Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode, we talk to Alec Cowan '18, a radio and Podcast Producer based in Seattle who works for NPR member station KUOW. Originally from Grand Junction, Colorado, Alec graduated with an English degree from the University of Oregon and has since worked as a Snowden intern at KLCC, interned at NPR headquarters, and produced a six-episode documentary series on uranium mining that garnered 100,000 listens and was featured by Apple Podcasts.

In this conversation, Alec discusses his journey from founding the podcast desk at the Daily Emerald to his current role as Senior Podcast Producer at KUOW, offering insights into the evolving podcast landscape, the importance of creating passion projects, and practical advice for breaking into audio journalism.

Find Alec online:
LinkedIn

https://www.aleccowan.com/

Show notes:

• 0:00 Introduction and career overview
• 2:58 Career journey since graduation and new senior producer role
• 4:32 What inspired pursuit of audio journalism career
• 6:53 The resilience of audio as a medium
• 7:27 Staying updated with technology and audio journalism trends
• 10:50 Advice for aspiring audio journalists
• 12:52 Experience hiring interns and working with newcomers
• 15:57 Case study: Uranium mining documentary project
• 18:44 Monetization challenges and audience reach
• 21:11 Using journalism to explore personal stories
• 23:09 Finding your path in audio production
• 26:40 Learning on the job vs. prior experience
• 28:39 Podcast discovery and industry challenges

Download the transcript for this episode:

The music used in this episode is "Intro" by Nangdo, retrieved under a Creative Commons license from Free Music Archive.

Interested in more podcast content from the SOJC? Check out the Hearst Demystifying Media Podcast, where Damian Radcliffe gets the industry scoop from media experts.

To view hyperlinks, view this episode in Simplecast, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.