The Granite Beat

All Episodes (31)

From new to old

From new to old From old to new

1. 

   1. Dartmouth junior shines: Beatrice Burack's skiing series captivates New Hampshire

   Beatrice Burack, a junior at Dartmouth College, has been writing articles seen by readers across the state. After interning with the New Hampshire Bulletin, Burack wrote a five-part series about skiing in New Hampshire, from how it was once the capital of alpine skiing in North America to the present state of skiing in low-snow winters as well as a peek into what the future might bring. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborati

   Apr 09,2024 22:01
2. 

   2. Creating coverage: How Melanie Plenda and Carol Robidoux came together to bring news to Nashua

   On this episode of Granite Beat, hosts Julie Hart and Adam Drapcho talk with Melanie Plenda, executive director of the Granite State News Collaborative, and Carol Robidoux, founder and editor of Manchester Ink Link and Nashua Ink Link, New Hampshire's newest outlet, created with the help of the collaborative.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communica

   Mar 13,2024 47:33
3. 

   3. Granite Beat: Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar of Citizens Count on empowering voters

   On this episode  of Granite Beat, Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart talk with Anna Brown, executive director, and Mike Dunbar, content editor, for Citizens Count, a nonpartisan nonprofit organized to help Granite Staters make the most of their voting rights. They also host a podcast in the Granite State News Collaborative family, $100 Plus Mileage.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Mar

   Feb 12,2024 28:56
4. 

   4. Redefining education: How the 306 Project explores competency-based learning in N.H.

   On this episode of Granite Beat, Julie Hirshan Hart and Adam Drapcho talk with Phil Kincaid, for several decades an editor at different New Hampshire news outlets and former executive director of the New Hampshire Press Association, and Kelly Burch, an accomplished freelancer whose work has been featured in many national publications. This editor/reporter team is behind a Granite State News Collaborative reporting series called The 306 Project, which is tracking an effort to reform education in

   Jan 24,2024 33:36
5. 

   5. Lauren Chooljian’s Journalism Journey and Latest Exposé Shedding Light on Sexual Assault Claims

   On this episode of Granite Beat, Lauren Chooljian, a reporter and producer for New Hampshire Public Radio's document team is a New Hampshire native and graduate of St. Anselm College. Yet she had to stretch her wings a bit after St. A's and spent several years in Chicago with WBEZ. Back in New Hampshire and at NH PR, she caught wind of a bombshell of a story, which earlier this year was turned into a podcast called the 13th step. Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart talk with her about her journalism jou

   Dec 13,2023 39:44
6. 

   6. Mike Cote on journalism and the “art of a column”

   Readers of Granite State newspapers will likely recognize the name of Mike Cote  as an editor with the New Hampshire Union Leader, where he worked for 11 years. Earlier this year, though, he made a career shift. He left the daily newspaper life for that of monthly periodicals so he could take the role of New Hampshire editor for Yankee Publishing, where he leads the teams behind New Hampshire Magazine and the New Hampshire Business Review.  The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun

   Oct 31,2023 25:11
7. 

   7. Boston Globe Reporter, Steven Porter Launches Granite Memo, a New Hampshire Bureau

   Stephen Porter, one of the two reporters, given the historic assignment of launching a New Hampshire Bureau for the Boston Globe at the beginning of this year, comes on to share his story being in journalism and his insight on the changes within technology and social media. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Each week hosts Adam Drapcho

   Oct 10,2023 29:39
8. 

   8. Laconia Daily Sun News Reporter Catherine Makes a Splash in Her First Year, Investigating the Laconia School District

   Catherine McLaughlin has just wrapped up her first year as a full time reporter. She started at Laconia Daily Sun immediately after graduating from college. Her first year ended with an investigation into a raft of departures from the Laconia School District. Co-host Julie Hart was also in collaboration with Catherine in editing the story giving Granite Beat twice the inside look. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of

   Jun 26,2023 20:07
9. 

   9. Following the Story: Micheal Kitch and The Past Thirty Years Following a Suit on Children’ Education

   Reporters Julie Hart and Adam Drapcho talk with Michael Kitch. A historian and a writer, and for many years was the senior reporter for the Laconia Daily Sun, making the happenings of Laconia City Hall as transparent as possible for our readers. Lately, he's been writing for the New Hampshire Business Review, notably covering what might be one of the most important legal questions in the state's history. That question is, how much should the state be contributing to each child's public education

   Jun 21,2023 31:58
10. 

    10. Postcards from a changing world: Ann Hermes Chronicles Newsrooms in an Evolving Landscape

    On this week’s episode of The Granite Beat we welcome Ann Hermes, who worked for the Christian Science Monitor for 12 years before becoming an independent photographer. Ann produces images that look like postcards from a rapidly changing world, providing images from the Arab Spring, NYC ‘dining sheds’, and one of the few remaining drive-in theaters. Most recently, she has been working on a meta-project to chronicle local newsrooms – those that remain at least – around the United States.The Grani

    Jun 02,2023 28:44
11. 

