39: Robert Smith

Robert Smith is a correspondent for NPR's Planet Money. "I've done [radio] for 30 years. I don't want to come in and do the same story every time. Like I want things to be challenging. … And it's solely for myself. It's solely so I don't sound like a lot of NPR reporters — they've been there, they've seen it, they've done it. ... Even ones who are really good. They're just like, "I am good at this, I am doing what I always do." And so if the very least thing that comes out of [experimenting] is, "My God! That reporter sounds excited to be in a place, that reporter sounds engaged with people, that reporter feels like he or she is present, is listening," it's exciting! And so, that may be the only thing that people hear, is that — "Wow! You know, Robert seems like he really likes his job."