Journalism History

Episode 134: Myth, Memory, Media Mourning and the Kennedys

Researcher Carolyn Kitch discusses her article, “A Death in the American Family: Myth, Memory and National Values in the Media Mourning of John F. Kennedy Jr.” Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast 

From the Vault: Finding Ghosts in Newspapers

In this throwback from our vault, we trace American newspapers’ fascination with ghosts back to the 1800s with historian Paulette D. Kilmer. The transcript for this episode is at Episode 62.5 at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 133: The 1948 Presidential Election

Historian Cayce Myers describes the tactics used by the press in explaining its errant coverage of the 1948 presidential election, drawing parallels and distinctions between the strategies used in 1948 and 2016. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

From the Vault: Intimidation Through Libel Law

In a throwback to an episode in our vault, historian Aimee Edmondson describes how opponents of the Civil Rights movement weaponized libel law for decades to squelch free speech and silence African American dissent. The transcript is available at Episode 56 at at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/.

Episode 132: Investigative Reporting in the 1830s

Historian Gerry Lanosga describes the investigative reporting techniques used by abolitionists in the early 1800s to counter lies and disinformation spread by slaveholders and their allies. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 131: The Sage of Emporia

Biographer Beverley Buller discusses William Allen White, known as the Sage of Emporia, and how this Kansas newspaper owner became a national phenomenon whose home remains a tourist attraction today. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/ 

Episode 130: When the News Broke

Author Heather Hendershot discusses her book, When the News Broke: Chicago 1968 and the Polarizing of America. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 129: Staged News

Author Jordana Cox discusses her book, Staged News, about a Depression-era collaboration between journalism and theater to produce news for the theatrical stage. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/. 

Episode 128: The Birth of High School Journalism

Researcher Caitlin Cieslik-Miskimen describes how student newspapers became prominent parts of the American high school experience in the early 1900s. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/

Episode 127: Responsibility vs. Objectivity in Cold War Washington

Historian Kathryn McGarr takes aim at the conventional view of the Cold War Washington press corps as a group of naïve transcriptionists. In this episode, she details the sense of responsibility driving Washington reporters in the '40s and '50s and explains their resulting complicity in passing lies and misinformation to the public. Show transcripts are available at https://journalism-history.org/podcast/