Culture reporting isn’t fluff. It covers music, film, reality TV, the arts, and so much more, showing why these things matter and what they reveal about us. Jenna and Dom talk with writer and scholar Kovie Biakolo about why cultural reporting is essential, what’s lost when newsrooms cut it, and how it’s different from influencer commentary.

Kovie points to “Love Island USA” to show how desirability politics and identity play out on screen, connects reality TV to modern politics, and explains why AI can’t replace cultural analysis.

00:00 Start

09:53 - What is a Culture Desk?

13:18 - Pop culture is how Americans understand their identities

17:34 - The Importance of Love Island

28:08 - The Hierarchy of Relationships

31:04 - Cultural Reporters Help Us Understand Beauty

35:11 - Why We Are Where We Are Politically

39:40 - Why Culture Reporting Has to Matter

41:21 - Journalists Give More Than Hot Takes

47:20 - Should Journalists Be the New Social Media Stars?

53:29 - Can AI Do Culture Reporting?