Welcome to News in Context. I’m Gina Baleria. In this episode, we take a closer look at journalism – in particular how news outlets covered the 2020 presidential campaign and local and national elections, including the candidates and communities. What worked? Where were journalists challenged? and where does the field of journalism go from here? My guests are: Martin G. Reynolds, Co-executive director of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education Lila LaHood, publisher of the San F...
Nov 06, 2020•30 min•Ep. 38
In this episode, we talk with four college students from and/or attending school in the Bay Area - all of them taking classes right now online. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the majority of schools across the country to move classes online – both K-12 and higher ed. The goal is to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in colleges, where students may come to the college from another community and return to their home community for holidays or other visits – risking the spread of viral i...
Oct 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 36
In this episode, we talk with four college students from and/or attending school in the Bay Area - all of them taking classes right now online. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the majority of schools across the country to move classes online – both K-12 and higher ed. The goal is to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in colleges, where students may come to the college from another community and return to their home community for holidays or other visits – risking the spread of viral i...
Oct 27, 2020•54 min•Ep. 37
In this episode, we talk with four college students from and/or attending school in the Bay Area - all of them taking classes right now online. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the majority of schools across the country to move classes online – both K-12 and higher ed. The goal is to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in colleges, where students may come to the college from another community and return to their home community for holidays or other visits – risking the spread of viral i...
Oct 23, 2020•30 min•Ep. 35
In this episode, we talk with John Wood, Jr., national ambassador for Braver Angels , an organization also working to build relationships across the divides that fracture Americans. John discusses how Braver Angels is working to bridge the divides that fracture us and build community.
Oct 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 34
In this episode, we take a closer look at the response among many in the medical and public health communities to the president’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, his own diagnosis, and the national response to U.S. citizens reeling from those choices. My guest is Dr. Mike Reid, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCSF, and Associate Director of the Center for Global Health Diplomacy, Delivery & Economics. Mike has also been heading up San Francisco’s contact tracing efforts, and we discuss...
Oct 09, 2020•30 min•Ep. 33
In this episode, we seek to make sense of the recent New York Times articles about the President’s tax returns. We also explore the U.S. tax system - in particular who benefits, who doesn’t, and how the tax code reflects and doesn’t reflect our goals and priorities. My guests are Annette Nellen, professor in taxation at San Jose State University , and Matthew Gardner, Senior Fellow at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy ....
Oct 02, 2020•30 min•Ep. 32
In this episode, we explore how some tenets of media literacy can be co-opted by conspiracy theorists, and how to approach media literacy education in a way that ensures students have the skills and abilities to navigate this landscape and assess information holistically. My guest is Renee Hobbs – professor of communication studies at the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of Rhode Island; Director of the Media Education Lab ; author of the new book, Mind Over Media: ...
Sep 25, 2020•30 min•Ep. 31
In this episode, we explore the allure and growing influence of conspiracy theories, and how they are both combated by and influenced by Media Literacy. This includes the role of conspiracy theories in our sociopolitical context, and the issues and challenges in our current marketplace of ideas - in the classroom, on social media, and in our public discourse. My guest is Dr. Renee Hobbs, professor of communication studies at the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of R...
Sep 18, 2020•30 min•Ep. 30
In this episode, we explore the influence and impact of framing - in particular how mainstream news tends to frame national issues as gamified, two-sided face-offs - democrat vs. republican... conservative vs. progressive… this politician vs. that politician. This can happen even when the two-sided frame is not actually relevant, and it can lead to an erosion of understanding among news audiences. My guests are: Dr. Regina Lawrence – Professor and Associate Dean in the School of Journalism &...
Sep 11, 2020•30 min•Ep. 29
In this episode, we explore California’s history of and relationship to fire, in particular how native populations worked with fire, and how colonizers from Europe suppressed and prohibited cultural fire management with what we now know are devastating consequences. Over the past four years, the Golden State has battled ever more massive and destructive wildfires, prompting many to call out the importance of managing the land in a different way, and looking to native tribes for answers. My guest...
Sep 04, 2020•30 min•Ep. 28
In this episode, we explore California’s dynamic and shifting climate, which impacts so much across the Bay area, region, and state, including our weather, our water, our land, our crops, our snowpack, and our air. Just during the past few weeks, we have seen an intense heat wave and spectacular and devastating lightning storms that sparked hundreds of wildland fires all over the Bay Area and Northern California - fires so large they are among the biggest we have ever seen. These fires have driv...
Aug 28, 2020•30 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, we talk about the post office with Dr. Richard R. John, Professor of History & Communications in the Columbia Journalism School at Columbia University. Dr. John teaches courses on the history of communications, capitalism, and American political development - and all of these factors have played out – in part – via the post office. The U.S. Postal Service has found itself in focus as the 2020 presidential election nears, after reports surfaced that the head of the agency had...
Aug 21, 2020•30 min•Ep. 26
In this episode, we explore allyship - How to support black people and other people of color in the fight for equity, protection from police brutality, and to dismantle systemic racism. We also discuss how allyship can go wrong when well-meaning white people take the mantle of ally but fail to check in with black leadership or center black people. My guests are: John Jones, III, Director of Community & Political Engagement at Just Cities; formerly incarcerated; and a single father of two. Jo...
Aug 14, 2020•30 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, I continue my conversation with three Bay Area theatre makers of color who are working to ensure diverse voices and stories are heard and represented… both on stage… and throughout the threatre ecosystem. We also discuss the importance of looking at the issues and challenges we face through different lenses… and how the arts can guide us. My guests are Beatrice Thomas, Interdisciplinary artist… cultural strategist, and equity, diversity, and inclusion consultant with Authentic A...
