In an attempt to give its listeners more issues and voices to choose from, Chapel Hill’s public radio station, WUNC-FM, has hired a health care beat reporter.
Rose Hoban, a registered nurse who has worked in New York City, Washington, D.C., and northern California, started Jan. 18.
“I practiced nursing for 13 years. I realized I needed to move on,” said Hoban. “I realized I was doing a lot of talking to people and telling their stories. I realized the thing for me to do was become a journalist.”
Joan Seifert Rose, general manager at WUNC, said that among the requests the station has received for more in-depth coverage, health care emerged as the highest priority.
The addition of a health care reporter will help North Carolinians be better informed about the issue, Rose said.
Hoban stood out in the pool of 100 applicants because of her background and expertise in public health, Rose said.
Hoban came into the interviews with story ideas, Rose said.
“(Hoban) showed initiative and interest,” Rose said. “She has a real understanding of the issues.”
Hoban comes to WUNC with master’s degrees in journalism and public health from the University of California-Berkeley.
