The Lead Story

Does a non-partisan, objective reporting still have a role in an increasingly polarized world? That's one of the key questions being asked in Alex Garland's 2024 film: Civil War. Gray Media Washington D.C. Correspondent Stephen Goin joins Mike and Margo to break down the film

The Lead Story is a podcast about journalism in film. Every month, veteran journalists Mike Brown and Margo Gray select a different movie about the news business and break it down from an insider's point of view.

Remember to follow us on Instagram and now on Facebook for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch all episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

Mike and Margo are back and talking about the brand new film, Primetime. The movie takes a look at the rise and fall of Dateline NBC reporter Chris Hansen and his "To Catch a Predator" series.

The Lead Story is a podcast about journalism in film. Every month, veteran journalists Mike Brown and Margo Gray select a different movie about the news business and break it down from an insider's point of view.

Remember to follow us on Instagram and now on Facebook for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch all episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

For our season one finale, Mike and Margo explore the impact Anchorman has had on a generation of television journalists. We dig into teleprompter mistakes, hot-mic nightmares and rumbles with our cross-town rivals. 

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch all episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

WAFF 48 Chief Meteorologist Brad Travis joins Margo and Mike to talk about the 1996 thriller "Twister". Brad breaks down how weather technology has progressed in the last 30 years, Margo and Mike share their stories from covering the April 27th, 2011 tornado outbreak and We share the unlikely story of how one bit player in this movie invented a billion dollar baseball product before graduating high school.

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch all episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

What happens when the biggest news story in the world breaks and only the sports crew is around to cover it? WAFF 48 Sports Director Carl Prather joins us to talk about the 2024 drama "September 5".

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch all episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

This week, we're talking about the 2014 thriller Nightcrawler with ABC 7 producer Malcolm Johnson about his climb from Huntsville to New York City. What would happen if a news photographer invaded a crime scene like Louis Bloom does? Does the old saying "if it bleeds it leads" still mean anything in 2026?

Did you know you can watch episodes of The Lead Story? Download the WAFF 48 SmartTV app, or follow us on YouTube. 

You can read more about these films on waff.com/TheLeadStory . Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Letterboxd for more film nerd content! 

Veteran anchor / reporter Jamey Tucker joins us to talk about the 1987 comedy classic: Broadcast News

Jamey talks about his decision to leave traditional newsrooms behind and become an independent tech journalist and his role in creating one of the most memorable viral clips in news history. Mike and Margo also bring up the ethics of staging news, the love/hate relationship with cheesy jingles, flop sweat and adrenaline crashes after big stories.

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch old episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

Former WAFF 48 anchor/reporter Elizabeth Gentle joins us to talk about every journalist's dream:  a job with banker's hours. 

This week, we're talking about the classic 1940 screwball comedy: His Girl Friday. 

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch old episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

Mike, Margo and special guest Bernie Delinski (The Times Daily) talk about the 1985 Chevy Chase comedy "Fletch". We explore the state of newspaper journalism in 2026, talk about whether or not this classic comedy holds up today and hear about the time a wanted drug suspect turned himself in to a pair of stunned reporters in Muscle Shoals.

Remember to follow us on Instagram for fun extras and clips from the show. Read our episode recaps and watch old episodes on waff.com/TheLeadStory for more insight and check out our Letterboxd for movie rankings, reviews and other fun tidbits! 

Attorney Nick Lough joins Mike and Margo to talk about the 1981 Sydney Pollack film "Absence of Malice". Nick's experience as a journalist and attorney give him unique insight into this melodramatic thriller. Mike lays out his theory on how Meg Carter might be one of the worst journalists in film history while Margo talks about the time she was confronted by someone unhappy with her reporting.

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Follow us on Letterboxd to see Mike's list of must-see Paul Newman films

Check out previous episodes and recaps on waff.com