Kendal Blust and Murphy Woodhouse have been reporting from Hermosillo, Sonora, for the Phoenix public radio station KJZZ since 2018. They are the only permanent full-time reporters based in the Mexican state of Sonora reporting for a U.S. audience, which let’s be frank, isn’t often aware of what’s happening south of the border.
In the following interview, Kendal and Murphy talk about what it’s been like to report in and on Mexico. They talk about stories they’ve covered, ranging from the joint resolution put forward by Republican congressmen in January to authorize U.S. military force against cartels in Mexico, to tightrope walkers in Sonora, to collaborations with reporters across the hemisphere to cover migrant journeys into the United States. They also talk about sewage problems in Guaymas, unequal vaccine distribution during the pandemic, and the very moving reporting they did after the Covid border closures were lifted.
“We saw extraordinary displays of binational love and longing,” says Murphy.
Throughout the conversation we come back to the theme, again and again, of the importance of cross-border journalism.
The Importance of Cross Border Journalism: A Podcast with Kendal Blust and Murphy Woodhouse