The Lead

Samira Jafari works at the intersection of timeliness and truth. As the head of standards and practices at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she guides journalists in “bringing light, not heat” to ensure ethical codes are followed and truth prevails. With more than 20 years of experience producing news content across broadcast and digital platforms at CNN and the Associated Press, Jafari works to balance editorial integrity with creative storytelling. In this episode, we talk about determining newsworthiness, staying up-to-date on ethics codes, and building relationships with sources. Guest: Samira Jafari, head of standards and practices at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Drew Kann's reporting has taken him to the critically dwindling Colorado River, the citrus farms of the rural South, and the nuclear reactors currently under construction in Georgia. While each story may focus on one geographic area, the core of Kann's reporting lies in the environmental implications for the globe in its entirety. As a climate, environment and energy reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he intertwines written stories with immersive visuals and data analyses, focusing on the real, human impact of breaking and developing climate news. In this episode, we talk about key Georgia climate trends, how to break down complex stories, and overcoming news fatigue. Guest: Drew Kann, climate, environment and energy reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Bill Ruthhart interacts with the next generation of journalists on a daily basis. As a writing coach and editor for Career Programs at The New York Times, Ruthhart guides 30 newsroom fellows into their development as impactful reporters and writers. Growing up in a family of journalists, he previously spent time covering politics and government at the Chicago Tribune and Indianapolis Star. Ruthhart's newsroom foundation now informs his oversight of countless journalists in their early career navigation. In this episode, we talk about zeroing in on your niche, getting reps in early on in your career, and identifying perspectives and stories that may otherwise be overlooked. Guest: Bill Ruthhart, writing coach and editor for Career Programs at The New York Times Host: Alexis Derickson

Annie Campbell knew she didn't want to pursue a career in hard news. When she graduated from the University of Georgia, the question that remained was how she could fuse her passions into a sustainable career path. Answering this question landed Campbell at Dotdash Meredith, where she is currently an Allrecipes associate editor. Campbell fuses her passion for food with content creation and storytelling, seeking to inform and empower all levels of home cooks. She previously served as a video talent in the “We Tried It” series. This is the final episode of our special three-part feature highlighting different branches of culture in journalism. Today, we talk about pitching your perspective, working remotely, and finding a sustainable career path to avoid burnout. Guest: Annie Campbell, Allrecipes associate editor at Dotdash Meredith. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Olivia Wakim understands that every great meal tells a story. As a digital content producer on the food and dining team at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Wakim narrates the flavors and origins of the Atlanta culinary scene. Having graduated from the University of Georgia in 2023, she is already making her mark at a major news outlet, bringing a fresh perspective and digital-first mindset to food and dining coverage. In this episode, we talk about securing a job at a major outlet post-grad, digital content trends, and keeping food coverage fresh in a competitive media space. Guest: Olivia Wakim, digital content producer on the food and dining team at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Host: Alexis Derickson.

When Anna Logan graduated, she never expected her future career would involve posing a duck for a kitchen shoot or outsmarting the weather to capture the perfect snowy home cover. As the senior homes and style editor at Country Living magazine, Logan has found herself in unlikely settings — yet, her appreciation for creativity and the little details has remained constant across her design and decor stories. To kick off this season, we are producing a special three-part feature highlighting different branches of culture in journalism. In this episode, we talk about the behind-the-scenes of magazine production, maintaining a brand aesthetic, and design trends for 2025. Guest: Anna Logan, senior homes and style editor at Country Living magazine. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Matt Lindsay seeks to provide a new wave of revenue solutions to media publishers via innovative economic strategy. The founder and president of Mather Economics, he serves over 700 brands worldwide, including Hearst, The Wall Street Journal and CNBC, while managing over 6 billion dollars in revenue. Lindsay's main goal is discovering new avenues for growth and profitability across print and digital platforms, maximizing revenue through increased subscriptions and reduced churn. Today, we talk about key economic strategies for media outlets, navigating the subscription model, and diversifying your news revenue portfolio. Guest: Matt Lindsay, founder and president of Mather Economics Host: Alexis Derickson.

