A statement you hear is a lead; it still needs checking before it becomes publishable information.
Your turn
List exactly what you listen to in a typical week. Ask five people around you what they listen to, then compare the answers. Are you hearing what your audience hears?