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Life After News: How to Become an Independent Video Journalist with Fernando Hurtado

Episode: Life After News
Guest: Fernando Hurtado (creator of In the Hyphen)
Host: Jason Ball

Episode summary

A step-by-step masterclass on going solo as a video journalist. Fernando Hurtado left a “dream job” at NBC/Telemundo to launch In the Hyphen, a YouTube channel covering U.S. Latino life with deeply researched, visually rich mini-docs. We dig into why he made the leap, how he picks stories, the production workflow he uses to publish consistently, how he pays the bills, and his plan to help other journalists make the jump. We also talk teaching, ethics on YouTube, code-switching, and, yes, the best Mexican food.

Key takeaways

• Niche > noise: A clear editorial focus (U.S. Latinos) helps you find stories, audience, and sponsors.
• Show your work: On YouTube, explaining sourcing and process builds trust and differentiates journalism from “non-fiction” content.
• Ship on a schedule: Pick a sustainable cadence (e.g., two mini-docs/month) and time-box production to four focused days.
• Test and iterate: Treat titles, publish days, and formats as experiments—watch data, adjust quickly.
• Own the stack: Independence means wearing every hat—editorial, production, distribution, sales. Start building those muscles early.
• Teach to learn: Teaching forces clarity; classrooms double as honest focus groups.
• Business matters: Learn CPMs, ad breaks, sponsorship packages, and outbound pitching. Your journalism is a product—position it.

Tools, resources & names mentioned

• In the Hyphen (YouTube): @byFernandoH
• Riverside (remote interviews)
• Notion / Trello / Asana / monday.com (story tracking)
• Google News Initiative (workshops)
• NBCLX (Gen Z/Millennial news R&D)
• Topics featured in Fernando’s videos: Chicano English, Tajín, mole, Mexican food in the U.S., TikTok personal shoppers, Grupo Bimbo

About Fernando

Fernando Hurtado is an award-winning journalist and YouTube creator. Formerly with NBC/Telemundo and The Washington Post, he now runs In the Hyphen, a channel exploring U.S. Latino identities through deeply reported mini-docs. He also teaches visual journalism and an Olympics/Paralympics storytelling course at USC Annenberg.

About Life After News

Hosted by Jason Ball, former TV news director turned creator and innkeeper, Life After News spotlights journalists, producers, and storytellers building new careers and creative lives beyond the newsroom.

Connect

• Watch Fernando: @byFernandoH (YouTube) — link in show notes
• Follow Jason: @MrJasonBall (IG)
• Subscribe: New episodes on YouTube and your favorite podcast app
• Rate & review: If this helped you, a quick review really helps others find the show.

Coming up next

Richard Ayoub, CEO of Project Angel Food, joins us to talk about moving from journalism to nonprofit leadership plus a special announcement you won’t want to miss. All the best until then.

Let Life After News inspire your next chapter. Because leaving the news doesn’t mean the story’s over—it means a new one’s just beginning.