The Journalism Salute

Hosted by Mark Simon

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About the show

The Journalism Salute is a journalism appreciation podcast. We interview working journalists about who they are and what they do. Our aim is to have diverse guests, thoughtful questions, and interesting conversation. If you're an aspiring journalist, you'll learn potential careers to pursue and tips to put to use. If you're an experienced journalist, you'll learn about like-minded members of your profession with notable stories to tell. And if you're not a journalist, we hope you'll garner or further an appreciation for journalists and realize that they are NOT the enemy. Try us! And find us at our website or on Twitter and e-mail us at journalismsalute@gmail.com

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60 recent

46 min

Nicole Carr, Author: The Price of Exclusion, The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation

On this episode we're joined by Nicole Carr.Nicole is a journalism professor at Morehouse College and author of the new book, The Price of Exclusion, The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation.She's previously been a TV reporter in North Carolina, and in Atlanta, where she won four Emmys. And she was an investigative reporter for ProPublica.Nicole has a degree in mass communications from Winston Salem State, a masters from Syracuse, and is currently studying for a doctorate at Clark-Atlanta University.Nicole talked about her book writing journey and why she wrote it. She explained how she linked past to present with the story of her great grandfather's becoming a doctor and his work as one, in conjunction with an explanation about the shortage of Black doctors in America. She provided tips for those interviewing people "in the fourth quarter of their lives" and explained how a cold e-mail to Kamala Harris' father led to a gold mine of information.We also talked about an article Nicole wrote for ProPublica about a school administrator from Maryland who took a new job in Georgia and was promptly chased out of town by overzealous anti-Critical Race Theory parents.If you were a fan of the Longform podcast, I think you'll like the approach we took in this episode.Link to Nicole's bookhttps://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-price-of-exclusion-nicole-carrNicole's ProPublica storyhttps://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-dei-crt-schools-parentsNicole on the importance of the Black Presshttps://theemancipator.org/2024/11/09/topics/movements/the-black-press-democratized-america/Nicole's salute: Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting & The Committee to Protect JournalistsNicole's book recommendations: Caste, The Origin of Our Discontent & The Warmth of Other Suns (Isabel Wilkerson), How The Word Is Passed (Clint Smith)Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark Simon’s website MarkSimonmedia.comMark Simon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-simon-92355124/

40 min

Ben Camacho: Journalist, Documentary Photographer, Producer

On this episode we're joined by Ben Camacho. Ben is a journalist, documentary photographer, and producer. His work focused on state-sponsored violence, subjects like police brutality, and the communities impacted by it. He's a graduate of the University of La Verne and is based around Los Angeles.Ben's work has been published in major outlets, like New York Magazine, and also on his Substack, Inadvertent and West Side Storytellers.We talked with Ben about the different things he's covered and the experiences he's had doing the reporting. He shared insights about the double standard that exists when covering police brutality protests (white reporters and photographers are managed differently by police). Ben also offered advice for aspiring journalists in covering projects like the ones he does.Ben's salutes: Joey Scott and Cerise Castle, who both cover similar subjects as Ben doesNew York Magazine piece The Terror Of Life Under ICEhttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ice-raids-los-angeles-terror.htmlImmigration Courts Have Become Hunting Grounds For ICEhttps://lapublicpress.org/2025/08/la-immigration-courts-have-become-hunting-grounds-for-ice-agents/Poynter story on double standards in media treatmenthttps://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2021/at-police-lines-not-all-journalists-are-created-equal/ The Blue Hand documentaryhttps://www.inadvertent.news/p/the-blue-handSubscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark Simon’s website MarkSimonmedia.comMark Simon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-simon-92355124/

37 min

Dominic Di Palermo, Photographer and Member of Chicago Tribune's Pulitzer-Winning Team

