Journalism History

50th Anniversary: The Unknown Stories of Titanic

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the academic journal Journalism History, we're reaching into the vault to highlight five of the podcast's most popular episodes. In this two-guest episode, researcher Tim Ziaukas focuses on the crisis communication history of Titanic while historian Ron Rodgers discusses his research, The Titanic, the Times, Checkbook Journalism, and the Inquiry into the Public's Right to Know. The transcript is Episode 76 at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/. 

From the Vault: Mathew Brady and Photographic Copyright

In this episode from the vault, scholar Jason Lee Guthrie describes how 19th-century photographer Mathew Brady, best known for his vivid battlefield scenes of the Civil War, used copyright to protect his work from infringement and legally link his name with images he believed would have enduring value. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 138: ESPN Turns 45

Author Travis Vogan discusses the complicated legacy and precarious future of the all-sports cable network that turned the NFL Draft and NCAA men’s basketball tournament into television spectacles. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

From the Vault: The Black Press & the Fight for Racial Justice

In a throwback to an episode in our vault, author Fred Carroll describes the evolution of African American newspapers after the commercial and alternative Black press began to cross over in the 1920s. The transcript is Episode 72 at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/.

Episode 137: First Lady of the Black Press

Historian Jinx Broussard discusses the career of Ethel Payne and the book African American Foreign Correspondents, A History. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast 

From the Vault: Eisenhower: The Public Relations President

In a throwback to an episode in our vault, author Pam Parry discusses how President Dwight Eisenhower embraced public relations as a necessary component of American democracy and advanced the profession at a key moment in its history. The transcript is Episode 25 at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 136: Kent Cooper’s Associated Press

Gene Allen, professor emeritus at Toronto Metropolitan University, charts the career of Kent Cooper, who joined the Associated Press in 1910 before climbing the ranks and becoming its executive director. Allen describes how Cooper expanded the AP's overseas operations and fended off competing wire services such as the United Press during his more than four decades with the AP. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

From the Vault: Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

As a holiday tradition, we re-air our episode where hosts of the Journalism History podcast come together for a special Christmas episode that tells the story of an 8-year-old girl and the most reprinted editorial in the English language. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/. 

Episode 135: History of the Christmas Card

Writer John Hanc describes his research on the history of Christmas cards for an article that ran in Smithsonian Magazine. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

From the Vault: The History of Food Journalism

In this throwback from our vault, food journalism expert Kim Voss discusses the significance of food history and the story behind New York Times food writer Jane Nickerson and her food section from 1942-1957. The transcript for this episode is at Episode 59 at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/