Samantha Wright
Idaho Matters Senior ProducerExpertise: Reporting, producing, writing, editing, hosting, interviewing, board operating
Education: Boise State University + interviewing every expert and reading every book I can find to constantly keep learning
Highlights
- I got to chase Martian Dust Devils in the Oregon desert
- I wisely skipped breakfast the day I flew in a Red Baron Squadron Stearman stunt biplane
- My tombstone will probably read “Brought the Parachuting Beavers story to Idaho”
- I rode in the belly of an M1 Abrams Tank across the Idaho desert
Experience
As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio. I am so grateful to have been honored by my peers with Edward R. Murrow Awards for my stories including wheelchair rugby, blind bird watching, making pies for Lent, learning to can food during a recession, and walking through a living nativity.
I love playing with audio and had great fun putting together my Canning Makes a Comeback story which won Best Use of Sound from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA). I love interviewing fascinating people from Idaho musician Rosalie Sorrels to best-selling author Sharon Kay Penman. I also sat down with three of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders and several of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen. I hosted “Folk Trails” on KBSU for several years and got paid to play celtic, bluegrass and folk music while chatting with everyone from “Artis the Spoonman” to singer Christine Lavin.
I’ve followed guide dog trainers for Voice of America, reported on how road noise affects Boise’s Foothills for New Yorker Magazine, gathered sound for This American Life, trekked to Stanley, Idaho for NPR for the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, and reported for the New York Times and National Native News. I loved producing stories for the Idaho Storycorps Project each time it came to Boise and had great fun hosting the Legislative Breakdown podcast for several sessions of the Idaho Legislature.
My goal is to find out what’s on the mind of our listeners and to Never Be Boring!
Email: If you have a suggestion for an Idaho Matters segment, please email idahomatters@boisestate.edu.
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Former Boise State Public Radio volunteer Norm Gunning passed away March 18. We remember his life and legacy. -
The Idaho Botanical Garden is inviting the community to recharge in new way, through a unique gardening experience designed to reduce stress and promote connection. -
For 15 years, one nonprofit has been spreading joy by delivering birthday cakes to people in need. -
Gem State gas prices have skyrocketed since the Iran conflict began Feb. 28. -
As spring approaches, the Ada Soil & Water Conservation District is encouraging Treasure Valley residents to plant shrubs and create pollinator friendly habitats. -
A new documentary is following sage grouse across the West, uncovering surprising stories about wildlife, ranching and the fight for the regions birds. -
Each Monday on Idaho Matters, we’ll bring you a snapshot of a small corner of our Capital City and its unique past and today we head to the Boise Bench! -
A new Magical Map adventure brings the magic of Disneyland to life — as author Ridley Pearson continues to inspire the imagination of young readers. -
In Blaine County, decades of conservation work transformed Silver Creek Preserve into a thriving refuge for wildlife and wide-open Idaho beauty. -
Idaho's full-service restaurants are still feeling the impact of the pandemic as businesses struggle to regain customers, while offering competitive wages.
