Backlight

How do I break into the industry? How do I make my pitch stand out? What happens when you publish a story and nothing changes? You sent us your questions, and this month Tessa & Beatriz are answering them. Backlight is a monthly podcast that aims to demystify investigative journalism. Backlight is produced by Lighthouse Reports, an award-winning non-profit investigative team leading global collaborations on public interest stories.Episodes mentionedHow to fund your investigationWhat it’s like being a fellow at LighthouseHosted by Beatriz Ramalho da Silva and Tessa PangProduced by Lara BodgerΕdited and designed by Elli Xypolitaki Website - Instagram - Linkedinand you can email us at [email protected]

This month we’re swapping feeds with the Beyond Borders Podcast, and bringing you an episode we think you’ll want to hear.Afghan journalist Zahra Joya — founder of Rukhshana Media, TIME Woman of the Year, and author of the new memoir The Vanishing Girl of Kabul — on what it really takes to report the truth under Taliban rule, and the price of fighting for the most basic human rights.In Part 1 of this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast, host Aakriti Dhawan sits down with Zahra to trace her journey from a tiny Hazara village to running one of Afghanistan's most important newsrooms in exile.

In this episode we speak to two educators from two very different corners of the field who are doing their best to prepare students for a changing industry landscape. We discuss the pros and cons of formal training and the skills journalists need to be industry-read. It’s what you need to know to thrive in today’s media landscape.Part 2 of a two-part series.Interviewees Lam Thuy Vo, Associate Professor in Data Journalism, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism (CUNY), Investigative Reporter at Documented Ron Haviv, Photojournalist and Co-founder of The VII FoundationHosted by Beatriz Ramalho da Silva and Tessa PangProduced by Lara BodgerSound edited and designed by Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioMusic by mobygratisWebsite - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

Does journalism school still matter? This episode follows two early career journalists who got into the field in completely different ways: one who went to J-school twice, and one who never went at all. Part 1 of a two-part series.Interviewees:Laís Martins, Investigative Reporter, Intercept Brazil, Pulitzer Center AI Accountability FellowShoeb Abdullah, Co-founder of the Bangladesh Protest ArchiveHosted by Beatriz Ramalho da Silva and Tessa PangSound edited and designed by Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioMusic by mobygratis Website - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

Fear, crisis, invasion. That's the way migration gets spoken about and the far right is often the one setting the tone. So how can journalism push back against this narrative? This episode brings together three people covering migration from very different angles: social media, cross border investigations, and cultural commentary with a pinch of humor. Interviewees:Sakhr Al-Makhadhi, Executive Producer at AJ+May Bulman, Investigations Editor at Lighthouse ReportsCoco Khan, journalist, writer and co-host of Pod Save the UKHosted by Beatriz Ramalho da Silva and Tessa PangSound edited and designed by Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioMusic by mobygratis Website - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

The antidote to news fatigue might be closer to home than you think.This episode dives into the strategies local outlets use to build connection with their communities and deliver journalism that truly resonates.From the UK to India and the Brazilian Amazon, we spoke to the journalists who are making it work. Interviewees:Moya Lothian-McLean, Managing Editor at Mill MediaJuliana Mori, Co-founder of InfoAmazoniaPooja Prasanna, Editorial Head of Reporting, The News Minute Hosted by Beatriz Ramalho da Silva and Tessa PangSound edited and designed by Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioMusic by mobygratis Website - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

Trust in the media is at an all-time low. So what’s going wrong? Who’s actually fixing it? And what can we learn from alternative news models emerging around the world?To tackle these questions, Beatriz and Tessa speak with Ed Lee, who led the New York Times Trust Team, independent journalist Joi Lee and Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle News.Hosts: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva, Tessa PangSound editing and design: Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioMusic by mobygratis Website - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

Everyone loves to win awards. But what does it mean to reward good journalism? In the latest Backlight episode, Beatriz and Tessa speak to Jennifer Athanasiou-Prins, executive director of the European Press Prize, and Patrick Boehler, founder of the Gazzetta research lab, aboutThe influence of awards on journalismThe pitfalls of award categories How awards can be reimagined to value journalism that serves the public interestHosts: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva, Tessa PangSound editing and design: Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioWebsite - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

People in Sudan are facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Telling stories about what is happening on the ground has never been more urgent, or more challenging. In the context of our latest investigation exposing ethnically motivated atrocities against civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces, Beatriz and Tessa speak to Lighthouse editor Aziz Alnour and digital reporter Sabrina Slipchenko aboutThe challenges of reporting on Sudan and how we overcame themHow we gather and verify open source evidence, and how we conducted on-the-ground interviews with survivorsHow the work can increase public attention on Sudan, contribute to international accountability and achieve justice for survivors.Investigations mentioned: The Kanabi KillingsThe Killing Fields of Al FashirHosts: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva, Tessa PangSound editing and design: Elli Xypolitaki / SpoovioWebsite - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]

Reporting live from the world’s biggest investigative journalism conference in Malaysia last year, Tessa and Beatriz bring you a crash course on how to make an investigative podcast. Covering everything from identifying a good story, to constructing an intriguing narrative, and building good characters. We take you inside The Global Investigative Journalism Conference with some behind-the-scenes audio and Beatriz’s first try of the world’s smelliest fruit.Guests featured in this episode:Susanne Reber, Founder and Executive Producer, Piz Gloria ProductionsSue-Lin Wong, Asia Correspondent, The EconomistRoby Alampay, Founder, PumaPodcastHosts: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva, Tessa PangSound editing and design: Spoovio - Audiovisual Productions Website - X - BlueSky - Instagram - and you can email us at [email protected]