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The Story Behind The Story Stories from NPR's editorial team explaining deeper context behind the latest news.
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The Story Behind The Story

Covering Katrina in the days after the storm

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of the Gulf Coast, Greg Allen reflects on covering the catastrophe in New Orleans and digs into the archives, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

Covering Katrina in the days after the storm

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In covering Paris, climate change is becoming an ever-present story

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Eleanor Beardsley shares what it's like to report from Paris, which is experiencing extreme heat due to climate change, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

In covering Paris, climate change is becoming an ever-present story

Listen · 9:06
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What's it like to cover your own network when it's in the headlines?

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Here, media correspondent David Folkenflik talks about covering President Trump's contentious relationship with the media, including reporting on NPR, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

What's it like to cover your own network when its in the headlines?

Listen · 10:49
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What is it like to cover the aftermath of deadly flooding?

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Sergio Martínez-Beltrán and Kat Lonsdorf share how they reported on the aftermath of deadly flooding, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

What it's like to cover the aftermath of deadly flooding?

Listen · 9:31
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Reporting on family separation and aggressive immigration enforcement in Florida

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Here, correspondent Jasmine Garsd describes what she's seeing as she covers the Trump administration's enforcement of immigration policies, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.Behind the scenes with NPR's reporting on how Florida has become the scene of some of the Trump administration's most aggressive immigration enforcement efforts.

Reporting on family separation and aggressive immigration enforcement in Florida

Listen · 10:49
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Old and new media techniques converge at Sean Combs trial

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners inside NPR and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Anastasia Tsioulcas tell us what it was like to cover a major celebrity criminal trial, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.Covering the spectacle and complexity of the Sean Combs trial required both modern and old-school reporting techniques.

Old and new media techniques converge at Sean Combs trial

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The difficulties of covering North Korea

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, international correspondent Anthony Kuhn talks about how he covers North Korea without being able to report from there, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

Reporter's notebook: The difficulties of covering North Korea

Listen · 9:08
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Reporting on Medicaid in Kentucky

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Kentucky Public Radio's Sylvia Goodman and Joe Sonka discuss their reporting on the potential impact of President Trump's major tax and spending bill on health care in their state, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

Reporting on Medicaid in Kentucky

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Carrie Johnson on her reporting that uncovered pervasive abuse of clerks by some judges

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, correspondent Carrie Johnson talks about her investigation into the power dynamics between federal judges and their staffs, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

Carrie Johnson on her reporting that uncovered pervasive abuse of clerks by some judges

Listen · 9:54
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What's it like to anchor NPR live special coverage?

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, All Things Considered hosts Ari Shapiro and Scott Detrow discuss what it's like to anchor NPR live special coverage, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

What's it like to anchor NPR live special coverage?

Listen · 9:00
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From rapid development to trade wars: What's it like to cover China?

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, John Ruwitch talks about his many years of reporting on China, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

From rapid development to trade wars: What it's like to cover China?

Listen · 11:30
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What's it like to cover the war in Ukraine? NPR's Kyiv correspondent explains.

Just this week, the Trump administration signed a deal to share revenues from Ukraine's mineral wealth. But how are Ukrainians responding — and what's it like to cover the ongoing conflict?

What's it like to cover the war in Ukraine? NPR's Kyiv correspondent explains.

Listen · 8:40
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Covering the Justice Department during the second Trump administration

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Ryan Lucas shares insights into the administration's targeting of law firms for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

Reporter's Notebook: on federal judges and the Trump administration

Listen · 9:42
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The video game industry is at a crossroads

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Vincent Acovino talks about the state of the gaming industry and his recent reporting on the annual Game Developers Conference, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

The video game industry is at a crossroads

Listen · 8:59
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The surprise drop in drug overdose deaths in the U.S.

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Brian Mann explores the potential reasons for the surprise drop in overdose deaths across the country, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK - BRIAN MANN

Listen · 9:50
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The state of Virginia has seen drug overdose deaths plunge by more than 40% in a single year. Many other states are seeing improvements above 30%. Why is this happening? Researchers say it may be a combination of factors, some hopeful and some painful.

The state of Virginia has seen drug overdose deaths plunge by more than 40% in a single year. Many other states are seeing improvements above 30%. Why is this happening? Researchers say it may be a combination of factors, some hopeful and some painful. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

8 theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting

Some 30,000 fewer people are dying every year in the U.S. from fentanyl and other street drugs. This shift has stunned addiction experts, reversing decades of rising death.

From Trump's comments to climate change: What it's like to cover Greenland

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Juana Summers describes what she — and a team from All Things Considered — encountered on a reporting trip to this island of snow and ice, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

From Trump's comments to climate change: What it's like to cover Greenland

Listen · 9:52
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From tweets to 2 a.m. emails: What it's like to cover Elon Musk

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Bobby Allyn describes how he landed a scoop and what he learned from years of reporting on the CEO of Tesla, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

From tweets to 2AM emails: What it's like to cover Elon Musk.

Listen · 9:46
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