Blue Ridge Public Radio selected Laura Hackett as its full-time general assignment reporter focused on issues, events and government in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Hackett will join BPR beginning Monday, June 26. Her coverage will be integral to furthering BPR’s commitment to reflect all the voices of the region and adapt its reporting across radio, digital, and social media.
“I've long admired BPR’s rigorous editorial ethics, commitment to truth, and mission of cultivating a more engaged, curious, and empathetic community,” Hackett said. “I'm particularly excited to join the station at this juncture, as the news team looks to innovate, grow, and expand its access to diverse communities throughout Western North Carolina.”
Hackett previously worked as a writer, journalist, and content creator for Western North Carolina media organizations, most recently as senior editor for AVLtoday and reporter and development coordinator for Mountain Xpress. She has a degree in creative writing from Florida Southern College and completed the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY's Product Immersion for Small Newsrooms program this year.
"Laura brings a broad range of skills and experience to the BPR News team, particularly in the digital media landscape,” BPR News Director Laura Lee said. “She has a passion for social media and newsletters, and both our newsroom and our communities will be well-served by expanding our coverage of the Asheville metropolitan area.”
As an anchor and an established collaborator of the Western North Carolina news ecosystem and the largest NPR affiliate in the region, BPR is investing in its audience-first, data-driven news culture and its mission in sustaining and expanding the impact and reach of public service journalism.
Hackett’s hire is one of several recent additions to BPR’s staff, including Lee, and the station anticipates welcoming an additional host and reporter in the coming weeks.
