Award-winning Texas investigative journalist and author Olivia Messer sits down for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation on the realities of modern media, state politics, and investigative reporting.

From her early days breaking open secrets of Capitol misconduct at the Texas Observer to covering national breaking news and trauma at The Daily Beast, Olivia reflects on the evolution of journalism over the last decade. We dive into the rise of reporter personal branding vs. traditional institutional trust, the challenges of burnout, the lessons learned from launching the progressive digital startup The Barbed Wire, and what it actually takes to monetize independent media today. Plus, Olivia shares her advice on media literacy in the age of social algorithms and gives a preview of her upcoming debut novel, Something’s Wrong with the Girls.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Coffee Orders & The Clicky Pen Story

01:13 - Guest Intro & Olivia’s Double Cappuccino

02:22 - Bio & Debut Novel: Something’s Wrong with the Girls

04:00 - Finding Journalism: Model UN to McGill University

05:42 - Arriving in Austin: The Texas Observer Fellowship

07:27 - Floor Reporting & The Wendy Davis Filibuster

08:48 - Luxury Travel Detour & Taking a Pay Cut for the Waco Trib

13:48 - First-Person Reporting & Uncovering Capitol Misconduct

16:15 - Institutional Trust vs. Building a Personal Brand

21:32 - Covering Trauma at The Daily Beast & Newsroom Burnout

24:59 - The Rise of The Barbed Wire: Engaging News-Avoidant Readers

28:31 - Objectivity vs. Disclosure: Reporting on Your Own Community

33:51 - Tina Brown, Culture Shocks, & The Daily Beast Era

36:45 - The Toll of High-Impact Investigative Reporting

39:43 - Founding The Barbed Wire & Building a Voice for Gen Z

45:40 - The Real Economics: Monetization, Hybrid Models, & Newsroom Pitfalls

53:39 - Rice Purity Test, Media Conglomerates, & The Future of Local News

58:34 - The Dangers of Independent Media & Substack Pitfalls

59:55 - Media Literacy: A Journalist’s Advice for Consuming News on Social Media

1:01:52 - What’s Next: Upcoming Investigations & The New Book

#communications #media #journalism #independentmedia #strategiccommunications #strategiccommunication

John Wittman has worked at the highest level of political communications in Texas. His experience and skills make him one of the most sought-after political communications experts in Texas. He breaks down his journey through the high-stakes communications and what it takes to work on this elite level.0:00 - Working overnight on the 2012 Romney campaign0:34 - Pulling clips in the War Room from 9 PM to 8 AM2:29 - Welcome to Comms and Coffee3:15 - The official coffee order: Black coffee3:45 - Early passion for politics and starting out at Interbrand5:01 - Choosing the War Room over field operations6:04 - High school days with a graduating class of 126:25 - Working on Capitol Hill and joining Greg Abbott’s 2014 campaign7:07 - The adrenaline rush of campaign life vs. Capitol Hill7:41 - Why every communicator should start in a War Room8:32 - Moving to Austin and joining the Governor's Office9:24 - Serving as Deputy Press Secretary, Press Secretary, and Comms Director9:49 - Analyzing the 2018 Texas election and the "Beto Mania" peak11:25 - Governing vs. Campaigning: Why governing messaging is harder12:52 - Translating complex policy for the public and legislature13:44 - Simplifying messages for 30-second news cycles15:20 - Reaching different audiences across X, Facebook, and Local TV16:11 - Gov. Abbott’s direct-to-camera bill-signing videos17:26 - The challenge of pitching media in the private sector18:56 - Press release rules: Keep it short and lead with the message19:32 - Explaining "Public Affairs Consulting" to everyday people21:00 - The 6-year mix-up with an Austin phone number22:04 - Pitching stories in corporate PR vs. working in government23:21 - Media advice: Always answer reporter calls and be transparent25:00 - Deciding when high-stakes media interviews are worth the risk25:37 - Working alongside General Counsel and legal teams26:26 - Working with Jimmy Blacklock, Andy Oldham, and Jeff Oldham27:17 - Winning in the court of public opinion vs. legal caution29:22 - Stepping down after seven years to focus on family30:56 - The "Friday at 4:30 PM" news dump phenomenon32:05 - Launching Whitman Public Affairs and leading Plus Communications33:21 - Joining Vianovo as Partner alongside Matt Hirsch34:23 - Navigating media clutter, misinformation, and AI35:38 - Managing client expectations around "going viral"36:50 - Reaching key decision-makers vs. the general public38:04 - The trust factor in local media vs. national media bias40:05 - Prepping clients for tough, adversarial interviews41:26 - Looking ahead to expanding family and growing Vianovo#politics #media #mediarelations #communications #strategiccommunication #strategiccommunications #publicrelations

