Dr. Jesse Schroeder, associate professor of communication at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, is using his academic and television industry experiences to launch a podcast that provides a behind-the-scenes look at today’s media landscape.
After finishing his faculty portfolio this past year, he decided he’d like to enhance his scholarly activities but discovered there is not much content available when it comes to research in the media industry.
So earlier this spring semester, he created a scholarly podcast titled “Masterclass: Media Matters.”
Through thoughtful conver-sations between Schroeder and his guests, this podcast will provide industry analysis and real-world stories from his media professional contacts, offering information for aspiring journalists, other media professionals and those who are curious about the profession in general.
A new episode will be available each Monday, where listeners will learn more about the media profession from the perspective of those actively working in it.
Schroeder explained that the podcast serves four key audiences: students seeking industry knowledge, researchers and educators looking to align academia with current trends, professionals eager to learn from peers, and media consumers wanting a clearer view into how the industry operates. Together, these perspectives create a space for learning, collaboration, and deeper understanding of today’s ever-shifting media landscape.
“Anyone who consumes media content can be enlightened by what they may learn about the industry,” Schroeder said. “In today’s climate, there are multiple streams of disinformation and misunderstanding surrounding the way media works.
Media consumers can learn from industry leaders about how the business works and what goes into making decisions that impact what they receive as the media consumer.”
Schroeder said he is also learning from these industry professionals and is sharing this information with his current students.
“Many times, what I learn simply validates what I’m teaching,” Schroeder said. “Other times, it gives me a new perspective or idea I want to share with my students.”
He said he originally planned to require his students in certain classes to listen to each episode, but soon discovered that many of them had subscribed to the podcast and were listening to the episodes on their own, allowing for discussion in classes.
— University Relations
