How To Cover Money

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Crystal Alvarez, an instructor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. Focusing on the role of authenticity in social media, the discussion explores the distinction between organic and paid content, the psychology of social proof and reciprocity in building brand loyalty, and the impact of social media on consumer decisions.

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Dean Batson, an instructor at Arizona State University who specializes in analyzing consumerism through the lens of communication. Diving into the intersection of capitalism, branding, and corporate messaging tactics, the discussion examines how powerful forces shape our purchasing decisions and the illusion of choice in the marketplace.

In this special edition of We Mean Business, Ananya Bhargava interviews KFF Health News’ David Hilzenrath. He is a member of the 2024 Barlett and Steele Gold Award-winning team in the Regional/Local Category. Their investigative series, “Overpayment Outrage,” a collaboration of eight local TV news stations and KFF Health News, helped uncover the immense toll Social Security repayment demands have on some of the nation’s most vulnerable families. Hilzenrath discusses the behind-the-scenes of this investigation, including their biggest challenges and how they overcame them to tell this story and create a roadmap for Congress to make needed program reforms.

In this edition of We Mean Business: “How They Did It,” Ananya Bhargava interviews Ames Alexander and David Raynor about their recent award-winning investigative series “Hopes Foreclosed.” This investigation uncovered how often HOAs in North Carolina are foreclosing on homeowners. It revealed not only a troubling trend of HOA foreclosures in the region but how many of those foreclosures were due to debts of less than $2,000.  Their series won the 2024 Bronze prize in the Barlett and Steele Awards Regional/Local category. Visit The Charlotte Observer to read their investigation or businessjournalism.org/awards to view all the 2024 winners.

In this special edition of “How They Did It,” Ananya Bhargava interviews Chicago Tribune reporters Lisa Schencker and Emily Hoerner about their recent award-winning investigative series “Medical Misconduct.” The two reporters demonstrate the great investigative work that can be done when an investigative reporter teams up with a beat reporter to dive deeper into their realm of expertise. Schencker, a reporter covering the business of healthcare, spent many years reporting on allegations of abuse by a single doctor but felt there was still more to the story. With the assistance of Hoerner, a long-time investigative reporter, the two reporters were able to uncover repeated mishandling of sexual abuse allegations within multiple well-known Illinois health systems. In this episode, the reporters discuss how they got started on the investigation, the obstacles they faced, and what surprised them most about the process. Their series won the 2024 Silver prize in the Barlett and Steele Awards Regional/Local catego

In this special edition of We Mean Business, Ananya Bhargava interviews Jodie Fleischer, the managing editor of investigative content and collaboration for Cox Media Group. She is a member of the 2024 Barlett and Steele Gold Award-winning team in the Regional/Local Category. Their investigative series, “Overpayment Outrage,” is a collaboration of eight local TV news stations across seven states. With the assistance of KFF Health News, the team helped uncover the immense toll Social Security repayment demands have on some of the nation’s most vulnerable families. Fleischer discusses the behind-the-scenes of this investigation, including how it began and what it took to make the collaboration happen.   Visit KFF Health News to read their written investigative work or businessjournalism.org/awards to view all the 2024 winners.

Jeffrey Timmermans, Director of the Reynolds Center, sits down for an interview with award-winning journalist James B. Steele, half of the namesake for the Barlett and Steele Awards. Steele shares how he got started in business journalism, how his long-term partnership with Donald Barlett began, and the value of having a "document state of mind." He also gives young journalists tips on how to find and write award-winning investigative stories.

Online shopping has brought about the slow demise of traditional retail, with many consumers relying solely on sites to shop for everything from groceries to electronics. In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Zuzanna Blasco, a lead UX/UI engineer for Newfold Digital and a faculty associate who teaches e-commerce classes at Arizona State University. Blasco analyzes the impact of e-commerce on consumer behavior while also diving into emerging trends in online shopping, including AI integration, influencer marketing, social commerce, augmented and virtual reality experiences, and subscriptions.

As our reliance on technology and data systems grows, so do the avenues through which corporations can harvest our information. In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Joseph Ryoo, an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Arizona State University and expert in unstructured data analysis. Dr. Ryoo describes the techniques businesses use to collect and utilize data, the differences between what is legal and what is ethical regarding consumer privacy, and how business students can navigate data-driven marketing in the future.

