The White House and the Press Podcast

Episode 7: Covering the White House

White House correspondents play an important role in our system of democracy. Their work provides a window into the White House, giving the American people a better idea of what’s really happening in Washington, D.C. In this episode, Helen Gibson talks with Steven Thomma to learn more about the role of a White House Correspondent. Thomma spent around 30 years covering national politics, with much of that time being spent covering the presidency. Now, he serves as executive director of the White House Correspondent’s Association. He describes the work of a White House correspondent and shares about some of the highlights of his career. The White House and the Press Podcast is hosted and produced by Helen Gibson. It is created for the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program at Western Kentucky University. To view more research, projects and reflections from this class, visit WKUJournalism.com/whitehouseandpress.

Episode 6: Communications From Inside the White House

Over the years, the way presidents communicate with the public has changed dramatically. These shifts have been largely driven by the emergence of new technologies -- such as radio, television and, most recently, the Internet. In this episode, host Helen Gibson talks with David Almacy, who served as White House Internet and E-Communications director from 2005 to 2007. He discusses his time in the White House Office of Media Affairs and the changes he's seen in political communication throughout his career. The White House and the Press Podcast is hosted and produced by Helen Gibson. It is created for the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program at Western Kentucky University. To view more research, projects and reflections from this class, visit WKUJournalism.com/whitehouseandpress.

Episode 5: Women in the White House

For much of American history, women were largely excluded from many fields — among those, journalism and government. In this episode, host Helen Gibson sits down with Emma Austin and Monica Kast, two of her classmates in the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program, to learn more about their experience researching the roles of women in the White House. In this conversation, Austin and Kast point to various women who have helped expand the roles of women in the White House over the years. The White House and the Press Podcast is hosted and produced by Helen Gibson. It is created for the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program at Western Kentucky University. To view more research, projects and reflections from this class, visit WKUJournalism.com/whitehouseandpress.

Episode 4: Understanding Public Perception of the Press

The relationship between the White House and the press is an important one, but it doesn’t only depend on these two institutions. It also involves a third element: the American people. However, in recent years, stark partisan shifts in the public’s perception of the news media have occurred, leading some to increasingly distrust the media, and call it "fake news." In this episode, host Helen Gibson explores this public perception problem through experts’ opinions and person-on-the-street interviews. The White House and the Press Podcast is hosted and produced by Helen Gibson. It is created for the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program at Western Kentucky University. To view more research, projects and reflections from this class, visit WKUJournalism.com/whitehouseandpress. EPISODE LINKS: "Why Do Americans Distrust the Media?" by Derek Thompson: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/why-do-americans-distrust-the-media/500252/ Elizabeth Jensen’s speech at the East-West Center: http://www.npr.org/sections/ombudsman/2017/05/15/528158488/looking-to-the-future-restoring-public-trust-in-the-media

Episode 3: Trump From the Campaign Trail

Even as a candidate, Donald Trump proved he would be different from other presidents. This was especially evident in the way he interacted with the news media. In this episode, host Helen Gibson talks to several people who observed now-President Trump from the campaign trail, including Jeremy Fugleberg, a journalist who covered the presidential election for the Cincinnati Enquirer; Amanda Crawford, a journalism professor with over 20 years of political reporting experience; and Emily Pride, a student who attended a Trump rally the weekend before the presidential election. In talking about their experiences, these people explain what Donald Trump was like as a candidate, and what that meant for the journalists who tried to cover him. The White House and the Press Podcast is hosted and produced by Helen Gibson. It is created for the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program at Western Kentucky University. To view more research, projects and reflections from this class, visit WKUJournalism.com/whitehouseandpress.