Maria Hansson Botin is a radio journalist from Sweden. She is a documentary producer at Third Ear Studio. She has several years of experience making documentaries for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation, Sveriges Radio, investigative journalism, news stories, and as a local fixer in Sweden for foreign media outlets.
Hansson Botin quit her freelance job and became an investigative reporter for a production company in the middle of the pandemic. She retrieved her memories of the ground situation in Sweden, the government policies (which were quite different from the other Western countries), and public reactions. This interview highlighted her experiences producing audio and investigative journalism pieces and documenting the impact of COVID on rural villages, and the spread of disinformation and misinformation. She also compared her experiences as a freelancer versus a staff reporter, and some challenges that she encountered as a woman journalist. Last, she urged future generations to understand that finding truth is an ongoing process and that journalism may improve its transparency to regain public trust.