Debora Wenger knows the power of a fact check. As a Google News Initiative trainer, she collaborates with journalists to fight misinformation while supporting digital transformation. At the University of Mississippi, she researches AI impacts on the future of news while serving as associate dean and professor in the School of Journalism and New Media. With 17 years of experience in broadcast news, Debora cultivated a global perspective through her extensive career journey. She traveled internationally to work for U.S. State Department-sponsored journalism workshops and also earned a first-of-its-kind Ph.D. by publication from Kingston University in London. In this episode, we talk about the evolving role of AI in journalism, the global differences in newsrooms and her career transitions from news producer to educator to author. Guest: Debora Wenger, associate dean and professor in the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi and a Google News Initiative trainer Host: Alexis Derickson

Nicolle Praino began her career exploring stories beyond the surface to uncover the layers of her community. From Savannah's WTOC to CNN's The Row, Praino built a foundation in fact-driven, research-based narratives before entering her current roles — reporter at the Nashville Post and The News and managing editor at the Williamson Scene. With each new location, she developed relationship-building strategies to tap into the heart of her stories. Simultaneously, Praino learned what time was necessary for self-reflection after covering emotional events to continue bringing clarity to her coverage. In this episode, we talk about covering emotional stories, shining a light on local communities and finding a work/life balance. Guest: Nicolle Praino, reporter at the Nashville Post and The News, managing editor at the Williamson Scene. Host: Alexis Derickson.

DeAnna Tisdale Johnson earned her master's degree in vocal performance. Now, she uses her voice in a different way — to amplify her community's stories and be the voice of Black Mississippians. The editor in chief and publisher of The Jackson Advocate, a Black and family-owned newspaper, Johnson is one of the youngest publishers in the history of Black newspapers. In this episode, we talk about a solutions journalism storytelling approach, competing with national outlets as a local publisher, and the role vocal performance played in her career. Guest: DeAnna Tisdale Johnson, editor in chief and publisher of The Jackson Advocate. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Carlo Finlay knew he wanted to work in sports from as early as he can remember. As the associate director for UGA's Carmical Sports Media Institute, he leads students through hands-on experience in broadcast, digital content, media relations, reporting and more. In this episode, we talk about athletes' presence on social media, landing a job post-grad, and how sports media will continue to evolve in the coming years. Teaching sports media in immediate proximity to championship-winning teams, Finlay shares his unique perspective on covering major stories without sensationalism while building core journalistic skills from the ground up. Guest: Carlo Finlay, associate director of UGA's Carmical Sports Media Institute. Host: Alexis Derickson.

Joy Mayer serves as a specialized source of guidance for journalists and news organizations striving to reclaim the public's trust. As the visionary behind Trusting News, she dedicates herself and her consulting project to leading newsrooms in transforming their reporting approach. Channeling her two decades of experience in journalism and academics, Mayer promotes an active cultivation of reliability and audience connection amidst the widespread skepticism directed at media outlets.   In this episode, we talk about the powerful role of local news, encouraging healthy curiosity, and audience engagement best practices.   Guest: Joy Mayer, founder of Trusting News.   Host: Alexis Derickson.

In this season 16 bonus episode, outgoing host Jacqueline GaNun passes the mic to Alexis Derickson. Alexis tells us how she plans to use her previous journalism experience and what she hopes to learn — and bring to listeners — as host of The Lead.

