On this episode we're joined by David Covucci. David is the editor-in-chief of FOIAball – FOIA standing for "Freedom of Information Act." It's a newsletter that uses public records reporting to investigate college football. As he said- collectives, consultants, cops, contracts, and communications.

Whether or not you like sports, I think you'll find this conversation informative as we're going to talk about the idea of finding a niche in a very crowded field.

David's past experience in journalism includes time as a news editor for BroBible and the senior tech and politics editor for nearly 9 years at The Daily Dot. He's a graduate of Virginia Tech.

David talked about his experience with FOIA requests and what led him to doing a newsletter centered around them. He gave examples of the kinds of stories he's done (from tax fraud allegations to how much schools spend on entertaining recruits), and how accidental discoveries can lead to significant revelations.

The website: FOIAball.com

David's salutes: College sports newsletter founder Matt Brown, Daniel Libit (Sportico), Matt Baker (The Athletic), Jason Leopold (Bloomberg News)

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Thank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com

Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org

Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.social

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On this episode we're joined by Sam Donndelinger. Sam is an investigative journalist and lead designer for Uncloseted Media.

Uncloseted Media is a non-profit newsroom started by NYU professor Spencer MacNaughton to do investigative reporting on LGBTQ issues. It has 4 full-time employees and well-followed Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts. Sam has won multiple awards for her reporting. She's a recent graduate of NYU.

Sam talked about the kinds of stories she covers and the importance of being an empathetic and present reporter. She explained the design role she has. And she shared why a job like this is the best fit for her.

Sam's salute: Liz Plank

Examples of stories:

Transgender men and struggles with eating disorders

https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/transgender-men-experience-eating

Google and conversion therapy

https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/google-sends-parents-of-lgbtq-kids

Unequitable access to drugs that would deter HIV

https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/unraveling-the-urgent-unspoken-struggle

More on Sam's life and backstory

https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/why-am-i-still-explaining-being-bisexual

You can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,

Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.org

Thank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com

Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org

Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.social

Subscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.beehiiv.com

On this episode we're joined by Ben Chase. Ben is a two-time guest. We talked to him in 2021 when he was a reporter for the Huron Daily Plainsman in Huron, South Dakota (population ~14,000, one-third of which is Hispanic or Asian). Now he's the paper's managing editor, a role he's held for roughly a year … and it's been quite a year as he’ll share.

The paper was shut down (briefly), sold, and brought back, but with some changes, including fewer print editions and a directive to be more local.

Ben talked about running a small-town newspaper, the types of things the paper covers, how he writes his weekly op-ed piece, and how his stress relief is … more journalism (of a different type).

Ben's salute: South Dakota Searchlight

Example of Ben's Op-Eds – "It's Not The Same."

https://www.plainsman.com/stories/its-not-the-same,163806

Background on the sale of the newspaper

https://www.plainsman.com/stories/plainsman-three-other-south-dakota-papers-purchased-by-champion-media,148535

https://www.midstory.org/can-local-news-survive-south-dakota-says-yes/

You can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,

Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.org

Thank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com

Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org

Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.social

Subscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.beehiiv.com