Julian Rodriguez is a graduate of the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Ten years ago, he founded the Hispanic Media Initiative at UTA. He has one of the most prominent programs in the country dedicated to teaching students broadcast journalism in both Spanish and English, for both the Spanish- and English-language markets.

He talks about the current state of multilingual journalism and about the trends for and conditions of Spanish language communities in the U.S.

Jay is a native Nebraskan who has worked in soccer for more than two decades. He has worked for UEFA, FIFA and now is the COO of FC Diez, the IMG owned company that produces two major soccer competitions in South America. 

SPORTS MEDIA on Sport in American Culture. Observations from members of the sports media – columnists, reporters, broadcasters, academics – about how sports fits into American culture in 2021; within the context of the pandemic.

Guests commenting on Sport in American Culture, in order:

Dirk Chatelain, Omaha World Herald

Steve Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star

Andrew Billings, University of Alabama

JB Long, LA Rams and Pac-13 Networks

Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle

Mike’l Severe, 1620 The Zone Omaha

Mitch Sherman, The Athletic

Tim Keown, ESPN

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

Matt Maiocco, NBC Sports Bay Area

Chris Schmidt, Hail Varsity Radio and KFOR

Chris Heady, formerly Omaha World Herald

Welch Suggs, University of Georgia

Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports

Ted Robinson, Pac-12 Networks

Evan Bland, Omaha World Herald

Tony White, KING TV Seattle

Sean Callahan, Husker Online

Dan Brown, The Athletic

Erin Sorensen, Hail Varsity

Members of the sports media from around the country – reporters, columnists, broadcasters and scholars - talk about their personal view of sports. Answering the simple: How has your personal view of sports change in the last year? There is by no means a consensus.

Here are the contributors and where they appear:

Dirk Chatelain, Omaha World Herald  1:09

JB Long, Radio voice of LA Rams  1:47

Tim Keown, Senior Writer ESPN  3:07

Mitch Sherman, The Athletic  6:41

Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle  7:27

Matt Maiocco, NBC Sports Bay Area  9:48

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times  11:13

Chris Schmidt, KFOR and Hail Varsity Radio 13:40

Evan Bland, Omaha World Herald  14:45

Dan Brown, The Athletic 17:32

Erin Sorensen, Hail Varsity  19:22

Steve Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star 21:20

Chris Heady, formerly Omaha World Herald 22:12

Tony White, KING TV Seattle  24:11

Sean Callahan, Husker Online 25:07

Jake Sorensen, 937 The Ticket Lincoln 26:55

Andrew Billings, U of Alabama  28:42

Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports  30:09

Mark Willard, KNBR Radio San Francisco 30:47

Mike’l Severe, 1620 The Zone Omaha 32:39

In this episode I assembled comments from more than two dozen people - among them reporters, columnists, broadcasters and media professors. They provide their observations on the 2020 football season - both college and professional; a season played in the throes of a pandemic, long before a vaccine was available.  

Their comments are personal and illuminative, a kind of oral history of the season. 

Among the contributors are Tim Keown of ESPN, Sam Farmer of the LA Times, national broadcaster Ted Robinson, CBS Sports football reporter Dennis Dodd, SF Chronicle columnist Ann Killion, Dan Brown of The Athletic, media scholar and author Andrew Billings, and a number of local Nebraska reporters and broadcasters.

Watch the Media

June 6, 2021

Sports Journalism after Osaka Withdraws from French Open Athletes and Sources: Access and Relationships with the Media

J.A. Adande Professor Northwestern University, former ESPN, LA Times, Washington Post 

Malcolm Moran Professor IUPUI, Indianapolis, former New York Times, USA Today

Tim Keown Senior Writer, ESPN [Tim has comments about empathy in reporting and writing and the value of sports journalism]

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open this week, after citing her anxiety of doing post-match press conferences. She was fined $15,000 after skipping the presser following her first match after which she withdrew. She said it was for her own mental health. She apologized to the fans and to the reporters who cover tennis.

Adande and Moran are both long-time, award-winning sports journalists who now run sports journalism programs at their respective schools. We talk about Osaka, mental health, sourcing, access regarding athletes/sources and journalists. It is deep and timely.

Maya Saenz has been with KMTV News for five years, coming to Omaha from Colorado. She is one of the few Latino or Latina news anchors and/or reporters in Nebraska. She shares her personal story; a young, multilingual, multicultural journalist from a mixed-documented family.

She joined John and the students in a spring class titled Media Representation and Presentation in the Latinx Community.

PABLO URQUIZA

Head of Production / Executive Producer at FC Diez Media (IMG) for Conmebol Libertadores & Conmebol Sudamericana

Pablo is a native of Buenos Aires, a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He talks about the process of producing television and the value of students looking toward a career in international sports.

Professor, Screenwriter, Producer, Show Runner

JOSE SOTO

Is a professor of television at Depaul University and a writer, producer and showrunner for television in the United States and Mexico. He has produced Big Brother for U.S. television, and numerous other programs in both the U.S. and Mexico. He talks about the differences and similarities in producing American television for Spanish language audiences, American television for English language, and television in Mexico.

VICTOR ROJAS left his job as the lead TV announcer for the LA Angels of Anaheim to become President and General Manager of the Frisco Roughriders of the Double-A Central League. He’s the son of former big leaguer Cookie Rojas. He and his wife own an apparel company Big Fly, which was named after his signature home run call. Rojas says he’s been preparing all his professional life to run a baseball team. (Don't miss near the end when he talks about his parents and his Cuban heritage.)