Alex Crevar moved to the Balkans in the 1990s and has been reporting from there ever since. His vivid and insightful travel stories are published in outlets including The New York Times, National Geographic and Lonely Planet, but his focus isn't on filling a résumé — it's about traveling genuinely and responsibly. In this episode, Alex recalls how he fell into travel writing and why he's been doing it for more than 30 years. As a cyclist and hiker, his hobbies also inform his adventure journalism, and he talks about his role in creating the Via Dinarica hiking trail and Trans Dinarica cycle route across the Balkans in Southeastern Europe. Guest: Alex Crevar, freelance travel journalist. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Alexandra Travis works to tell stories that have gone uncovered. As a documentary producer at Scripps News, she creates long-form, in-depth video journalism focusing especially on the experiences of Black people in the South. In this episode, Alexandra talks about what it feels like when she realizes there's a story she can tell using video, why focusing on Black stories is important to her and how her documentaries connect with audiences. You can watch her award-winning documentary “Ropes in Brown Hands,” which is about an Oklahoma town that's home to one of the nation's oldest Black rodeos, here. Guest: Alexandra Travis, documentary producer at Scripps News. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Kelsey Coffey gets up at 2:30 a.m. every day to deliver the morning news as a broadcast reporter at WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 into uncertainty from the pandemic and protests for racial justice across the country. But today, she knows what drives her to wake up early each morning — connecting with her audience and serving them through her reporting. In this episode, Kelsey talks about the projects she's worked on with Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a phenomenal journalist and one of two students who desegregated UGA in 1961, and about why it's important to know your “why.” Guest: Kelsey Coffey, reporter at WRAL. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Dodie Cantrell-Bickley was taught the importance of a free press from her mother, who grew up in Nazi Germany and saw how crucial journalism was. Dodie pursued that passion for more than 30 years as a broadcast reporter and president of multiple news stations. She was a leader during the pivot to digital and the advent of the internet, and she's always looking forward to what's next. In this episode, we talk about leading through change, encouraging innovation and staying powerfully optimistic about the future of journalism.  Guest: Dodie Cantrell-Bickley, senior lecturer in journalism at the University of Georgia. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Savannah Sicurella and Tyler Wilkins are making careers in business journalism soon after graduating college and entering the job market. In this episode, they debrief about what drew them to reporting on commercial real estate and development, and how they managed to navigate the learning curve that comes with starting a new role — especially a business-focused one. Check out Savannah's reporting here and Tyler's reporting here. Guests: Savannah Sicurella and Tyler Wilkins, staff reporters at the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Margaret Coker has covered stories from 32 countries on four continents, working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other outlets. In 2020, she returned home to Savannah, Georgia, to found The Current, a nonprofit news source dedicated to filling the vacuum of high-quality investigative news on the coast. In this episode, we chat about her international reporting, founding a news start-up and why nonprofit news is increasingly important. Check out Margaret's book, “The Spymaster of Baghdad,” here. You can read some of her reporting in The Current about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and racism in the Glynn County police force. Guest: Margaret Coker, editor-in-chief of The Current. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Misinformation. Deepfakes. Scams. None of these are going away, and we need tools to figure out what's true. This special episode of The Lead brings you into the What the Hackathon at the University of Georgia, where students learned in real-time how to navigate our disordered information ecosystem to produce and consume news responsibly. It also features an interview with Adam Levin, a sponsor of the Hackathon and host of the What the Hack podcast, a no-shame zone for anyone who's ever been scammed, hacked, phished or cyber-bushwhacked. Adam and I talk about how it's more important than ever to combat misinformation as our democracy and society is impacted. Listen to Adam on What the Hack here or any platform where you listen to podcasts. Guest: Adam Levin, host of What the Hack. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

In her 40 years as a reporter, Moni Basu has learned how to tell a good story. She's covered presidential elections, natural disasters and the human stories of the war in Iraq. Today, she tells me how she discovered the power of a good narrative and how she earned the nickname “Evil Reporter Chick” in Iraq. Guest: Moni Basu, director of the University of Georgia's narrative nonfiction MFA program. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

