Ever wonder why your local NPR station or PBS News sounds so different from your local TV news? It’s not just tone, it’s money, mission, and mindset.
In this episode of Laid Off and Looking, Domenic and Jenna talk with Stan Jastrzebski, longtime public radio news director for KBIA in Columbia Missouri. He's also a journalism researcher and breaks down why there is a divide between public media and commercial newsrooms. He covers how funding models can shape coverage, who journalists are actually serving, and why both systems are struggling to survive the digital age.
Stan also explains how public media’s civic mission of serving communities and uplifting marginalized voices often clashes with shrinking budgets and burnout, while in commercial newsrooms journalists find themselves chasing clicks, ratings, and advertisers just to stay alive.
He also dives into the “snowcap effect” inside news organizations, the diversity gap between leadership and staff, and what happens when communities stop trusting the people who tell their stories.
🎙️ In this episode, we get into:
00:00 - Start
04:08 - Public Media Shortcomings
05:33 - Stan Jastrzebski Interview
07:50 - What Makes Public Media Different
11:54 - Why Be In Public Media?
15:39 - But You Can’t Eat Awards
16:30 - Diversity In Public Media
22:03 - We Need More Stories from Member Stations
23:39 - Can Public Media Grow Your Career?
27:47 - What About the Fundraising Model
34:07 - Be In the Community
39:42 - Is The Most Trusted News Enough?
44:01 - State House Reporting
47:55 - The Public Media Sound
50:01 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
If you care about who controls the story and what happens when the people disappear but the algorithms stay, this episode is for you.
👇 Tell us in the comments: Do you trust public media more than commercial news? Why or why not?
🎧 Subscribe to Laid Off and Looking for more honest conversations about the future of journalism, AI, and the people keeping truth alive.
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Ever wonder why your local NPR station or PBS News sounds so different from your local TV news? It’s not just tone, it’s money, mission, and mindset.
In this episode of Laid Off and Looking, Domenic and Jenna talk with Stan Jastrzebski, longtime public radio news director for KBIA in Columbia Missouri. He's also a journalism researcher and breaks down why there is a divide between public media and commercial newsrooms. He covers how funding models can shape coverage, who journalists are actually serving, and why both systems are struggling to survive the digital age.
Stan also explains how public media’s civic mission of serving communities and uplifting marginalized voices often clashes with shrinking budgets and burnout, while in commercial newsrooms journalists find themselves chasing clicks, ratings, and advertisers just to stay alive.
He also dives into the “snowcap effect” inside news organizations, the diversity gap between leadership and staff, and what happens when communities stop trusting the people who tell their stories.
🎙️ In this episode, we get into:
00:00 - Start
04:08 - Public Media Shortcomings
05:33 - Stan Jastrzebski Interview
07:50 - What Makes Public Media Different
11:54 - Why Be In Public Media?
15:39 - But You Can’t Eat Awards
16:30 - Diversity In Public Media
22:03 - We Need More Stories from Member Stations
23:39 - Can Public Media Grow Your Career?
27:47 - What About the Fundraising Model
34:07 - Be In the Community
39:42 - Is The Most Trusted News Enough?
44:01 - State House Reporting
47:55 - The Public Media Sound
50:01 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
If you care about who controls the story and what happens when the people disappear but the algorithms stay, this episode is for you.
👇 Tell us in the comments: Do you trust public media more than commercial news? Why or why not?
🎧 Subscribe to Laid Off and Looking for more honest conversations about the future of journalism, AI, and the people keeping truth alive.
Can artificial intelligence replace editors and producers in newsrooms?
And how does journalism build a future rooted in equity and accountability?
In this in-depth interview, Sisi Wei, Editor-in-Chief of The Markup, shares her insights on:
✅ The risks of over-reliance on AI in journalism
✅ Why diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential for credible reporting
✅ How newsrooms can rebuild trust with their audiences
✅ What leadership in media must look like in 2025 and beyond
If you care about the future of journalism, newsroom culture, or the impact of artificial intelligence on media, this conversation is for you.
📌 Chapters:
00:00 - Start
02:47 - NewsCorp Australia
04:40 - Sisi Wei Interview
07:26 - Can Newsrooms Responsibly Use AI?
13:46 - Misinformation Farm
18:09 - The Environmental Cost of AI
22:53 - AI Cannot Do Quality Journalism
28:03 - Is Journalism Just More Content?
30:55 - Reporting v Opinion
36:08 - CalMatters
38:16 - Data Regulation
41:51 - Does AI Want Your Data?
42:59 - Is Political Violence Profitable?
46:24 - What Is Not Allowed on Social Media?
47:04 - The Digital Democracy Project
🔔 Subscribe to Laid Off and Looking for more conversations with leaders and innovators in journalism.
#Journalism #AI #DiversityInMedia #SisiWei #FutureOfNews
Laid Off and Looking
Ever wonder why your local NPR station or PBS News sounds so different from your local TV news? It’s not just tone, it’s money, mission, and mindset.
In this episode of Laid Off and Looking, Domenic and Jenna talk with Stan Jastrzebski, longtime public radio news director for KBIA in Columbia Missouri. He's also a journalism researcher and breaks down why there is a divide between public media and commercial newsrooms. He covers how funding models can shape coverage, who journalists are actually serving, and why both systems are struggling to survive the digital age.
Stan also explains how public media’s civic mission of serving communities and uplifting marginalized voices often clashes with shrinking budgets and burnout, while in commercial newsrooms journalists find themselves chasing clicks, ratings, and advertisers just to stay alive.
He also dives into the “snowcap effect” inside news organizations, the diversity gap between leadership and staff, and what happens when communities stop trusting the people who tell their stories.
🎙️ In this episode, we get into:
00:00 - Start
04:08 - Public Media Shortcomings
05:33 - Stan Jastrzebski Interview
07:50 - What Makes Public Media Different
11:54 - Why Be In Public Media?
15:39 - But You Can’t Eat Awards
16:30 - Diversity In Public Media
22:03 - We Need More Stories from Member Stations
23:39 - Can Public Media Grow Your Career?
27:47 - What About the Fundraising Model
34:07 - Be In the Community
39:42 - Is The Most Trusted News Enough?
44:01 - State House Reporting
47:55 - The Public Media Sound
50:01 - Why Did You Become a Journalist?
If you care about who controls the story and what happens when the people disappear but the algorithms stay, this episode is for you.
👇 Tell us in the comments: Do you trust public media more than commercial news? Why or why not?
🎧 Subscribe to Laid Off and Looking for more honest conversations about the future of journalism, AI, and the people keeping truth alive.
