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.
All content for Laid Off and Looking is the property of News is changing. We're telling the story! and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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.
When Interviews Go Sideways and The Collapse of Local News
Laid Off and Looking
1 hour 47 seconds
5 months ago
When Interviews Go Sideways and The Collapse of Local News
The Knicks stunned the Celtics and Jenna’s still recovering, but the show must go on!
This week, Jenna and Dom look at two viral interviews gone sideways- one with former NFL coach Bill Belichick, the other with White Lotus actor Walton Goggins and ask: where’s the line between fair game and off-limits?
Then, they catch up with Ben Max, an expert on New York City politics and former executive editor of Gotham Gazette. After the outlet paused operations due to financial issues, Ben pivoted to New York Law School, where he now leads the Center for New York City and State Law. He shares insights on the decline of local journalism, the rise of social media influencers, and why accountability reporting still matters. They also talk about New York politics, civic engagement, and how Ben balances public programming with hosting his podcast, Max Politics.
Timecodes:
Start - 00:00
Knicks-Celtics recap and Jenna’s recovery - 02:05
Knicks Shoes throwback with Michael Rapaport - 06:24
Where’s the line between fair game and off-limits (Bill Belichick and Walton Goggins)? - 09:27
Interview: Ben Max on NYC politics and local news - 20:23
Challenges in Local Journalism - 26:37
The Role of Social Media in News - 30:22
Transition to New York Law School - 34:20
Balancing Journalism and Academia - 38:06
The Importance of Local Accountability - 41:47
Ben's Passion for Basketball and Journalism - 55:47
Links for this episode:
CBS News Refutes Bill Belichick’s Claims About Awkward Interview Alongside Girlfriend Jordon Hudson
https://people.com/cbs-news-refutes-bill-belichick-claims-awkward-interview-alongside-girlfriend-jordon-hudson-11725394
Walton Goggins: Aimee Lou Wood? I’m not gonna have that conversation
https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/walton-goggins-white-lotus-interview-the-uninvited-m3dtdvjb7
Max Politics Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/gotham-gazette-max-murphy
Ben Max Twitter (X):
@TweetBenMax
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.
