NPC Update-1 Podcast

The founding fathers of American democracy felt strongly about the need to hold the new government accountable and prevent tyranny. They embraced the free press as a watchdog to expose corruption and provide a safeguard to keep power in the hands of the people. Do Americans today still share those views, or has the evolution of technology left us vulnerable to malicious influence that has undermined those original ideals? The National Press Club's David Melendy reaches out to a broad spectrum of society to listen to the people and gives them a voice in this Update-1 podcast, "Free press: power to the people."

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

On this edition of Update One, veteran political journalist Larry Barrett, who covered campaigns, elections, and the White House, notably for Time Magazine and the New York Herald Tribune, looks at the early stages of the 2020 campaign, and the lessons learned--or the lessons that should have been learned--by the media. Interviewed by longtime Press Club member Irv Chapman, Barrett compares the Trump style and his policies with those of the dominant Republican personage of recent years, Ronald Reagan, and he talks about the experience of covering a campaign from the early stages to the White House.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith interviews Ambassador Stuart Holliday, the president and chief executive officer of the Meridian International Center, a non-partisan diplomatic and global leadership institution that strengthens U.S. engagement around the world. 

Ambassador Holliday has served an ambassador to the United Nations, as a Naval intelligence officer, as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. Along with providing unique insight into Meridian’s international mission, Ambassador Holliday discusses its advocacy for freedom of the press and its efforts to counter disinformation.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Senate Historian Betty Koed talks about the many resources her office offers journalists to help them cover current events and put their stories into a historical context. In an interview with Broadcast/Podcast team member Janice Law, she also discusses the importance of being the institutional memory of the Senate and an oral history project planned for the centennial celebration of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. This is a two year celebration of the amendment, which was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920. Besides listening on Press.org, Update-1 can be heard on iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

On this edition of Update-1, a former State Department negotiator with the North Koreans offers background on the current efforts to promote nuclear disarmament. Joel Wit directs a project at the Stimson Center called 38 North, a reference to the 38th parallel of latitude that has divided North and South Korea since 1953. Interviewed by Broadcast/Podcast member Irv Chapman, Wit recalls the attempts to reach out to the North Koreans dating back to the Reagan administration, the intensified negotiations brought about by the North's development and testing of nuclear weapons during the Clinton presidency, and the stops and starts related to the change of governments in both countries. Besides listening on Press.org, Update-1 can be heard on iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In an era when journalists change employers often out of necessity, Barb Zuehlke has broken the mold. On the cusp of retirement later in 2019, Zuehlke, now senior editor at Aircraft Maintenance Technology, is celebrating a 40-year career for the same publishing company. She spoke with NPC Broadcast/Podcast Committee co-vice chair Adam Konowe on the floor of an aviation maintenance convention to discuss her career and the evolution in journalism and public relations during the past four decades.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Austin Tice is the only American journalist currently being held overseas, and the National Press Club is spearheading an effort to bring him home. In this edition of Update 1 NPC Executive Director Bill McCarren and Austin's parents, Marc and Debra Tice, join Broadcast/Podcast Committee co-Vice Chair Mike Hempen to discuss the "Night Out For Austin Tice." The May 2 event will raise reward money for information leading to the safe return of Austin, an award-winning reporter who was taken hostage in August, 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The murder in January of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein Suale-Divela in Ghana, one of Africa’s most stable and democratic countries, shocked the country and journalists around the world. The National Press Club called for a thorough investigation, and urged Ghanaian officials to ensure that journalists can work without the threat of violence. Journalist and lawyer George Sarpong, executive secretary of Ghana’s National Media Commission, spoke with National Press Club broadcast/podcast team member Viola Gienger about that case and the state of the news media in Ghana, including the influence of China. Sarpong just completed a five-month fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington DC, where he researched Africa’s transition from analog to digital broadcasting and the implications for freedom of expression and access to information.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The National Press Club has redoubled its efforts to highlight injustices resulting from multiple verbal, legal and even physical attacks on the media. John Donnelly, chair of the club’s Freedom of the Press team, spoke with Broadcast/Podcast co-vice chair Adam Konowe about a range of domestic and international initiatives intended to reinforce the vital role journalism plays in ensuring transparency in a free society. Examples include fundraising for missing American journalist Austin Tice, support for arrested Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, as well as calls for more newsmaker access at the Pentagon and elsewhere in government.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

U.S. foreign policy can be complex and difficult to understand. In this episode of Update-1, George Washington University political science professor Dr. Henry Nau discusses his book, "Perspectives on International Relations," with NPC Broadcast/Podcast team member Lincoln Smith. Dr. Nau provides an understandable synthesis of the world of foreign policy, and talks about the approaches used by Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump. He also offers predictions about American foreign policy in the future.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.