This month marks five full years of NBCU Academy, our NBCU News Group initiative to make journalism education free and accessible. We’ve published hundreds of videos, two full educational courses and many, many articles.
We’ve published stories on how to file FOIA requests, behind the scenes of how we prepared to cover the war in Ukraine, classes on bilingual journalism, what it takes to direct “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and even how to shoot a news interview.
It’s hard to boil down five full years of great lessons into a short list, but here are some of our favorites and most-watched pieces.
Watch and Learn
Mastering the News Interview With ‘TODAY’ show’s Craig Melvin
From 2023: Interviewing is one of the most important skills in a journalist’s toolkit. NBCU Academy sat down with Craig Melvin, “TODAY” show co-host, to discuss interview tips on preparation, putting an interviewee at ease and how silence can draw out great answers.
“Active listening is a journalist’s best friend,” Melvin said. “When you ask a question, just look at them as they answer the question. You’re not interrupting; you’re not thinking about your next question. You’re actually listening to the answer. And based on what they’re saying, after a while, you’re able to formulate a smart follow-up.”
Inside the NBC Page Program
From 2023: Ever wondered what an NBCUniversal Page does? NBCU Academy sat down with Priany Hadiatmodjo, director of the NBCUniversal Page Program, and participants Liz Gonzalez, Emiko Powers and Taj Kokayi to talk about what it takes to be a page.
“When you’re preparing your application, be yourself,” Hadiatmodjo said. “We really want to get to know the real you, so let that shine in your application. Secondly, make sure your application is perfect and ready to go. When you read through your materials, does it sound like you? Third, do your research. I like to think that anybody can be a student of this industry. Be curious, that’s something that we look for.”
How Keith Morrison Perfects His ‘Dateline’ Voice
From 2025: Sometimes considered the “granddaddy of true crime,” Keith Morrison has one of the most famous voices on television. The “Dateline” correspondent has been narrating murder cases and mysteries for 30 years, gaining a fandom that spans generations. He’s even had the honor of being parodied by Bill Hader on “Saturday Night Live.”
“To see yourself parodied on national television is a bracing experience, but it’s a tremendous compliment,” Morrison said.
Check Out the Tech Powering NBC News’ Election Coverage
From 2024: To help deliver timely election results, analysis and pathways to victory, the NBCU News Group’s design, production and operations teams are using new and updated tools to enhance the storytelling of reporters, anchors and journalists on election night.
“When you go to a Broadway play, you don’t go home humming the scenery. This is all about the music, the editorial,” said Marc Greenstein, NBCU News Group’s senior vice president of design, production and operations. “Our hope is our technology, our creativity, help explain the editorial better.”
Behind the Scenes of ‘Meet the Press’
From 2025: What does it take to produce an episode of “Meet the Press”? We followed the team for a week to see how moderator Kristen Welker prepares as producers researched guests, wrote hundreds of pages of notes and prepared her for the week’s program. Welker interviews presidents, world leaders and politicians every Sunday to get to the heart of the biggest headlines of the week. It’s a job she doesn’t take lightly.
“So much work goes into every single question, every single interview,” Welker said. “All of that takes time, all of that takes effort, and all of that teamwork requires an immense amount of work on the part of each and every person who works at ‘Meet the Press.’”
Storytellers
This ‘Wicked’ Broadway Actor Is Making History for Performers With Disabilities
In March 2025, Jenna Bainbridge was the first wheelchair user to play the role of Nessarose in “Wicked” on Broadway. Her announcement came months after Marissa Bode, who also uses a wheelchair, portrayed Nessa in the blockbuster film.
“We need to hear disabled stories,” Bainbridge said. “We need to see them on our stages.”
How Strangers Are Connecting Through Pop-Up Choirs
New York vocal coach Matt Goldstein never anticipated a gathering of his friends singing pop songs would become a viral sensation.
But that 2021 meetup evolved into Gaia Music Collective, which organizes pop-up singing groups across the country, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to an intimate warehouse space in Los Angeles.
The Kids Boxing Program Making Champions Out of Underdogs
Through Olympic-style boxing, the Give a Kid a Dream program has helped more than 400 children from underserved communities find discipline, drive and vision — free of charge.
Since 2012, coach Jackie Atkins has made it her mission to teach kids how to be champions not only in the ring, but also in life.
Indigenous Doulas Lead the Fight for Reproductive Care Access in Guam
On the day Livia Marati was due to give birth, Typhoon Mawar barreled toward Guam. Anyone more than 36 weeks pregnant was instructed by the governor’s office to make their way to the island’s only hospital with their own linens and drinking water. Family members had to stay behind.
Marati, a 35-year-old CHamoru woman, ran worst-case scenarios through her head: What if a tree was blocking the road to the hospital? Or the power went out? “I called my doula just in case I needed to give birth over the phone,” she said.
Inside the Dance Company Redefining Who Belongs in Ballet
When first-generation Mexican American Omar Rivera searched for dance companies to join, he wanted to see others onstage who looked like him. That’s when he found Ballet Hispánico, the largest Latino dance company in the U.S. Eight seasons later, he says being a part of the company “feels like a dream come true.”
“It’s not just dance, it is a cultural experience,” Rivera said.