In his more than 20 years at NPR, Joe Shapiro has written stories from health to rising court fees to solitary confinement. He's spent most of his career writing stories about disability, starting when editors wouldn't even publish his work because they didn't think it was relevant. In this episode, Joe talks about covering disability rights, finding voices to anchor radio stories and saying “yes” to unexpected opportunities. “I love radio. I love hearing somebody's voice … you have to have the right person who can tell their story.” Guest: Joe Shapiro, investigations correspondent at NPR. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Elissa Nadworny likes to cover higher education because she sees it as a gateway to stories about everything, from housing to transportation to parenting to politics. But that's not her only interest — she's been covering the war in Ukraine from the ground and has traveled to Jordan to report on Syrian food aid programs. She's also covered the White House for Bloomberg. On this episode of The Lead, Elissa talks about uncovering unique higher ed stories, reporting internationally and interviewing people who have experienced trauma. Elissa mentions one of her recent projects where she followed a class of kindergarteners in Ukraine to showcase the impact of the war on children and families. It aired on NPR's All Things Considered and can be found here. “I think sometimes people are waiting for the job to make the work that they want to make. And I just don't think you have to wait.” Guest: Elissa Nadworny, higher education correspondent at NPR. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Toastie Oaster's first ever feature made them a finalist in the 2023 National Magazine Awards. Now a staff writer on the Indigenous affairs desk at High Country News, Toastie focuses on stories that highlight social and environmental justice for Native nations and the consequences of colonialism in the West. In this episode, we're talking about why having Native stories told by Native journalists is important and how non-Native people should report responsibly on Indigenous communities. Toastie's feature that we talk about (and that was a finalist in the National Magazine Awards) is called “Underwater Legends.” It's about the relationship between the Pacific lamprey and Native nations in the Northwest, and it can be found here. “Reporting on Native issues, if you allow it to, will challenge your worldview. And it should.” Guest: B. “Toastie” Oaster, staff writer on the Indigenous affairs desk at High Country News. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Stories don't always make their way from reporters to readers on their own. Sometimes they need help — that's where audience engagement journalists come in. On this week's episode of The Lead, Brady Stone, an audience producer at the Houston Chronicle, breaks down why reaching readers quickly and accurately matters. “People need to see this work, and without an audience journalist to be there to really help you uplift that story … there'd be a piece missing.” Guest: Brady Stone, audience producer at the Houston Chronicle. Host: Jacqueline GaNun.

Ryan Prior has been interested in telling stories about health, science and disability since high school. Now, he does that as a journalist — and has added documentary filmmaker and published author to his résumé. He also found time to consult with the federal government about long COVID and create a position at a think tank. Today, we chat about telling health and disability stories and about his many different projects. Ryan's documentary “Forgotten Plague” is about chronic fatigue syndrome and can be found here. His book “The Long Haul” was published in 2022 and tells the story of millions of people living with long-term effects from COVID-19. “The voices of the marginalized can be one of the places where there's the greatest level of insight.” Guest: Ryan Prior, journalist-in-residence at The Century Foundation (and University of Georgia alum).

It's Denetra Walker's second semester teaching at the University of Georgia and she's just getting started. After a multitude of experiences in the broadcast journalism field, she's teaching social justice journalism and journalism ethics, all while providing mentorship and representation for students in the classroom. In this episode, we chat about what social justice journalism is and why it's crucial for the future of storytelling. “Your dreams should be so big that it scares you. And if your dreams don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough.” Guest: Denetra Walker, assistant professor of journalism at the University of Georgia.

Lylla Younes' work has had an impact. Her work mapping cancer-causing industrial pollution in Louisiana for ProPublica helped lead to a plastic manufacturer's permit to be suspended. She's written about oil spills, hazardous waste and a tanker off the coast of Yemen that's poised to cause an environmental disaster. She's now a staff writer at Grist, a nonprofit telling stories at the intersection of climate and justice. In this episode, we chat about her path to data and environmental journalism, her work as an investigative reporter and all the intersections environment stories contain. Lylla's project she mentions is called “We Were Not Allowed To Mourn.” It tells the stories of New York's Arab and Muslim community after 9/11 and can be found here. “I think the best stories, the ones that I want to tell myself, often have an eye for both the very close view and the local and that specific instance, and also the larger systemic forces at play, and are able to kind of balance those two perspectives.” Guest: Lylla Younes, staff writer at Grist.

Kamille Whittaker's career is intimately intertwined with the Black Press, starting with her time as an intern. Since then, she's worn many different hats and is now a managing editor at Atlanta Magazine, where she puts together a product that truly tells the stories of the city.  In this episode, we chat about her work at the magazine, her role as a training director at the nonprofit Canopy Atlanta and her project “Perhaps, To Bloom,” which aims to celebrate the cultural impact of Caribbean communities in Atlanta and the South. “Connect yourself to a writing tradition, or storytelling tradition, or storytelling genealogy. … It really kind of guides you and guides your steps.” Guest: Kamille Whittaker, managing editor at Atlanta Magazine, training director at Canopy Atlanta and 2023 Cox Institute Industry Fellow.

