News In Context

In this episode, we explore the journalism industry and approaches to news coverage in the US - including the challenges we face, how young people are thinking about storytelling and information sharing, and what journalism should offer society.

My guests are former journalists, turned educators: Yumi Wilson… journalism professor at San Francisco State University, and Grace Provenzano, journalist, documentary producer, and educator at Arizona State University.

Grace, Yumi, and I co-authored a book about journalism called Writing & Reporting the News for the 21st Century.

My guest is David Eisner, CEO of the nonprofit bridging organization Convergence.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Tom Rosenstiel, journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels. He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland.

In Part 1 of our conversation, we focused on many issues affecting U-S journalism, including the health of the industry and how things have shifted.

We also discussed the role of politics, and the diminishing of local news, on the health of the journalism industry.

In addition, we began our conversation about the role of objectivity and bias in journalism - what those words were meant to mean, and what they’ve become, as well as a discussion of opinion versus opinion journalism.

Rosenstiel reminds us that opinion journalists are indeed journalists who were trained in the art of doing journalism well.

We continue our conversation on objectivity and bias, as well as how journalism can play a more effective role in better informing the public.

In this episode, we explore the state of journalism in the U.S., including the challenges we face, as well as where we can find hope for a future of robust journalism that holds power to account and helps us understand our world – both near and far.

My guest is Tom Rosenstiel - journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels.

He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland.

This is part 1 of our conversation you can hear part 2 next week.

In this episode, we explore the debt ceiling - what it is, why it exists, and why it keeps coming up in Congressional negotiations and wrangling.

My guest is Barry Eichengreen, professor of economics and political science at UC Berkeley, and co-author of In Defense of Public Debt, and How to Achieve Inclusive Growth.

In this episode, we discuss the disparity in attention in the U.S., when it comes to missing people of color.

My guest is Derrica Wilson, co-founder of the Black & Missing Foundation (BAMFI). They work with families of missing loved ones to help them connect with law enforcement, news media, and other resources, in an effort to bring attention to - and find - those who are missing.

For more information, go to BAMFI.org.

List of people missing in California: https://blackandmissinginc.com/search/

In this episode, we discuss the state of U-S tax policy, as well as some ideas for how to overhaul the system to make it more equitable, efficient, and coherent.

We also discuss some current tax structures… and their practical impacts on the items we buy… the money we make… and who bears an unequal share of the tax burden.

My guest is Annette Nellen, Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University.

This is part two of our conversation. You can hear Part 1 at news-in-context-dot-net.

Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation.

For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources:

• Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society

• Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21

In this episode, we explore taxes in the US, including how tax policy has evolved and devolved over the course of U-S history, what taxes are meant to be for, and how we can help the general public engage in discussions and decisions involving tax policy.

My guest is Annette Nellen - Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University. Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation.

For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources:

• Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society

• Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21

In this episode, we explore the First Amendment aspects of voting, elections, and campaigns - in particular how voting and related activities might be considered speech, and how the courts have come to view the First Amendment’s role - or lack thereof - in voting.

My guest is Lata Nott, First Amendment Fellow at the Freedom Forum; and deputy policy director for State Voices, a voting rights organization.

In this episode, we explore the importance of making connections across sectors to achieving healthy communities.

Our guest is Nang Mo Kham, Eisenhower Fellow & senior health specialist at the World Bank, based in Myanmar. Nang sees herself as someone who can help establish a system that knits together local services, including education, public health, and others, to improve access for everyone, no matter their social status, background, or ethnicity - and thus improve the overall health of her community.

This is Civity week on NIC. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different. Nang’s work aligns with the civity principles of building relational infrastructure to bridge difference and move from us-vs-them to ‘we all belong.’

We are also joined in this episode by Civity intern, Maya Fiorella.