The Newsroom

Benjamin Schachtman

Booking Overview

A local-news interview program focused on Wilmington and southeastern North Carolina, typically featuring local officials, journalists, academics, and other experts directly connected to current community issues. Agencies could credibly pitch elected officials, policy experts, researchers, reporters, and authors with strong regional relevance or expertise on public affairs, education, history, and journalism; booking difficulty is low when the guest has a clear local connection and medium for nationally focused candidates without one.

Metrics

Episodes: 100

Frequency: Weekly

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Estimated listeners: 100 - 1,000

Gender skew: Neutral

Listener location: USA

YouTube: 164 subscribers

Instagram: 3.1k followers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

bschachtman@whqr.org

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Host

Benjamin Schachtman - News Director at WHQR Public Media in Wilmington, North Carolina, with experience reporting on local issues and leading in-depth coverage of the region.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

low

Typical Credentials:

Local elected officials, public officials, journalists, university researchers, authors, and subject-matter experts with direct knowledge of issues affecting Wilmington, southeastern North Carolina, or the broader regional news agenda.

Required Achievements:

Elected or appointed public office, Professional reporting on regional issues, University research or teaching expertise, Publication of books or substantive research

Recent Guest Discussions

Justin Leroy - Racial Capitalism, Black Thought, American History, And The Work Of Black Writers Including David Walker, Frederick Douglass, And Ida B. Wells.

David Joyner - Plans To Replace The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, Including The Proposed Toll Bridge And The Local Decision-making Process.

Cassidy Santaguida - Plans To Replace The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, Including The Proposed Toll Bridge And The Local Decision-making Process.

Brenna Flanagan - New Hanover County Schools' Town Hall And North Carolina's Film Incentive Program.

Recent Topics

News, Local News, Local Government, Education, Journalism

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

The Newsroom

Election 2026: Candidates forum for the New Hanover County Board of Education

October 16, 2026

Recorded live at UNCW's Burney Center on October 7, WHQR joined Port City Daily, WECT, and The Seahawk to put questions to the eight candidates running for four seats on the New Hanover County school board.

Election 2026: Candidates forum for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners

October 09, 2026

Recorded live at UNCW's Burney Center on October 7, WHQR joined Port City Daily, WECT, and The Seahawk to put questions to the five candidates running for two seats on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

Duke's Dr. Justin Leroy on his book, "The Lowest Freedom," a look at racial capitalism and Black thought

September 20, 2026

On today's show, Rachel Keith talks to Duke University assistant professor Dr. Justin Leroy about his new book, The Lowest Freedom — Racial Capitalism and Black Thought in the Nineteenth Century. We discuss American history in the context of prominent Black authors like Wilmington’s own David Walker, along with Frederick Douglass and Ida B. Wells.

Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for

The Newsroom

How do I get in touch with The Newsroom?

The Newsroom is hosted by Benjamin Schachtman. Its publicly listed email is bschachtman@whqr.org. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for The Newsroom?

The publicly listed email for The Newsroom: bschachtman@whqr.org.

How many listeners does The Newsroom have?

Podseeker estimates The Newsroom reaches 100 to 1,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for The Newsroom?

The Newsroom typically books working professionals with real expertise. Typical guest background: Local elected officials, public officials, journalists, university researchers, authors, and subject-matter experts with direct knowledge of issues affecting Wilmington, southeastern North Carolina, or the broader regional news agenda. Common among recent guests: Elected or appointed public office; Professional reporting on regional issues; University research or teaching expertise. Recent guests include Justin Leroy, David Joyner, and Cassidy Santaguida.

How hard is it to get booked on The Newsroom?

Low. A guest with relevant expertise and a clear angle for its audience has a realistic chance.

What topics does The Newsroom cover?

Recent episodes cover News, Local News, Local Government, Education, and Journalism. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

Publicly listed emails

bschachtman@whqr.org

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

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