Radio Reporter Kenny Malone To Visit Wolfson Campus As Part Of The MDC Journalism Speaker Series
WLRN-Miami Herald radio news reporter/producer Kenny Malone covers stories about South Florida’s characters.
He believes a journalist is lucky to venture out into the world, talk to strangers and play with communication in a way that everyday people can only dream of.
“One of the things I’ve tried really hard to do is first and foremost be a reporter and tell stories that are important,” Malone said.
His reporting has included cruise ship maladies, sports culture and immigrant communities with a special focus on data reporting. In one of his award-winning stories, a veterinarian remembers how Hurricane Andrew changed his life. In another Malone tells of numerous cases of elderly in Florida who perished in the care of assisted living facilities.
Malone will share those experiences and others at Miami Dade College’s Journalism Speaker Series at Wolfson Campus, 300 N.E. Second Ave, Room 7128 on Jan. 30 at 10 a.m.
The presentation is free and open to the public.
Malone, who said he enjoys showing people how radio allows journalists to evoke emotions that other media can’t, will speak about his unique approach to the craft followed by questions from the audience.
A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Malone came to Miami as part of a year of service with AmeriCorps. He grew up listening to radio classics like Studio 360, This American Life and Radiolab. Malone’s interest in public radio grew once he moved to Miami, which led him to pursue an apprenticeship with former WLRN journalist Dan Grech.
Malone said he wouldn’t have entered the world of journalism had it not been for radio. He considers the medium to be one that can be as playful as it can be serious. Part of his reporting style involves toying with radio’s conventions by recognizing people’s expectations and subtly tweaking and breaking them.
“First and foremost,” Malone said. “[I have to] be a reporter and tell the stories that are important.”
One of the stories Malone will mention during his visit to MDC is a piece, produced in honor of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, called “The Storm,” won multiple awards and was a part of an hour-long radio documentary produced in conjunction with the Miami Herald.
Another radio piece Malone is fond of is “Neglected to Death,” a collaboration between WLRN and the Miami Herald, that focused on the State of Florida’s failure to enforce laws related to assisted living facilities. In the story, Malone described the questionable and heartbreaking deaths of elderly people in their care and the challenges faced by facilities that care for people with mental illness.
“Kenny Malone has a proven track record of excellence in the field of radio broadcasting,” said Manolo Barco, the media adviser to The Reporter, the student newspaper at MDC. “Our students will benefit from his vast knowledge and passion for the profession.”