We sat down with the brilliant and incredibly talented Kari Hernandez!Kari explains PR agency life, from Madmen style years to the modern era. The skill of storytelling withstands the test of time. Kari created one of the most elite PR agencies in the business and continues to be a dominant force in the world of communications. Her expertise and experience are hard to match. She explains the secret to her success and thoughts on what the future holds for B2B business communications. #publicrelations #communications #strategiccommunications #mediarelations #press 00:00 - Introduction01:05 - How PR Has Changed02:15 - Why Press Releases are Dead03:45 - What is Integrated Marketing?05:10 - Using Data & Research06:40 - How to Stand Out in B2B Tech08:05 - Handling Complex Industries09:30 - The Energy & Infrastructure Space11:15 - Running a Successful Agency12:50 - Spotting New Opportunities14:20 - Keeping Top Talent on Your Team16:30 - How to Measure PR Success18:00 - Combining Empathy and Data19:45 - Proving Value to Executives21:00 - The Future of PR Partnerships22:30 - Final Advice for Communicators

Paul Corliss, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications for the University of Michigan, pulls back the curtain on sports and higher education communications. He gives an insider look on navigating high profile industries that demand transparency and accountability. #publicrelations #strategiccommunications #mediarelations #communications #podcast 00:00 - Introduction & Paul Corless Bio01:07 - The Coffee Order & Early Broadcasting Dreams02:10 - Moving from Broadcast Journalism to Sports Writing03:16 - Joining the New Orleans Saints & Media Relations in the NFL04:53 - Crisis Communications During Hurricane Katrina06:31 - Bittersweet Super Bowl FOMO & Shifting Careers07:41 - Stepping into the Fast Lane with NASCAR09:44 - The Reality of Sports Comms: Sacrifices & Family Life12:07 - Building Trust and Cultural Perspectives with Athletes13:19 - Developing Healthy Relationships with the Media16:14 - Pivoting to Higher Education Communications19:02 - The Learning Curve: State Budgets & Academic Tenure20:44 - Reaching Generation Z & Adapting to the TikTok Ban24:09 - AI in Communications: Copy Editing vs. Original Storytelling29:40 - Leveraging University AI Research on Campus30:58 - Navigating Politics in Public Higher Ed (Texas SB17)35:51 - Flagship Responsibilities & Watching Bill McRaven in the Hot Seat39:38 - How to Pitch "Unsexy" Academic Research to Mainstream Media42:24 - What’s Next: Moving to the University of Michigan43:26 - Paul's Creative Outlet: Singer-Songwriter & Short Film Finalist46:50 - Wrap Up & Closing Remarks

Tony Ortiz's journey to journalism is one of the most unique stories you will ever hear. Driven by a daily desire to speak truth to power, Tony pulled back the curtain on Current Revolt—evolving a quiet, anonymous blog into one of the most disruptive forces in the state.Often describing his outlet as the "TMZ of Texas Politics," Tony explains how breaking massive legislative scandals put him on the map, why he refuses to pull punches for either political party, and how he uses hard receipts to expose online scams. In this episode, we dive deep into:

The Sales Foundation: How cold-calling tech sales builds the ultimate thick skin for political blowback.

The Blueprint of Disruption: Why a hyper-lean, subscriber-funded model allows independent media to outrun legacy newsrooms.

