It happened more than 100 times in 2025: a WPLN News reporter had a story “go national” and broadcast to people across the country through NPR and other public radio shows. Your local newsroom has never had a year quite like it. We told the nation about Tennessee amid weather emergencies, throughout legislative and election seasons, as the Grand Ole Opry turned 100 and as locals felt the impacts of immigration and other federal policy changes.
This coverage has made for a lot of moments that catch the attention of local listeners, too. We’ve learned that hearing WPLN staffers on the national stage delivers a little jolt of pride in Nashville Public Radio, as well as inspiring this question:
How does a story go national?
We can answer this through a handful of examples — and they’ll demonstrate the value of NPR calling upon reporters who can get firsthand information and share their local institutional knowledge.
More: 2025 Year In Review
Eyes and ears of the NPR network
One way that a story goes national is when our reporters “pitch” local coverage to a national editor — and those editors tend to set a high bar before accepting. They want to make sure that a local matter is so important — or highly unusual or extremely relatable — that it will resonate with listeners nationwide.
This was the case when Tennessee resumed executions in May. There is high interest in the evolving protocols that different states are using for lethal injection, and editors wanted to learn as much as possible about what was happening here.
Another example: As Metro Reporter Cynthia Abrams covered the city’s experimentation with “participatory budgeting,” she knew that the concept had been tried in various ways in lots of other places. The story piqued the interest of Marketplace.
When news breaks
The relationship runs the other way, as well. As NPR monitors the world for emerging news, editors can reach out to WPLN.
For example, political developments prompted many inquiries to Power and Equity Reporter Marianna Bacallao this year. She covered the local immigration crackdown, the federal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and the special congressional election in District 7.
WPLN also provided the latest to NPR when our community experienced violence in schools, weather disasters and the tragic blast at AES in Bucksnort, among other breaking news events.
Specialized expertise
It helps to have nationally known experts on the team! Look no further than Senior Music Writer Jewly Hight, whose work has appeared on NPR and in national publications for many years.
In 2025, she worked closely with national editors to cover the Opry 100 milestone, changes to the Grammy awards, the rise of artists like Angie K, and the opening of the Museum of Christian and Gospel Music.
Another truth of “going national,” is that it’s rarely happenstance. NPR fosters its network of stations through trainings and planning sessions, and by regularly bringing together reporters who cover specific topics, like health, criminal justice, the environment and politics. Those meetings help specialized journalists connect in a thoughtful way to better understand what’s happening.
When a story broadcasts nationwide it is a testament to the quality of the reporting. So it’s fair for local listeners to feel that bit of pride — and to want to lean in and listen close.
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