Podcast: Melinda Wittstock from AskYourLawmaker
We haven’t recorded a podcast in a while — life gets in the way, you know — but we are back on track, effective immediately.
WeMedia conducts regular regular podcasts that feature in-depth interviews with prominent media, technology, and social change figures, as well as distinguished experts on current affairs and news. Our goal is to help the WeMedia community understand the roots of the changes taking place in our society, hear from the thinkers and doers who are on the front lines, really understand the difficulties facing the media, consumers, and others — all while being somewhat entertaining.
Today’s podcast features a conversation with Melinda Wittstock, the Bureau Chief, Founder and Executive Director of Capitol News Connection – a news organization that covers political issues with a focus on how they play locally (CNC has more correspondents covering Capitol Hill each day than any other national news organization, and produces most of its content for distribution through public radio stations nationwide). She is also the creator of AskYourLawmaker.org, a project/site that allows citizens to post conversations directly to their lawmakers, and have CNC journalists help track down responses. Melinda is a life-long journalist and has some strong views about what the media is doing well, and where improvements are needed. We agreed, for example, that good, timely, relevant content is critical to the success of the news media – and also missing from much of the newspaper and similar coverage today. We also talked about what responsibility the media might has when it comes to facilitating action or enabling citizens to get more involved and the benefits of hyper-local news content and focus.
Click below to listen.
We are hoping to get back on track with weekly/regular podcast discussions shortly. Let us know if you have suggestions for people we should talk with or topics we should cover. And if you want to participate in one of our podcasts or discussions, just let us know.
Brian is Managing Director of little m media which provides strategic guidance and support to organizations around the use of the internet and technology to facilitate communications, engagement, education, and mobilization.
