On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore journalism—what it is, why it matters, and how it helps people stay informed. Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Maria Hinojosa shares how she became a journalist and why telling the truth is so important. Our Kids Crew talks with members of the New Mexico Press Women, reviews Maria’s book Once I Was You, and learns how to tell the difference between real news and advertisements. It’s a kid-friendly look at the power of reporting and how young people can become storytellers too.

What is journalism, and why does it matter? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn what journalism is and how journalists help us understand the world around us. We meet trailblazing reporters, hear from our Kids Crew, and talk with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. She shares what it means to be a good journalist, why she started her career, and how young people can begin telling important stories.

Sherry Burr and Loretta Hall from the New Mexico Press Women explain how reporters get information and tell both sides of a story fairly. We also learn how to spot the difference between real news and paid ads. Plus, Illuminata from our Kids Crew reviews Maria Hinojosa’s inspiring children’s book, Once I Was You: Finding My Voice and Passing the Mic. With music, conversations, and curious questions from kids, this episode gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at newsmaking and the people who do it.

You’ll also hear how being the first Latina in NPR’s newsroom shaped Maria Hinojosa’s view of her job as both a privilege and a responsibility. And we explore how storytelling can change the way we see the world—and each other.

This episode was produced by Katie Stone with help from Eli Henley, Sarah Gabrielli, and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Scheer was our recording engineer at the Outpost Performance Space.

Many thanks to our guests Maria Hinojosa, Loretta Hall, and Sherry Burr. Additional thanks to the New Mexico Press Women for their support of student journalism.

The Children’s Hour is produced by The Children’s Hour Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating high-quality children’s public radio. We’re distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network, and we’re supported by listeners like you.

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Please note: not all songs we play can be found in Spotify.