On this episode we're joined by Dominic Di Palermo. Dominic just graduated from Western Kentucky University where he worked on both the student newspaper and the campus lifestyle magazine. He's also an intern at the Chicago Tribune and was a contributor to a project that won the Tribune a 2026 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. The award was "For its powerful coverage of the Trump administration’s militarized immigration sweep of the city that described in vivid, muscular prose how the siege-like incursion of ICE agents unified Chicagoans in resistance."Dominic talked about his variety of experiences with photography, from taking pictures of a young girl being taken into custody, to shooting local events and sports. He explained why empathy is an important trait for any photojournalist and he provided tips for aspiring journalists.Dominic's salutes: Photographers for the Boston Globe, Seattle Times, and those in Washington D.C.Photo of the girl being taken into custodyhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DPUcbWyDoCz/?img_index=1Photo of symphony conductorhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DHBgAjpMnKC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Photo of an athlete screaminghttps://www.instagram.com/p/DEk_GPaSxHL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark Simon’s website MarkSimonmedia.comMark Simon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-simon-92355124/

31 min

Ginny Monk, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporter, Connecticut Mirror

On this episode we're joined by Ginny Monk. Ginny is a reporter covering children's issues and housing for the non-profit Connecticut Mirror and along with three others just won a Pulitzer Prize. Wrote the Pulitzer Board: "For an impressive series exposing how the state’s unique towing laws favored unscrupulous companies that overcharged residents, prompting swift and meaningful consumer protections."Ginny previously worked for a few different places, including 4 years with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She is a native of Pencil Bluff, Arkansas and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.Ginny talked about the work she did as part of a team covering those towing stories. She also discussed a piece she wrote over several years covering foster adoption. She shared examples of the work she did and her writing process.The Pulitzer serieshttps://www.pulitzer.org/winners/dave-altimari-and-ginny-monk-connecticut-mirror-and-sophie-chou-and-haru-coryne-propublicaThe Foster Adoption storyhttps://ctmirror.org/2025/12/02/ct-foster-parents-rights-case/Ginny's Salute: Arkansas Press WomenSubscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

21 min

Lessons I've Learned From 275+ Interviews

A postponed guest meant we had to improvise, so we put together this episode based on the presentations that I've done at the College Media Association and Journalism Education Association national conventions. The subject: Lessons I've learned from 275+ interviews on this podcast.You'll hear from 14 different journalists that I've interviewed in the last five years, all of whom share anecdotes or observations that emphasize larger points. Those featured are:Javeria Salman, formerly of The Hechinger ReportMassarah Mikati, formerly of The Philadelphia InquirerHumberto Basilio, freelance science writerMedar De La Cruz, freelance illustrative journalist, Pulitzer winnerJada Vasser, recent graduate of Michigan StateDaarel Burnette, The Chronicle of Higher EducationYanqi Xu, Flatwater Free PressIshan Thakore, Colorado Public Radio, formerly Full Frontal w/ Samantha BeeAdrianna Adame, Buffalo's FireSam Donndelinger, Uncloseted MediaCurtis Bunn, journalist of 40+ years, formerly of NBC BLKAisha Sultan, St. Louis Post-DispatchEmma Restrepo, freelance bilingual journalistAngilee Shah, Charlottesville TomorrowSubscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Follow us on LinkedIn (Mark, Journalism Salute), Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook

42 min

Maggie LeBeau & Divya Thamman, Student Producers: PBS On Our Minds Podcast

On this episode we're joined by Maggie LeBeau and Divya Thamman. Maggie is a student at the University of Missouri majoring in journalism and history. Divya is a student at Edina High School just outside Minneapolis.Together, they are part of the reporting team for PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs producing and reporting for the On Our Minds podcast. This is our second year talking to students for this series. We previously spoke to the podcast hosts for a past season. This year we talk to the reporting team. We'll also be joined by their lead podcast producer, Becky Wandel.and the director of communications and partnerships for Student Reporting Labs, Christine Zirneklis.This season's theme for the series is an audio road trip exploring what’s unique about teen life in every corner of the country through hyperlocal stories about cities, towns, and neighborhoods.Maggie and Divya talked about the stories they covered, with Maggie telling the story of the local drag community and Divya reporting on a quirky festival in Minneapolis that reminds people that there are positive stories coming from that city. They also shared their backgrounds and the valuable lessons they've learned in their journalism pursuitsYou can find all the episodes for the On Our Minds series here.https://studentreportinglabs.org/on-our-minds/Their joint salute: Dave Jorgenson (former Washington Post TikTok guy)We've also got our monthly report from Anita Pinto, advisor to The Gateway Times at Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology in New York City. She shares how her students are progressing as the school year nears an end.Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