    11. Boston Globe’s Amanda Gokee Shines a Light on New Hampshire’s Stories: From Politics to Trans Healthcare

    On this week’s episode of The Granite Beat we spoke with Amanda Gokee, a reporter with The Boston Globe. When The Globe decided to open a New Hampshire bureau, Amanda’s local credibility and experience at the New Hampshire Bulletin was exactly what they needed to shine a light on what’s happening in the Granite State for local, regional, and national audiences. In her new role she has written about everything from politics to health, education to climate, and breaking news to trans healthcare. T

    May 24,2023 32:52
12. 

    12. Valley News Photojournalist Explores the Importance of Empathy in Photography

    A good photographer is someone who operates their equipment with technical skill, but a great photographer is one who balances that skill with empathy for the scene and people they are photographing. On this week’s episode of The Granite Beat, we speak with Valley News photojournalist Alex Driehaus, who has a portfolio of projects rich with empathy. She has spent time photographing people recovering from addiction in Ohio, marginalized young adults in San Francisco, and most recently, a former S

    May 12,2023 18:05
13. 

    13. Journalist Bill Donahue’s Unexpected Journey in Kenya: From Reporting on a Cycling Team to Predicting a Legendary Runner’s Defeat

    Journalist and author Bill Donahue's trip to Kenya to report on a cycling team and a legendary runner took an unexpected, and it turns out prescient, turn.  The Granite Beat’s  Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart recently interviewed Donahue where they talked about finding the hidden stories and how to be humble as a journalist working in another country.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and Th

    May 04,2023 32:34
14. 

    14. The Granite Beat: Sports journalist Joshua Spaulding on chronicling promising young athletes in New Hampshire

    On this episode of The Granite Beat, Julie and Adam talk with sports journalist Joshua Spaulding. He’s worked 20 years as a sports editor for the Salmon Press, which publishes weekly newspapers throughout central and northern New Hampshire, and currently directs and produces sports coverage for 11 newspapers. Over the years he has chronicled the stories of promising young athletes, some of whom have risen to professional or even Olympic competition. If you played high school sports in the Lakes

    Apr 26,2023 30:53
15. 

    15. Journalist behind Bear Brook true crime podcast talks about the importance of storytelling in journalism

    On this week’s episode of The Granite Beat, Julie and Adam speak with Jason Moon, the journalist behind many intriguing long-form projects at NHPR, such as the Bear Brook true crime podcast that has been downloaded more than 17 million times.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Each week hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart explore with loca

    Apr 20,2023 27:01
16. 

    16. Felice Belman Discusses Legacy Newspapers, Startups and Responsibility of the New York Times

    On The Granite Beat podcast, Felice Belman, deputy Metro editor for The New York Times, Felice Belman, discusses the differences between legacy newspapers and newer startups, the unique responsibility and resources of a publication like The Times, and the subjective decision-making process for determining which stories to cover.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater

    Apr 17,2023 26:36
17. 

    17. The Granite Beat: Always Get The Dog’s Name

    From legislative action to government accountability, veteran reporter Annmarie Timmins finds the humanity behind the headlines.On this episode of The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with New Hampshire Bulletin senior reporter Annmarie Timmins. A native Granite Stater, Annmarie is a homegrown journalist who has taught at both UNH and at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and spent 25 years reporting for The Concord Monitor.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Lacon

    Apr 12,2023 29:29
18. 

    18. The Granite Beat: The Future of Journalism is Bright and Collaborative

    On this episode of The Granite Beat, hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Granite State News Collaborative executive director Melanie Plenda. Melanie worked as a staff reporter and freelancer for newspapers in Michigan, New York, New Hampshire and Alaska before taking over at GSNC in 2018 to lead one of the most important recent developments in local journalism.  The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Lac

    Apr 10,2023 28:49
19. 

    19. The Granite Beat: Want to know, Need to Know and Everything in Between

    On this episode of The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Judi Currie, a staff writer for Business New Hampshire Magazine with a broad range of experience in New Hampshire. She has covered topics from across the spectrum for countless newspaper, radio, and television outletsThe Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Each

    Apr 03,2023 17:42
20. 

    20. News Got You Feeling Hopeless? Solutions Journalism May Help

    On this episode of The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Leah Todd Lin, New England regional collaborative manager for the nonprofit Solutions Journalism Network, about solutions journalism – what it is, why it’s important, and how it can transcend news from depressing to hopeful for consumers and journalists alike.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin

    Mar 29,2023 32:43
21. 

