about the podcast
Do you ever wonder why journalists do the things they do? Why do they focus on one thing and ignore another? Should journalists be champions of democracy or does that impede their objectivity? Why do they pretend to be unbiased? And why do they care so much about awards? Baffled with David DesRoches just might have some answers. You might not agree with them, and that's the point -- to start a dialogue about this important industry. Hosted by an award-winning journalist (see that?), this podcast explores those moments when we consume media and say to ourselves, “Huh?” The goal is to offer thoughts on improving journalism and the media industry, and to also help non-journalists better understand the reporting process. In an era when distrust is as common as a cold, the need for podcasts like this cannot be overstated. So go and start one yourself!
This podcast is produced by journalism major Grace McGuire, and is a production of the Quinnipiac University Podcast Studio.
about the host
David DesRoches is Quinnipiac University’s director of community programming, where he manages and hosts a network of podcasts. He is also an adjunct professor who teaches Audio Storytelling and Advanced Podcasting.
As a podcaster at the university, he’s hosted several podcasts including Isolated Together, about life during the pandemic, and also Baffled with David DesRoches, which is taking a critical look at the practice of journalism.
He worked for a decade as a journalist, with half his time spent with WNPR, the NPR member station in Hartford, Connecticut. His reporting has appeared nationally and internationally, earning him over two-dozen awards, including twice being named New England's "Reporter of the Year" and being added to Connecticut Magazine's "40 Under 40" list in 2015. He's hosted live talk shows as well as the flagship NPR programs "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition."
He's also a musician who loves rye Manhattans, cheese, and mudita. Sometimes he wishes upon a star, but then he remembers: that’s dumb.
Episode Transcripts:
Baffled with David DesRoches
a journalism and justice podcast
The Seven Lies Journalists Want You to Believe
In this episode, we break down some common problems with the modern practices of journalism.
Four Reasons Why Journalists Should Not Defend Democracy
Is the defense of democracy a form of bias that can impede objective journalism?
The Six Headline Tactics that Should Drive You Bananas
Journalists and headline writers are influenced by a degrading media culture to write headlines that misrepresent the truth.
We Should Redefine Journalism as the Pursuit of Equitable Justice
Justice is measured by how a society distributes fairness, and fairness is a key tenet of journalism ethics.
The Biggest Threat to Democracy Isn’t Donald Trump; It’s Nationalism Hidden in American Journalism
De facto American propaganda in journalism oversimplifies the complex nature of truth, which robs the public of their right-to-know, and inevitably contributes to polarization, because when people don’t have the full truth, they fill in the blanks with their beliefs.