35 min

Kirk McKnight, Rural Newspaper Editor & Book Author

On this episode we're joined by Kirk McKnight. Kirk is the editor-in-chief of The Eagle, a weekly newspaper in rural Washington that has been in existence since 1891. The paper recently came under new ownership. Kirk has previously been a writer and editor for a weekly newspaper in southwest Arizona, The Wickenburg Sun.Kirk is also the author of two books about sports broadcasting. He's from Utah and a grad of BYU.We talked to Kirk about his career transition from Las Vegas valet to community news journalist and book author. He explained how his newspaper is put together and the kind of stories it covers. He shares what he learned on the fly that allowed him to be this kind of journalist. And he told stories related to his favorite broadcaster interviews.Kirk's salutes: Sportswriters Joe Posnanski and Susan Slusser.Links to Kirk's booksVoices of Hockey https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/voices-of-hockey-9781442262812/Voices of Baseballhttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-voices-of-baseball-kirk-mcknight/1121378748Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

39 min

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, Investigative Reporting Fellow at The Appeal

On this episode we're joined by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg. Elizabeth is an investigative reporting fellow for The Appeal.The Appeal is a non-profit news organization that writes exposés about the criminal legal system. She's written for other news organizations too. Among the topics she writes about – wrongful convictions and extreme sentences.She has previously worked for The Innocence Project as a case analyst helping exonerate those wrongfully convicted. And she's written two interview-based plays on intense subjects. Elizabeth is a graduate of Rutgers with a masters from Northwestern.Elizabeth explained how a job like this has always been her passion, what goes into the work she does reporting on such harrowing subjects, and why a distrust of those in power is necessary for her reporting work. She explained how she decompresses. And she shares what aspiring journalists need to know about entering the profession.Elizabeth's articles: https://theappeal.org/authors/elizabeth-weill-greenberg/Elizabeth's salutes: Lauren Gill (Bolts), Joshua Vaughn (Penn Live)Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

32 min

Kaela Roeder, Lead Reporter in D.C. and Virginia for Technically

On this episode we're joined by Kaela Roeder. Kaela is the lead reporter in Washington D.C. and Virginia for Technical dot LY, a national news organization that reports on local innovation economies in the United States, a newsroom that has done so since 2009.Kaela has been with them for 2 years. Prior to that she's had a few different jobs, including one as deputy editor for Street Sense Media, covering homelessness in the DC/Baltimore region and LGBTQ issues for the Washington Blade.Kaela is a graduate of American University with a journalism degree where, among other things, she won an award for aspiring LGBTQ journalists.Kaela explained Technical.ly's purpose and the kind of stories she reports on. She shared how she learned on the fly so that she could cover this beat. And she detailed important things for young journalists to know as well as those she's recently learned that help in the job.Kaela's salute: Street Sense MediaKaela's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaela-roeder/Kaela's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/kaelacoverstech/We also heard from Anita Pinto, filing her monthly update as advisor to The Gateway Times, the school newspaper at the Urban Assembly for Gateway Technology in Manhattan. This is done in conjunction with Press Pass NYC, a non-profit that helps advisors start journalism clubs and programs in schools that don't have them.Subscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)

38 min

Judith Smelser & Abe Aboraya, News Collaborative of Central Florida

On this episode we're joined by Judith Smelser and Abe Aboraya of the News Collaborative of Central Florida.Judith is the president and general manager of Central Florida Public Media. She's been in that job since September 2021. That's the only non-profit news organization in Central Florida. She has experience as a reporter and editor as well as a news director, managing editor, and wine columnist. She is a graduate of Rhodes College.Abe is the government accountability reporter for Oviedo Community News. Judith and Abe's organizations work together as part of the News Collaborative of Central Florida. He's a graduate of the University of Central Florida and has been a journalist for almost 20 years.The two of them explained why this collaborative is necessary and provided examples of the wins that have happened as a result. They also shared what things they've learned within journalism recently and gave examples of traits necessary to succeed in news reporting.Abe's salutes: Roger Simmons, Orlando Sentinel and former Sentinel reporter Jason GarciaJudith's salutes: Oviedo Community News and also NPR Media Reporter David FolkenflikSubscribe to our newsletter hereYou can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark’s website (MarkSimonmedia.com)