It's only been a couple of years since Erin Schilling graduated from the University of Georgia, but she's already a digital editor at the Atlanta Business Chronicle. In this episode, we chat about the skills that got her there, what she likes about business reporting and one of her favorite stories — that started with her being scooped. “There's a level of give and take there when you're editing, that you're not trying to rewrite someone's work, you're just trying to help them make it shine more.” Guest: Erin Schilling, digital editor at the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Paul Glader's reporting has taken him all over, from California to Sweden and Germany. He spent 10 years at The Wall Street Journal, where he covered business, travel, technology and even metals and mining. In this episode, we're chatting about his international experiences, his work as a professor in New York City and the good old basics of reporting. His piece about a chance meeting with a relative that led to him traveling to Sweden, “A journey up the family tree,” can be found here. “The best advice I got was, dude, you're not gonna find a story sitting here in your cubicle. And so you need to get outside and go find a story.” Guest: Paul Glader, journalism professor at The King's College in New York City, executive director of The Media Project and director of the Dow Jones News Fund business reporting program.

Vicki Michaelis is one of few people who have witnessed Michael Phelps win every one of his Olympic medals. After 12 years as USA Today's lead Olympics reporter, she's now teaches sports journalism classes at the University of Georgia. In this episode, we talk about her career path, what drew her to teaching and her advice for aspiring sports journalists. “I loved that sports are a microcosm of life and that they both reflect and can help change things in society.” Guest: Vicki Michaelis, director of the John Huland Carmical Sports Media Institute at UGA.

What does it take to cover politics in a state as crucial and rapidly changing as Georgia? In this episode, Stephen Fowler, a political reporter at Georgia Public Broadcasting, has some answers. In this episode, we talk about covering the midterms, the gravity of covering local political news and the magic of radio storytelling. The article Stephen mentions about the shoal bass, “On The Flint, A Fight For A Fish,” can be found here. “Don't wait for somebody to give you permission or assign you a story to do something.” Guest: Stephen Fowler, political reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Pallavi Gogoi has worked in financial journalism for most of her long and impressive career. She's covered currencies and orange juice markets, and most recently worked as NPR's chief business editor. Today, she joins The Lead to talk about the threads of storytelling that are woven in all types of journalism and writing business stories in ways that matter to people. “When we cover economics and business, I feel that we are literally covering your life and my life.” Guest: Pallavi Gogoi, former NPR chief business editor and current acting managing editor-daily report.

Longform documentary storytelling is Alyssa Pointer's specialty. She's an independent photojournalist who wants her work, in her words, to make people give a damn about their neighbors. Alyssa has worked at multiple newspapers, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and now freelances while based in Atlanta. She joins The Lead to talk about her projects, her detainment while covering protests against police brutality in 2020 and telling the stories of the incredibly diverse South.   The project she mentions that is centered around an uncle and his two nephews using boxing to break generational cycles is called “Tough Love” and can be found here.   Guest: Alyssa Pointer, freelance photojournalist.

Rui Kaneya, a senior editor at ProPublica, joins The Lead to talk about why local news is important and what it takes to become an investigative journalist. Rui oversees projects for ProPublica's Local Reporting Network, which supports long-term projects at local news sources. He's worked at multiple nonprofit news sources as an investigative reporter and editor, and was part of a team that won the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting for a series about model legislation.   Guest: Rui Kaneya

Melissa Lyttle is an award-winning photojournalist who spent 15 years working at newspapers in Florida and now freelances with support from organizations like the Pulitzer Center and the International Women's Media Foundation. She's worked on stories in Mexico, Haiti, the Gaza Strip and more places. Today, she joins The Lead to talk about not giving up when people tell you “no,” the importance of having a community and her project “Where They Stood,” which documents what happened to Confederate monuments after they were taken down. Guest: Melissa Lyttle, freelance photojournalist.

In this season 12 bonus episode, Kyra Posey passes the microphone to the incoming host for next season, Jacqueline GaNun. Jacqueline tells us about her transition as host, the past experience she's bringing to The Lead and why it's important to have transparent and empathetic conversations about leadership in the news industry. 

