Emily Files, the new, full-time reporter at public radio station KHNS, arrived in Haines this week and covered Tuesday’s school board meeting.
Files graduated in December 2013 from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in journalism. As an undergraduate, she worked as an intern at the Boston Globe, National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition and Public Radio International’s The World.
Most recently she worked since January as a half-time reporter at Ketchikan public radio station KRBD, where she covered sports, education and features. Her stories have included one about a regional cross-country championship race interrupted by a bear and a profile on the LGBTQ-support group there.
“I got a lot of good feedback on that (support group) story because it’s something that’s not really openly talked about in the town,” Files said. Another story, about distances traveled by Alaska student athletes to compete, was distributed nationally, she said.
Files, who grew up in Oak Park, Ill., said she came to Alaska to take the reporting job and moved to Haines to be able to work full-time.
In Ketchikan she also worked part-time as a hospital receptionist and her part-time reporting hours kept her from developing in-depth stories. “I’m really excited to do radio reporting full-time… I’m looking forward to getting to know the people and the community.”
Files said she grew up listening to the radio, in part because her parents prohibited her from regular TV watching. She once considered working as a TV journalist, but as a student was drawn to the depth of reporting radio allows.
“Once I actually learned what journalism was about, I realized I liked radio for a different reason,” she said.
To help sustain expansion of the news department, the station has launched a month-long fund-drive, aiming to raise $10,000.
The effort goes live on the air Nov. 14 and will continue through the month until the goal is reached, said station development director Sara Chapell.
Reporter Files and station news director Margaret Friedenauer will share duties hosting a new, morning news slot “Lynn Canal Morning” in between breaks in NPR’s Morning Edition.
Some of the funds raised this month will go toward phone improvements that will allow call-in guests to participate in the morning show, Chapell said.