Behind the Stories

What responsibility does the news media have to confront racism? How can journalists avoid perpetuating racist stereotypes? 'Confronting Racism as Journalists' features interviews with Washington Post columnist and ESPN contributor Kevin Blackistone, NBC Asian America essayist Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Philadelphia Daily News columnist Helen Ubinas and UConn Journalism Assistant Professor Marie Shanahan. Produced by UConn Journalism students Eliza Kanner, Caitlin Culligan and Connor Donahue.

Watch the full Feb. 8, 2018 'Confronting Racism as Journalists' panel discussion at https://youtu.be/GemrxPlIDZ4

This week's podcast features NBC Connecticut chief investigative reporter Len Besthoff who talked with UConn Journalism's Gracie Enright about how he discovered and covered a major patient abuse scandal at the Whiting Forensic state psychiatric hospital. 

The second part of the podcast features a conversation with Hartford Courant reporter Vinny Vella and photographer Patrick Raycraft. The two journalists chatted with UConn junior Ryley McGinnis about the eight days they spent in Puerto Rico, documenting the hurricane relief efforts of a team of volunteers from East Hartford. Hosted and produced by UConn senior Eliza Kanner.

UConn Journalism's Caitlin Culligan talks with Hartford Courant Editorial Page Editor Carolyn Lumsden about the #MeToo moment on social media and cracking open the discussion about sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The second half of the podcast features Hartford Courant sportswriter Desmond Conner, who talks with UConn junior Connor Donahue about the changing conversation around sports. High profile stories about Colin Kaepernick, ESPN's Jemele Hill, President Donald Trump & the NFL have pulled sports out of the realm of entertainment and into very political, polarized debates. Hosted and produced by UConn senior Eliza Kanner.

#TheRoundupCT's "Behind the Stories" podcast is hosted by UConn senior Eliza Kanner. It showcases conversations with Connecticut journalists whose stories we followed this semester as part of a class taught by UConn Journalism Prof. Marie K. Shanahan.

UConn senior journalism major Caio Goncalves talked with Keith Phaneuf of The Connecticut Mirror about the "ugly choices" that had to be made during Connecticut's prolonged and contentious state budget battle.

Eugene Driscoll of The Valley Independent Sentinel explained to UConn junior journalism major Amanda Cabral how his 2-person hyperlocal news website managed to host three local debates during Connecticut's municipal election season.