The first time I heard of NPR was in 2007 when a producer from one of their segments read something I’d written, logged on to my website, found this entry on my blog, and left a comment for me asking to talk.

She called me a little while later, quizzing me on the article I’d written, my blog, and my life as a female Indian journalist. She particularly wanted to know details of the newspaper I’d written about– a publication by formerly illiterate women in rural India who learned how to read and write while they reported for the newspaper. I gave her all the information I had, assuming she wanted to interview the editor. At the end of our conversation, however, as she was scheduling the time, she realized what I was thinking. “You may have misunderstood,” she said. “We want to interview you.”

Oh.

“Fine,” I said, “let me get back to you.”

Then, I quickly e-mailed an American friend of mine asking him what the heck NPR was. I don’t want to give an interview to any gay-hating, racist stations, I told him. He laughed. You’re fine, he said. You definitely want to be talking to NPR. Right up your alley.

Hmm. A few quick online searches later, I realized what a wonderful, wonderful thing this NPR was. I e-mailed back and said I’d love to do the interview.

When I was in ninth grade, our English teacher divided the class up into groups of seven, and told us to produce a radio show. I was the team leader of my group. Because my teammates were useless, as most ninth graders are, and because I was as much a perfectionist then as I am now, I wrote up each person’s script, assigned everyone a role, told them to get their shit together, and produced the best radio show in the school’s history. (The teacher said so!)

All we’d really done was be inspired by Roshan Abbas and Paran Thakur (remember Livewire?) and put together a show like theirs. We were all big fans.

I had no aspirations to ever get into radio, and if you’ve ever heard the news on Indian radio you’ll know why.

But then NPR called.

Months later, I would have the chance to work for them (NPR), but I would be battling depression at the time and would let my career go to hell. By the time I would dig myself out of my cave and start rebuilding my life, the opportunity would be lost. (Live and learn, people.)

Since then, I’ve been taking tiny steps towards audio reporting. I asked a friend to teach me sound editing, and he graciously did. I’ve bought equipment, read books, and started listening to lots of radio.

I practiced some recording with a stand-up comedian and instructor here at Berkeley, and she told me I was “too BBC.” You’d be a good fit for those NPR people who whisper their stories instead of opening up their mouth once in a while, she told me. I smiled and thanked her and she replied, “That’s not a compliment, you moron.” (I LOVE her.)

So far, I have no idea what radio markets exist or how one gets into them. BBC and NPR would be my choice markets, much to the chagrin of my instructor, but I have no clue where to even begin.

Have you ever worked as a freelance audio journalist? Have any tips for me and others reading this blog?