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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At the end of January, President Donald Trump’s new administration put a freeze on federal grants; then some of the money was restored, and now the move is tied up in federal court. -
A new Caldwell initiative encourages people to give back, help their neighbors, and create a sense of belonging in the Canyon County city. -
The marshy landscape of Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge is home to hundreds of birds, in particular the sandhill crane. -
We all want to help our planet by conserving our landscapes, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming. -
For years the Treasure Valley Children's Theater has been giving kids a chance to act and sing while creating community, and now they're putting on a new play! -
The political landscape is changing fast, both nationally and here in the Gem State. -
Elgin Baylor has quite the legacy – he’s been called the best basketball player in the world, he was the original Laker superstar and he was the first person to score 70 points in a game. -
Birdwatching isn't just fun, it's good for your mental health! -
Each year kids face increasing risks of climate change. However, here in Idaho, a youth-led council is taking action to help change that. -
Becoming a parent for the first time can be intimidating, which is why a free program is offering support to moms who need it.