As we witness the rising significance of data and the increasing use of AI to optimize personalized advertising, concerns regarding data acquisition and ethical usage become increasingly pressing. In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Seth Rachlin, a social scientist, business leader, and entrepreneur currently active as a researcher and assistant teaching professor of Social Data Science at Arizona State University. Dr. Rachlin discusses how social media data mining shapes targeted marketing, the moral considerations of gathering personal data, and the broader consequences of AI integration in business.

SAG-AFTRA is still striking against the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers - movie studios, big streaming corporations, etc.) even as the writer's union has reached its own agreement with the studios this week. In this episode, Mackenzie Joy-Brennan talked to SAG member Marie Cecile Anderson -- an actor, comedian, and musician based in Nashville -- about the strike decision, the demands union members are asking for, and what life is like as a working union actor, even while on strike.

As the entertainment industry strikes continue, Mackenzie Joy-Brennan has a chat with Hollywood costume designer Nicole Suerez Jones whose local IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) unions aren't on strike, but are still suffering the effects of the current dual strikes in Hollywood. Nicole talks studio executive greed, working conditions, artificial intelligence, and what it means to be functioning in an industry that appears to be at an impasse.

The Phoenix Valley was packed with visitors for Super Bowl LVII, but does a packed city equal extra economic activity? Janaé Bradford interviews Kelly Phillips Erb, an expert on tax law who has written for and been interviewed by a variety of media outlets. She is currently a tax contributor for Forbes and a Tax Counsel for White & Williams, LLP. Phillips Erb breaks down how local taxpayers contribute to big sporting events but may not be seeing the dividends they were promised. From tax offsets and exemptions, there are a lot of ways that sporting leagues negotiate with local districts before awarding an Olympic, World Cup, or Super Bowl bid. To keep up with Phillips Erb's work, visit taxgirl.com and read her recent work for Forbes titled 'The Super Bowl doesn't always produce super-sized revenues for local taxpayers.'

When is it okay to start talking about the financial cost of a game not played? Steven Watkins, a reporter for the Cincinnati Business Courier, was reporting on the Bengals/Bills game live when Damar Hamlin was struck in the chest and halted the NFL. Watkins shares with Janaé Bradford how he reacted as a journalist who covers the business of sports at a local business journal. Watkins has decades of experience covering the business side of sports and shares tips with aspiring sports journalists on how they can fill a much-needed role in the industry by not shying away from the financials. View the transcript here.

Ever wonder what it is like covering the biggest college football game of the season? Janaé Bradford invited Amanda Christovich from FrontOffice Sports to speak with her about her experience covering the business of the big game. Covering college football isn’t just about covering the X’s and O’s. College football has become an enterprise in itself that reporters should not shy away from covering. Christovich tells us how she started covering the business of sports and how businesses have noticed the significant demand for college football. She notes that reporting on the college championship continues long after the game has been called. Christovich covers everything from gender equity and sports labor issues to name, image, and likeness -- and was recently named one of LinkedIn's top five creators of the week for my NIL stories. Check out more by Christovich on Twitter, FrontOffice Sports, or her website.

Janaé Bradford interviews Bloomberg reporters Caleb Melby and Polly Mosendz, two members of the bronze award-winning team for their investigation 'Questionable Practices.' Their investigation brings the first important revelations about the largest medical mental-health startup, Cerebral, and its effort to bring telemedicine techniques to mental healthcare. Bloomberg reporters found a lack of delicate consideration assessment from the million-dollar business when prescribing medication to their patients. Listen to what the reporters had to say about what it took to make this investigation happen.

For her last episode, Ruby interviews Jeff Timmermans, Director of the Reynolds Center. Ruby asks poignant questions about what is needed from students looking to get into business journalism and why students should consider the field. Jeff shares with us the importance of business journalism and how you don't need a finance background to report on and cover the business beat.

Ruby interviews Kristen Gilger, co-author of 'There's no crying in newsrooms,' on what it was like as a woman in broadcast journalism in the 1980s compared to today. Kristen shares insights on how her expectations and hope of greater equity have unfortunately not matched up with reality and reminds women in the business to remember that they are never alone.

Numbers are the language of the world. Ruby interviews Steve Doig, experienced data journalist and current ASU professor, on how working with data can be a business journalist's superpower. Steve discusses how understanding data tools for smaller stories can prepare you for bigger stories that happen near you or in your beat.

Ruby Arora interviews Todd Merkow, first general manager of FOX Sports Arizona and current strategic and operational consultant who also teaches sports journalism majors at the Cronkite School of Journalism. Ruby and Todd discuss Amazon emerging into NFL streaming and what journalists should be aware of and what to look out for in the future of sports streaming.