    21. The Granite Beat: Investing in the Future of NH Journalism

    On this episode of The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Matt Mowry, Executive Editor, and Christine Kerrigan, Chief Creative Officer, of Business New Hampshire Magazine. After many years with the magazine Matt and Christine became its owners last September. They joined us to talk about the transition and about investing in New Hampshire media in the modern day. PODBEAN: The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Col

    Mar 24,2023 32:21
22. 

    22. The Granite Beat: The Granite Beat: Republican? Democrat? No. A Reporter.

    On this episode of The Granite Beat, hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with State House reporter Rick Green. Currently a reporter for The Keene Sentinel, Rick previously spent nearly 20 years with the Associated Press covering Oregon and Oklahoma before coming to New Hampshire where he worked for The Laconia Daily Sun and The Granite State News Collaborative.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is

    Mar 22,2023 16:11
23. 

    23. Shedding Light on the Valley: How Daymond Steer helps tell small town stories that may otherwise go untold

    On this episode of The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Daymond Steer, a general assignment reporter widely recognized and honored in New England, who covers the Mount Washington Valley for the Conway Daily Sun. His unique position allows him to shed light onto the happenings of various small towns in the Valley, telling stories – both critical and lighthearted – that would otherwise go untold.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with Th

    Mar 15,2023 13:44
24. 

    24. The Granite Beat: Connecting Community : A conversation with Manchester Ink Link founder and publisher Carol Robidoux community centered journalism

    In this episode of The Granite Beat, hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Manchester Ink Link founder Carol Robidoux, a veteran journalist who left behind the legacy outlets to create her hyperlocal news website to supply residents with local, reliable, and community-driven stories in a central hub. They discuss some of her recent stories, such as the Harmony Montgomery case, the affordable housing crisis and community-centered reporting. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Dai

    Mar 14,2023 33:06
25. 

    25. The Granite Beat: For The Love of The Game: A conversation with an early career journalist on loving to write, serve and why there is a future in journalism

    This week, The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart speak with Eric Rynston Lobel, an early-career journalist who already has an impressive breadth of experience. Since graduating from Northwestern he has written for Sports Illustrated as well as the Concord Monitor. They  discussed how he chooses his stories, sought his view on where the industry is heading, and heard what advice he would give an aspiring journalist. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnersh

    Mar 02,2023 25:32
26. 

    26. The Granite Beat: Through the Lens; Local photojournalist Gary Geoffroy talks humanity in front of and behind the camera

    A picture is only worth a thousand words if the photographer did their job right. To do that, they need to see a scene as more than just a jumble of shadows and light. A good photojournalist knows they must try to accurately tell the story of a human being’s experience in that moment in time. Whether those experiences are triumphant or tragic, the photojournalist must capture the context and humanity with each quick click of a button in order to provide information that a written article alone m

    Feb 22,2023 30:28
27. 

    27. The Granite Beat: We need to talk about this

    As mass shootings and deaths by suicide involving firearms become a greater part of the public conversation, journalists find themselves tasked with reporting on these issues while also providing context. While these topics are never easy to cover, the uneasiness some people feel about discussing these issues with reporters, and thus publicly, not only make that harder, but can make it more difficult for a variety of points of view and experiences from becoming part of that public discussion.In

    Feb 16,2023 23:46
28. 

    28. The Granite Beat: Tech, Local News and The Awesomeness of Culverts

    Our modern world advances at an ever-increasing pace and the news industry is not immune from the impacts. How do these shifts in technology and public sentiment change the media landscape? How can we keep up? We speak with David Brooks, the “Granite Geek” and columnist for the Concord Monitor, about the obstacles and opportunities of the union between tech media.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is

    Feb 08,2023 29:48
29. 

    29. Granite Beat: Reimagining Local News Funding Leads to a Different Kind of Journalism

    As financial pressures push news outlets to take a hard look at their payroll, alternative funding sources have come into play as a way to bolster reporting positions. At The Keene Sentinel, Olivia Belanger holds one of those positions. She leads the paper’s Health Lab, and she said the position doesn’t just add another position, it allows whoever holds that position to do a different kind of work. The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News

    Jan 05,2023 11:36
30. 

    30. The Granite Beat: Journalism Meets Lived Experience: A conversation with Anthony Payton

    Anthony Payton is a columnist and community activist whose work is informed by his experiences with the criminal justice system. He also writes about race relations, and how he finds that what people share in common often transcends their differences.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Each week hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart explore

    Dec 29,2022 34:06
31. 

    31. The Granite Beat: Why ’Old School’ Cops and Courts Coverage Still Matters; Q&A with Michael Mortensen

    On the first episode of Granite Beat, hosts Hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart, interview veteran cops and courts reporter Michael Mortensen to get the inside skinny on how we works his beat and why old school cops and courts reporting still matters.The Granite Beat, is a project of The Laconia Daily Sun in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative, of which Laconia is a partner, and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Each week hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart,  explore

    Dec 21,2022 25:23