by Marcy Burstiner | 23 Oct 2025 | Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Writing
Don’t know who to interview? Can’t figure out what your story is about? Try thinking about it as a movie. And grab some popcorn. A movie director on a set. (Illustration by News Decoder) At News Decoder, we share advice for young people from experts in...
by Marcy Burstiner | 17 Oct 2025 | Interviewing, Journalism, Reporting
Before you start interviewing people you need to know what part they play in a story. Only then can you reach out to them. A reporter interviews a source for a story. (Illustration by News Decoder) People, not numbers, are the heart of your stories. Finding those...
by Marcy Burstiner | 14 Oct 2025 | Art, Culture
The MacArthur Foundation selects a diverse group of people for an award dubbed the “genius grants”. In doing so they help us redefine our measure of success. Basket artist Jeremy Frey. (Photo courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation) So many people are brought...
by Marcy Burstiner | 10 Oct 2025 | EYES, Journalism, News Decoder Tips
There is a story you want to tell. But how do you convince an editor to green light it? That’s the art of the pitch. An editor takes a red pen to a story draft. (Illustration by News Decoder) The article below is adapted from material created as part of News...
by Marcy Burstiner | 6 Oct 2025 | Education, News Decoder Updates
News Decoder gives young people the platform to tell the world what they see and hear around them. In the process, we all learn how much we have in common. Three teens in a high school. (Illustration by News Decoder) When I hear or see something I think is wrong I...