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Hard News and Honky-Tonks: How to Cover the American South
As a reporter responsible for region news in the South, Emily Cochrane covers hurricanes, trials, country music and more.
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A presidential campaign. A hurricane. A cult-favorite cabbage slaw.
For Emily Cochrane, a reporter who covers the American South for The New York Times, no day is ever the same.
“It’s one of the great joys and challenges of this job,” she said in a recent interview. “You could be covering so much at any time.”
Ms. Cochrane joined The Times in 2017 as an intern in the Washington bureau. In 2018, she landed a role as a news assistant and soon became a congressional reporter in Washington, D.C.
When presented with the opportunity to cover the South last year, she didn’t hesitate.
“When I started at The Times, I set out to do as much as possible and see as much of this complicated country and world as I could,” Ms. Cochrane said.
So she packed her things, placed her two cats, Yuzu and Hercules, in carriers and moved from Washington to Nashville to cover the region. In recent months, she has reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the block-party celebration of a beloved honky-tonk.
In a few conversations — as she was covering a trial in Memphis — Ms. Cochrane discussed the regional trends she’s watching and the debate over Florida’s inclusion in “the South.” These are edited excerpts.