Daniella Zalcman is an award-winning documentary photographer with work in National Geographic Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and in The New York Times — just to name a few places. She joins The Lead to discuss how photojournalists can reimagine documentary photography to tell compelling stories, the inspiration behind her award-winning project "Signs of Your Identity" which tells the story of survivors who were forced to attend assimilation boarding schools for indigenous children, and how she became interested in journalism. Guest: Daniella Zalcman, documentary photographer.

Sean Keenan's work can be found in The New York Times, Atlanta Magazine, The Daily Beast and Vice — just to name a few places. Sean is a freelance reporter and he also covers housing for the Atlanta Civic Circle. He joins this episode to talk about why housing reporting is essential, the importance of holding public officials accountable, balancing accountability with objectivity and what drives him to keep covering housing.  Guest: Sean Keenan, freelance reporter and housing reporter for the Atlanta Civic Circle.

Ken Foskett recently retired from his role as a senior editor for investigations at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and he has no shortage of stories to tell. He led a reporting team that investigated open records violations in Atlanta, which led to the first-ever criminal investigation of open records violations in the state of Georgia. He managed to get an interview with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who is known for not speaking with the press. He talks about these experiences and more in this episode. Guest: Ken Foskett, former senior editor for investigations at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Max Blau is an investigative reporter covering health care, public health, and the environment for ProPublica's South unit, and during his career as a journalist, he has investigated people, corporations and government agencies that have caused harm in their communities. He joins this episode of The Lead to discuss the importance of being radically transparent and participatory during interviews, his approach to beginning investigations, and how one's journalism practice can be deeply connected to their lived experiences.  Guest: Max Blau, investigative reporter with ProPublica's South Unit.

Alex Sujong Laughlin paved her own way into podcasting: while working in social media, she taught herself how to produce audio with her own podcast. She went on to create and host podcasts for some of the biggest news brands in the world, including The Washington Post, the New York Times, and Buzzfeed. She joins to talk about investing in your passions, the importance of having your name attached to your work, and two of her current projects: the podcast "Normal Gossip" and her newsletter for Poynter, "The Cohort." Guest: Alex Sujong Laughlin, writer and audio producer.

Dr. Karin Assmann has reported from Guantanamo Bay "three times" by her count. She's also convinced multiple CIA directors to interview with her. She joins today's episode to share her methods for getting an interview with the most hesitant sources, and shares why she became interested in studying newsrooms and working journalists. Guest: Karin Assmann, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Journalism at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

How do you speak with sources who have recently been affected by a tragedy? How do you exceptionally report on a family's unique medical journey? Wayne Drash, the Cross Platform Managing Editor at Georgia Public Broadcasting News, answers in this episode.

What trends are we seeing in the culture and entertainment journalism industry? Is preparing for celebrity interviews different than preparing for interviews with sources who have had little to no media exposure? Freelance culture and entertainment reporter Jewel Wicker answers in this episode of The Lead. Plus, her methods for finding her writing voice and what she learned from her award-winning podcast, “Gaining Ground: The New Georgia.

How do you find your personal audio voice, and what goes into great audio stories? Grace Walker, an Associate Producer at CNN Audio and a graduate of UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, answers in this episode. Plus, how she unexpectedly came into audio storytelling from a background in digital reporting, and how the virtual workspace has changed the way she views collaboration.

How do you approach covering evictions, and how do you maintain the human connection with your sources? Tyler Estep from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the answers in this episode. Plus, why it's important to have widespread county coverage, and his advice for people looking to break in to the journalism industry. 

What trends are we seeing in photojournalism today, and why is it important to study visual communication as a profession? Dr. Kyser Lough from the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication has the answers in this episode. Plus, a discussion on solutions journalism and his advice for people considering continuing their education beyond their undergrad.

What does it take to produce an Emmy award-winning investigation, and why does investigative reporting matter? Atlanta's WSB-TV Investigative and Special Projects Producer Maureen Sheeran answers, plus, she shares her networking strategies and her advice for people looking to jumpstart their journalism career.

Welcome to a new season of The Lead, a podcast about how to get ahead in the news industry from the people who did. This season we're going to continue bringing you stories from seasoned news professionals, where we'll dive into how they broke into the journalism world and hear their advice for aspiring media professionals. New episodes begin on Wednesday, September 8. Hosted by Kyra Posey, and executive produced by Keith Herndon, Ph.D.