Backlight
by Lighthouse Reports
Latest episode
Journalism Q&A episode; pitching stories, career advice…
Journalism Q&A episode; pitching stories, career advice…
About this podcast
Backlight is a podcast produced by the investigations team at Lighthouse Reports. Every month we take you inside real world investigations to explain how they work, who works on them and how to get involved. New episode on the last Thursday of every month.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 37 episodes
- Journalism Q&A episode; pitching stories, career advice, fellowships, funding & more · 31 min · Season 5 Episode 2How 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 &…
- Nothing is apolitical w/ Afghan journalist Zahra Joya (Beyond Borders Podcast swap) · 32 minThis 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…
- Do you need to go to journalism school? Part 2 (Teacher Edition) w/ Lam Thuy Vo and Ron Haviv · 40 min · Season 5 Episode 1In 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…
- Do you need to go to journalism school? w/ Laís Martins and Shoeb Abdullah · 39 min · Season 4 Episode 9Does 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…
- Reclaiming the migration narrative w/ Coco Khan, Sakhr Al-Makhadhi & May Bulman · 44 min · Season 4 Episode 8Fear, 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?…
- Lessons from Local News w/ M. Lothian-McLean, J. Mori & P. Prasanna · 42 min · Season 4 Episode 7The 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…
- How can the media win back our trust? w/ Ed Lee, Joi Lee & Isaac Saul · 41 min · Season 4 Episode 6Trust 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…
- Rethinking journalism awards w/ Patrick Boehler and Jennifer Athanasiou-Prins · 33 min · Season 4 Episode 5Everyone 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…
- How to report on Sudan w/ Aziz Alnour & Sabrina Slipchenko · 31 min · Season 4 Episode 4People 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…
- How to make an investigative podcast (Live from GIJC 2025) · 37 min · Season 4 Episode 3Reporting 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…
- How to become an undercover reporter · 37 min · Season 4 Episode 2You’ve seen it in movies, but what does undercover reporting actually look like in real life? In this episode of Backlight, we go behind the scenes of two undercover…
- Journalism in a Free Syria · 34 min · Season 4 Episode 1What is the role of accountability journalism in post-Assad Syria? We explore this question with Syrian journalists Lighthouse digital investigator Bashar Deeb and investigative…
- Highlights from seasons 2 & 3 · 8 minWe've put together a highlights reel featuring some of our favorite episodes from Seasons 2 and 3 of Backlight. This special short episode was created in anticipation of the 2025…
- Who is journalism for? · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 9How can journalists make sure their stories reach the people they’re about? This month on Backlight, we talk to journalists who are rethinking how and who they report for. Part…
- Tracking deforestation from space · 31 min · Season 3 Episode 8From recording the scale of war damage in Gaza, to tracking environmental crime in Brazil, remote sensing technology has become an invaluable tool for journalists around the…
- What journalists can learn from content creators · 34 min · Season 3 Episode 7What would journalism look like if it wasn’t written for an editor, but for your best friend over dinner? In this Backlight episode, we dive into how news content…
- Become a money trails expert · 29 min · Season 3 Episode 6This month we’re sharing tips and tools to help you become an expert in financial investigations. From digging around corporate records, to tracking down public funding, money…
- The cost of Europe’s structural racism · 21 min · Season 3 Episode 5Many European economies are in decline, struggling with job shortages in critical sectors. At the same time, these same countries are locking qualified migrants out of work. Our…
- Don’t leave AI reporting to the experts · 25 min · Season 3 Episode 4This month, we discuss how journalists can investigate the ways AI is shaping the world around us and push for accountability from the companies and governments responsible for…
- Investigating border deaths in the shadow of US election · 29 min · Season 3 Episode 3In this episode we take you behind the scenes of our latest U.S.-Mexico border investigation, Drownings and Deterrence in the Rio Grande. This episode is a collaboration with…
