We Mean Business

SAG-AFTRA is still striking against the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers - movie studios, big streaming corporations, etc.) even as the writer's union has reached its own agreement with the studios this week. In this episode, Mackenzie Joy-Brennan talked to SAG member Marie Cecile Anderson -- an actor, comedian, and musician based in Nashville -- about the strike decision, the demands union members are asking for, and what life is like as a working union actor, even while on strike.

As the entertainment industry strikes continue, Mackenzie Joy-Brennan has a chat with Hollywood costume designer Nicole Suerez Jones whose local IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) unions aren't on strike, but are still suffering the effects of the current dual strikes in Hollywood. Nicole talks studio executive greed, working conditions, artificial intelligence, and what it means to be functioning in an industry that appears to be at an impasse.

The Phoenix Valley was packed with visitors for Super Bowl LVII, but does a packed city equal extra economic activity? Janaé Bradford interviews Kelly Phillips Erb, an expert on tax law who has written for and been interviewed by a variety of media outlets. She is currently a tax contributor for Forbes and a Tax Counsel for White & Williams, LLP.
Phillips Erb breaks down how local taxpayers contribute to big sporting events but may not be seeing the dividends they were promised. From tax offsets and exemptions, there are a lot of ways that sporting leagues negotiate with local districts before awarding an Olympic, World Cup, or Super Bowl bid.
To keep up with Phillips Erb's work, visit taxgirl.com and read her recent work for Forbes titled 'The Super Bowl doesn't always produce super-sized revenues for local taxpayers.'

When is it okay to start talking about the financial cost of a game not played? Steven Watkins, a reporter for the Cincinnati Business Courier, was reporting on the Bengals/Bills game live when Damar Hamlin was struck in the chest and halted the NFL. Watkins shares with Janaé Bradford how he reacted as a journalist who covers the business of sports at a local business journal.
Watkins has decades of experience covering the business side of sports and shares tips with aspiring sports journalists on how they can fill a much-needed role in the industry by not shying away from the financials.
View the transcript here.

Ever wonder what it is like covering the biggest college football game of the season? Janaé Bradford invited Amanda Christovich from FrontOffice Sports to speak with her about her experience covering the business of the big game.
Covering college football isn’t just about covering the X’s and O’s. College football has become an enterprise in itself that reporters should not shy away from covering. Christovich tells us how she started covering the business of sports and how businesses have noticed the significant demand for college football. She notes that reporting on the college championship continues long after the game has been called.
Christovich covers everything from gender equity and sports labor issues to name, image, and likeness -- and was recently named one of LinkedIn's top five creators of the week for my NIL stories. Check out more by Christovich on Twitter, FrontOffice Sports, or her website.

Janaé Bradford interviews Bloomberg reporters Caleb Melby and Polly Mosendz, two members of the bronze award-winning team for their investigation 'Questionable Practices.' Their investigation brings the first important revelations about the largest medical mental-health startup, Cerebral, and its effort to bring telemedicine techniques to mental healthcare.
Bloomberg reporters found a lack of delicate consideration assessment from the million-dollar business when prescribing medication to their patients. Listen to what the reporters had to say about what it took to make this investigation happen.

For her last episode, Ruby interviews Jeff Timmermans, Director of the Reynolds Center. Ruby asks poignant questions about what is needed from students looking to get into business journalism and why students should consider the field. Jeff shares with us the importance of business journalism and how you don't need a finance background to report on and cover the business beat.

Ruby interviews Kristen Gilger, co-author of 'There's no crying in newsrooms,' on what it was like as a woman in broadcast journalism in the 1980s compared to today. Kristen shares insights on how her expectations and hope of greater equity have unfortunately not matched up with reality and reminds women in the business to remember that they are never alone.

Numbers are the language of the world. Ruby interviews Steve Doig, experienced data journalist and current ASU professor, on how working with data can be a business journalist's superpower. Steve discusses how understanding data tools for smaller stories can prepare you for bigger stories that happen near you or in your beat.

Ruby Arora interviews Todd Merkow, first general manager of FOX Sports Arizona and current strategic and operational consultant who also teaches sports journalism majors at the Cronkite School of Journalism. Ruby and Todd discuss Amazon emerging into NFL streaming and what journalists should be aware of and what to look out for in the future of sports streaming.