Jul 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 24
In Part 1 of this interview, we explore the role of arts during crises, as well as how arts and artists are viewed in U.S. mainstream society. We’ve faced many crises and artistic responses in recent months, including the COVID-19 pandemic; the elevation of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others; and uncertainty in the face of tenuous economic and political outlooks. My guests today are Bay Area artists and theatre makers wo...
Jul 23, 2020•30 min•Ep. 23
In Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Anita Varma, we discuss how word choice and passive voice can infuse bias into coverage, the pros and cons of humanizing, and the importance of expanding our perspectives and seeking to answer the why. Dr. Varma is Assistant Director of Journalism & Media Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics… at Santa Clara University. She specializes in humanization and news, as well as applying ethics in the practice of journalism and media industries.
Jul 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 22
In part one, we explore how news organizations are navigating the many major ongoing stories that currently dominate our news landscape, including COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter Movement, the federal government, the election, and many others. My guest is Dr. Anita Varma, Assistant Director of Journalism & Media Ethics At the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Dr. Varma specializes in humanization and news, as well as applying ethics in the practice of journalism ...
Jul 09, 2020•30 min•Ep. 21
In this episode we explore how one community is working to have the hard conversations growing out of this moment. As protesters push for reforms to police practices and funding… and seek to reframe and call out the false or sanitized narratives that have underpinned mainstream views of U-S history… many in the U-S struggle to come to terms with what they know and what they’re seeing. Zina Jacque & Jessica Green co-host a project called Courageous Conversations in a small town in Illinois. Z...
Jun 25, 2020•30 min•Ep. 20
This episode features Marnita Schroedl, CEO of Marnita’s Table, and Lauren Williams, Marnita’s Table’s Training Manager & Executive Administrator. Marnita’s Table has been working in the communities in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota, where community members are dealing with the police killing of George Floyd. Marnita's Table also works with communities across the country and around the world to authentically connect people across difference, challenge people to have honest conversations, ...
Jun 18, 2020•30 min•Ep. 19
In this episode. We explore America’s ongoing and persistent issues when it comes to race and social justice... in particular holding a mirror up to all of us in the U.S. … so we can face our history… and do the work required to push back on the structural racism that marginalizes, restricts, and harms our black and brown neighbors… and also make room for voices outside the mainstream… to have a seat at the table. My guest is Barry Thomas, Professional Educator, Community Advocate & Activist...
Jun 04, 2020•30 min•Ep. 17
In this episode. We explore America’s ongoing and persistent issues when it comes to race and social justice... in particular how race can be weaponized… sometimes with deadly consequences. Our guest is Barry Thomas, Professional Educator – Community Advocate & Activist in Omaha, Nebraska, who is concerned about issues related to race within the country… and has dedicated his time to addressing these issues. When Barry and I initially talked, it was a few days after the arrest of the two men...
May 28, 2020•30 min•Ep. 16
When we think libraries, many of us think- BOOKS! But, libraries are so much more and often the heart of a community. They also play a critical role during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, we explore the context of libraries and their role in communities – both everyday… and during a crisis. Joining me is an incredible panel representing various aspects of the San Francisco Public Library. Michelle Jeffers is Chief of Community Programs & Partnership at SFPL. Marie Cie...
May 21, 2020•30 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nancy Bristow… Chair of the History Department at the University of Puget Sound… and author of American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. This episode is Part Two of my interview with Dr. Bristow… our focus? The stories of those affected by the flu pandemic, and how those stories help us understand our history and relate to each other.
May 14, 2020•30 min•Ep. 14
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nancy Bristow… Chair of the History Department at the University of Puget Sound… and author of American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. This episode is Part One of my interview with Dr. Bristow… our focus? America’s response to the 1918 flu pandemic… and how it compares to today. Next week, we’ll delve deeper into the stories of those affected by the flu pandemic… and how those stories help us understand our history… and relate to each ...
May 07, 2020•30 min•Ep. 13
Civity co-founders Malka Kopell and Palma Strand discuss the importance of SEEing, and how the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have led to an increase in us SEEing each other and each other's humanity. Failing to SEE each other can lead to othering, marginalizing, and even violence. We’ve seen examples of that during the pandemic… when some people othered Asian Americans by falsely accusing them of spreading the virus. In some cases, people were physically harmed. But we’ve also seen examples of SEEI...
Apr 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 12
In this episode, we explore how the news media is doing in covering COVID-19 – including the responses of public officials… the data on infections and deaths… and the deeper work of explaining and giving context to all aspects of this ongoing story. My guests are Anne Belden and Ed Beebout, two professional journalists turned college professors. Anne runs the award-winning journalism program at Santa Rosa Junior College and is chair of the Department of Communication Studies. Before coming to ac...
Apr 23, 2020•30 min•Ep. 11
In part 2 of my interview with Dr. Boydstun, we explore social media and our own behavior as media audiences and consumers… AND people connected to other people in communities.
Apr 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Amber Boydstun, Associate Professor of Political Science at UC Davis, and author of Making the News… about how media influence framing and attention. We explored how framing and attention are at play during the time of COVID-19, as we shelter-in-place, rely more and more on digital spaces for engagement and news, and navigate the ever growing onslaught of information and misinformation delivered to us in our digital spaces.
Apr 09, 2020•30 min•Ep. 9
We talk with Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, Executive Director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education – or NAMLE. Our focus? How media literacy can help us navigate news and information in the time of COVID-19… and the challenges we face when media literacy skills are lacking.
Apr 02, 2020•30 min•Ep. 8
