Producer's Corner: Denise Tejada of Youth Radio

[Jones Franzel]

Denise Tejada knows youth media. Since joining Oakland-based Youth Radio/Youth Media International in 2003 at age 15, she has moved from student to peer teacher to news department production assistant. She's watched radio grow to include photo, video and online distribution. And several of her videos have provided one of the few available youth perspectives on major national news stories. We asked Denise to tell us how she found her way into radio, and what it means that radio isn't just radio anymore:

GPRX: Please tell us a little about your background. How did you find your way to Youth Radio? Did you always expect to end up in media?

Denise Tejada: I’m a twenty-year-old girl born to immigrant parents. I migrated to the US from El Salvador with my mom at the age of seven. Ever since I was little I enjoyed talking, singing and dancing. I wasn’t any good at singing, so I figured I could use my talking obsession for journalism. My older brother, Wilmer, introduced me to Youth Radio. He joined Youth Radio’s training class in web development and told me about their radio program. I’ve been hooked ever since. I fell in love with radio because I wouldn’t be judged by the way I looked, but by what I had to say.

Given that "radio" seems to be moving more and more towards "media," how do you approach stories differently than when you first started in radio? What are the biggest changes you've noticed in the field since you began?

DT: I started writing stories for Youth Radio six years ago. During that time, I was simply writing and producing for radio. But now that the internet is taking over, I’m not only producing audio, but also video and print, with a focus on online audiences in addition to broadcast audiences. In the new digital landscape, Youth Radio’s newsroom is transitioning into Youth Media International, where every story aims for: “The virality of YouTube, the community participation of Wikipedia, and the credibility of the New York Times.” When I’m working on a story, I’m thinking about all formats – radio, video and print, and many forms of distribution – broadcast, websites, and social media. This approach allows me to reach people in different ways while learning and adapting to the new demands of media. I’ve noticed that in order to make your voice heard, you can’t depend on one format or outlet – you have to go directly to where people are spending their time and for young people like me, it’s all spent online.

How do you think your work with Youth Radio has influenced you over the years? What kind of work do you hope to do in the future?

DT: Youth Radio has been a huge influence in my life. When I started I was only 15-years-old and I was struggling to find who I was and what I liked. I knew I had to learn something that would make me “employable” but I wasn’t sure what. Being surrounded by so many professional young staff showed me what I could accomplish. I really enjoy seeing the passion people have at Youth Radio to help, and collaborate with urban young kids—like myself.

Journalism is something I want to pursue as a career but Youth Radio has introduced me to another area I want to explore, through their program at a juvenile detention facility. Working with incarcerated youth is something that interests me, as a way to give back and inspire other young people the way I was inspired.

You've covered stories across the spectrum, produced in audio, video and photo and worked as both a student and a teacher. Is there a role or story that you've found most satisfying or challenging?

DT: I produced a video of the funeral service of the four Oakland police officers who were brutally killed by a parolee in March. The video is one minute long and consists of text, music, two interviews, and scene shots. I posted the video on YouTube the day of the funeral and in less than an hour it had more than 100 views (and currently has 6,851 views.) It amazed me that a video that took less than two hours to produce was able to catch fire on YouTube. It served as a reminder that people want their news fast, easy, and short and that’s what I was able to deliver. As a journalist, it was a satisfying moment.

I also produced a video featuring Karina Vargas, the courageous twenty-year old who was filming when an unarmed 22-year-old man, Oscar Grant, was shot and killed by a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer on New Year’s day on a subway platform. Vargas goes back to the place of the shooting and describes in detail what happened and what drove her to film and give the video to the media. The shooting and its aftermath was a huge story covered by local and national outlets. The challenge was to produce something that would stand out and move the story forward. Youth Radio’s Oscar Grant coverage was a tremendous hit because we were able to report the story from a youth perspective to many different audiences.

Learn more about Youth Radio/Youth Media International.