The War on Propaganda: Navigating fake news, paid influencers, and the rising impact of AI in the digital age

00:00 - The Early Days: Cellular Sales & The iPhone Disruptor

01:55 - Welcome to the Show: Introducing Tony Ortiz (Current Revolt)

03:10 - The Ultimate Foundation: Why Sales is a Life Superpower

06:06 - The 2016 Trajectory: Shifting Focus from Sales to Politics

09:12 - Groundwork: Learning the Mechanics at Empower Texans

11:25 - The COVID Pivot: How Remote Software Sales Launched a Blog

16:02 - The Birth of Current Revolt: From Anonymous Op-Eds to Being Doxxed

19:45 - Putting CR on the Map: Navigating High-Profile Legislative Scandals

23:16 - Guarding Against Propaganda: Resisting Narrative Manipulation

28:13 - The "TMZ of Texas Politics": Defining the Gossip Rag Blueprint

34:32 - Media Accountability: Uncovering Scams and Fake News Influencers

44:44 - The Power of Receipts: Tracking Proof and Future Expansion#politics #mediarelations #publicrelations #communications #strategiccommunications

Even he can't believe it, but it's now been 30 years since my friend Scott Braddock dropped out of high school to start a full time career in media. He started as a small town Texas disc jockey in Brenham and worked his way up to prominent positions in some of the state's top newsrooms in Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. Now, in Austin, he runs the essential news outlet for Texas political professionals. This past year he also launched the state's new #1 politics podcast: Quorum Report Radio, available on all podcast apps. 

Is local journalism dying, or just evolving? Former Spectrum News anchor Karina Kling joins us to discuss the 'age of rage' in media and her transition from the anchor chair to the world of political communications.0:00 Intro & Coffee Order3:12 Meet Karina Kling: Communications Director at Hillco Partners5:06 The "Why" Behind Journalism: From Kansas to Graduate School7:14 Early Career: Reporting from a Bureau in Nebraska10:46 Moving to Austin: Joining Spectrum News (News 8 Austin)13:13 Why Politics? Holding Power Accountable15:44 Life as an Anchor: Much More Than Reading a Teleprompter17:35 The Evolution of Media: From MySpace to Instant News21:32 Launching and Anchoring "Capitol Tonight"25:00 Maintaining Non-Partisanship in a Polarized World29:00 Navigating AI and Disinformation in the Modern Newsroom32:05 Pro-Tips for PR & Comms: Building Relationships with Journalists36:06 Healthy News Consumption: Advice for the "Age of Rage"41:05 The Pivot: Transitioning from Media to Hillco Partners43:29 Affecting Change: The Power of Strategy and Storytelling in Policy46:10 Closing Thoughts and Cheers#publicrelations #communications #mediarelations #politics #politicalreporting #media

Political reporter Patrick Sviteck talks politics, media relations, and the future of the media. He recently worked for The Washington Post, covering campaigns and breaking political news. Before that, he covered Texas politics for nearly a decade. You do not want to miss this conversation!#publicrelations #newsmedia #communications #podcast #mediarelations #journalism #strategiccommunication #strategiccommunications #politics #politicstoday

Emmy award winner, Brittany Eck, joins us on the show to discuss communications after a natural disaster. Additionally, we discuss how her team at the GLO, under Commissioner Bush, received an Emmy Award for its public service announcement regarding flood insurance purchases. This achievement marks only the second time a state agency has earned this award.Brittany Eck is the Director of Communications for the Disaster Recovery at the Texas General Land Office. If a natural disaster strikes, then she is on the ground helping get the message out to Texans on how they can recover.#communications #podcast #publicrelations #disaster #mediarelations #crisiscommunication #publicpolicyAsk

Merrill Davis is the Vice President of Communications at Texas 2036, the nonpartisan organization using data and storytelling to help Texans prepare for the future — in our schools, our workforce, and our water supply. She worked her way from an entry-level role to senior leadership at Public Strategies, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, and Mercury Public Affairs, leading major campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and statewide partners. And Merrill believes something every communicator in Texas understands: the right story, told well, can still change everything.You can find Merrill Davis here at Texas 2036: https://texas2036.org/posts/staff_mem...She is currently focused on March Matters, which aims to get more people to vote in the primary elections. https://www.marchmatters.org/#communications #mediarelations #media #politics #policy #strategiccommunication #publicrelations #politicstoday