Behind The Mic: News & Public Affairs Reginald Hardwick loves meeting new people through journalism

Originally entering the journalism world as a television producer in Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth, IPM Director of News & Public Affairs Reginald Hardwick switched to the world of public media ten years ago. 

He began as news director for WKAR, the NPR/PBS station at Michigan State University, before arriving at Illinois Public Media in 2019.

At IPM, Reginald has a hand in everything. From hiring and coaching reporters to hosting All Things Considered and Dialogue, to producing talk shows and working collaboratively to market the station, Reginald has been part of the process for everything you hear on your airwaves.

IPM: What got you interested in journalism?

REGINALD: “I remember growing up, you read two newspapers, and watched the news. I wrote for my junior high paper and reported on my best friend's 4-H club. I was just hooked. When I went to the University of Northern Colorado, I began writing for the newspapers but switched over to broadcasting. I never really wanted to be a reporter. I really enjoyed putting the shows together and having a say in what we were covering.”

IPM: What do you love most about your job? 

REGINALD: “I'm a journalist at heart. I love talking to people, interviewing them, seeing what sticks, and why they love this community. I love knowing that I'm learning and meeting different people in this community. I was new here six years ago, now I want to know the people who have lived here longer or newer than me; students and people who have been lifelong townies. Love doing that with the Dialogue show."

IPM: What about journalism keeps you drawn to it?

REGINALD: “There are no two days that are the same. You have different people, different reactions. Even if it’s one storyline that we're following over the course of days, there's always something new to learn. It’s a privilege to get that information and put it out there so that the public understands.”

IPM: Why is journalism important?

REGINALD: “As we saw from NASA a couple of weeks ago, we're on this little planet together, and journalism helps us understand each other. It is about the truth and holding people accountable. When things are not being done correctly, and people are not being responsible. But also, journalism is about telling the truth of joy and the ups and downs. And it's also about getting it out in a timely and responsible manner, something you can't get from social media and definitely not from artificial intelligence."

IPM: Why does public media matter? 

REGINALD: “Public media is great because we talk to everybody. We do stories about everyone. We belong to the people, and we're also very locally owned and operated. Public media is the last locally owned and operated TV and radio stations in this country; [IPM]  is actually influenced by what is happening in Champaign-Urbana. We're accountable to members because that’s where all of our money comes from. So if we're not doing a good job, the membership drops off and fortunately, since I've been here, that has not happened."

IPM: Why is Illinois Public Media important?

REGINALD: “We are in a news desert, and it's important that we are serving the public. For example, we do a lot with the weather. That's important because we are seeing more storms, and no other radio station employs a meteorologist. There are fewer and fewer local newsrooms and places with the ability to break in and do what we can do. Our AM signal turns 104 years old this year [and] has a tremendously big signal during the day. Although we are in the middle of the cornfields, we do have a tremendous footprint.”

IPM: What is your favorite public media story you have ever reported on?

REGINALD: “When I was at Michigan State, there were different summer camps for youth. They did one for music students who are on the autism spectrum. It was a real privilege because I was able to interview a young man who was blind and on the spectrum, but could play Chopin. He was a piano genius. At the end of the week, they do a concert, which was a very special story.”

IPM: What does a day in the life look like for you?

REGINALD: “My day starts with waking up to Kimberly Schofield on the news. When I go to the office, I'm meeting with reporters one-on-one, talking to donors about our news coverage, and working collaboratively with the leadership team. There are days I'm hosting and editing. Other days, I'm voicing and producing our magazine show. It really depends on the day. There are times everything stops because there's a big story and I'm telling everyone here's what we need to do and here's where we need to position ourselves."

IPM: When you’re not at the station, where can listeners typically find you?

REGINALD: “Probably walking around, West Side Park with my dog, Sam, who is a German Shepherd I rescued from the Champaign County Humane Society. I like being outdoors. I grew up in Colorado, so even though it's flat [in Illinois], I do enjoy walking in some terrain. I also love traveling. During COVID, I met my birth parents. Learning about my family and my father, who happens to be from southern Illinois. Not all [siblings] are living, but visiting the ones who are still with us, that's been a personal project.”

IPM: If you could bring one album to a desert island, what would it be?

REGINALD: “Anyone who's been associated with Illinois Soul knows it's Anita Baker. She's my favorite singer. I love the lyrics, voice presentation, and the jazzy R&B tone; she's a dream interview as well as a concert. The album really depends on what mood and where I'm at. But her Rapture album was the big one, which made her a household name in America."

IPM: What’s your favorite hobby?

REGINALD: “Getting to know my birth families. I was born in Vietnam. My dad was in the military; he didn't even know [my mother] was pregnant when I came. Like a lot of Vietnamese women, she put me in an orphanage and came to America. I was raised here. [Now we are] learning the lives that we missed. I always wanted to go to Australia, and one of my brothers, who was also put in the orphanage, went to Australia. So a few years ago, I went, and he showed me the outback. There’s something about being in a different area, eating different food, and seeing different scenery. It really I really feel empowered by it."

IPM: Is there a public radio show you have been into lately?

REGINALD: “I love Throughline. I love the way they put that together because of how they tell the whole story, and I love history. There are episodes where experts from the University of Illinois have been on.”

IPM: Who is your greatest inspiration? 

REGINALD: “My mentor in this business is Reynelda Muse. She was the first woman and black person to anchor TV news in Denver. I grew up watching her. I think at nine years old, I was like, ‘Send me your scripts after your newscast,’ and she counseled and advised me throughout my career, including how to handle things that were not fun. It's very rewarding, and she's probably my biggest inspiration."