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Performer (Interviewee)

Maria Hansson Botin

Interviewer

Dr. You Li

Geographic Location

Sweden

Biography

Maria Hansson Botin is a radio journalist from Sweden. She is a documentary producer at Third Ear Studio. She has several years of experience making documentaries for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation, Sveriges Radio, investigative journalism, news stories, and as a local fixer in Sweden for foreign media outlets.

Hansson Botin quit her freelance job and became an investigative reporter for a production company in the middle of the pandemic. She retrieved her memories of the ground situation in Sweden, the government policies (which were quite different from the other Western countries), and public reactions. This interview highlighted her experiences producing audio and investigative journalism pieces and documenting the impact of COVID on rural villages, and the spread of disinformation and misinformation. She also compared her experiences as a freelancer versus a staff reporter, and some challenges that she encountered as a woman journalist. Last, she urged future generations to understand that finding truth is an ongoing process and that journalism may improve its transparency to regain public trust.

Interview Date

6-1-2023

Subject

Sweden, freelance journalist, audio journalism, investigative journalism, burnout, freelance vs. staff reporter, job security, misinformation/disinformation, public distrust in the media, challenges and contributions of women journalists, gender stereotype, harassment, COVID-19, women in journalism, pandemic, Eastern Michigan University Archives

Publisher

Eastern Michigan University Archives

Digital Object File Type

mp3

Run Time

1:03:07

Rights

Copyright to the audio resource and its transcript, headshot, and stories is held by the content creator, author, artist, or other entity, and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any other format without written permission of the copyright owner, Eastern Michigan University Archives (lib_archives@emich.edu).

Maria Hansson Botin, Oral History Interview, 2023

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