21-WFMJ News Podcast

On today's Outcue, we talk about Public Records Requests, what they are, what they do, and why they are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain. What is a public records request? Government offices are paid for with taxpayers' money, and you have the right to view the documents, records, and data within the office. According to the Ohio Attorney General's office, "The pu...

21 News Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and reporter Leslie Huff sit down to discuss Feed Our Valley, a campaign started by 21 News in 2007 to raise awareness of those in need in our community and to get food to those in need. This partnership with Second Harvest Foodbank and Sparkle Markets has helped Valley residents for 18 years. Huff shares what she has learned covering the food needs...

21 News Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and anchor/reporter Madison Tromler discuss the two-part Watchdog Report investigation into the conditions inside Ohio's only privately run county jail in Columbiana County. An anonymous source contacted 21 News over conditions inside the facility, leading to a multi-week investigation. Watch to see what this deep-dive investigation found, what...

“The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective of our top news stories. Each week, the 21 News staff, including reporters and managers, discuss behind the scenes in covering stories for you — from the newsgathering process to getting the final product on the air, in this new video podcast. In this week's episode, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks to 21 News chief meteorologist E...

“The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective of our top news stories. Each week, the 21 News staff, including reporters and managers, will discuss behind the scenes in covering stories for you - from the newsgathering process to getting the final product on the air, in this new video podcast. In this week's episode, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks to 21 News anchor/reporter...

 “The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective of our top news stories. Each week, the 21 News staff, including reporters and managers, will discuss behind the scenes in covering stories for you - from the newsgathering process to getting the final product on the air, in this new video podcast. In this week's episode, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell looks behind the scenes with 21...

“The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective of our top news stories. Each week, the 21 News staff, including reporters and managers, will discuss behind the scenes in covering stories for you — from the newsgathering process to getting the final product on the air, in this new video podcast. In this week's episode, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks with 21 News Director Sheil...

“The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective of our top news stories. Each week, the 21 News staff, including reporters and managers, will discuss what goes on behind the scenes in covering stories for you - from the newsgathering process to getting the final product on the air, in this new video podcast. In this week's episode, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks with 21 Sports...

 Natural gas accidents happen more often than you think. Experts we sought out, including the NTSB, say the lack of state and federal safety regulations is to blame. Could it happen again? Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and Watchdog reporter Madison Tromler discuss the backstories behind the investigation into the Realty building explosion and what needs to change to stop "The Danger...

Assistant news director Justin Mitchell sits down with reporter Kaitlyn McCarthy to talk about her path from working behind the scenes to holding the powerful accountable. McCarthy, a Valley native and YSU graduate, has only been reporting since April, but in that time has broken major developments on the Realty building explosion and exposed potential conflicts of interest at a major development...

In this week's Outcue podcast, 21 News Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and Senior Digital Content Manager Robert McFerren discuss the story behind the story, looking at the fast-changing coverage of the Steward Health bankruptcy filings. Our coverage has been following the bankruptcy court case in Texas and reporting those looking to place bids for control of Trumbull Regional, Hillsi...

In this week's Outcue, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and Senior Digital Content Manager Robert discuss the story behind the story of 21 News coverage for months concerning the bankrupt Steward healthcare facilities in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys. Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, including satellite offices, all received mass layoff notific...

"The Outcue” is a 21 News journalist perspective on our top news stories, but with a different approach. It talks about the week's biggest story but gives you the perspective of the story behind the story. This week, assistant news director Justin Mitchell sits down at 5 pm anchor and reporter Lindsay McCoy to discuss how her experience as a reporter helps her in her role as anchor. The...

On this edition of the 21 News podcast, 'The Outcue,' Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks with Senior Digital Content Manager Robert McFerren about the drive and burn that makes journalists do what they do. This podcast explains what happens behind the scenes and the story behind the story. In this case, we requested all the emergency calls handled by Youngstown Police and Fire...

In today's Outcue, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell is joined by 21 News Director Sheila Miller and Senior Digital Content Manager Robert McFerren to discuss how we address news bias in coverage in today's political climate. The newsroom management team discusses how much discussion and thought goes into all newsroom reporting, including political coverage. This podcast discusses...

In this week's The Outcue, Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell talks with anchor/reporter Madison Tromler, who speaks about the National Transportation Safety Board hearing this week in East Palestine, discussing what caused the February 3, 2023 train derailment and why the vent-and-burn was a botched decision. The discussion examines the key moments from the day's nearly 8-hour fina...

The NTSB issued more than two dozen recommendations Tuesday in East Palestine concerning the toxic train derailment and vent and burn of the vinyl chloride that began nearly a year and a half ago. These recommendations found that the rail industry had no standards in place for overheating wheel bearings and detectors and that the chemicals' vent and burn were unnecessary. 21 News anchor Linds...

In this week's The Outcue, senior digital content manager Robert McFerren talks about the heat wave that has stalled over the Valley with chief meteorologist Eric Wilhelm and meteorologist Andrew DiPaolo. While the scorching heat has not broken any records yet, the long-range forecast shows we are in for one long, hot, and possibly dry summer. The trend may last well into the fall and winter....

After a major breaking news story like the Realty Building explosion, there are often questions that remain. How did this happen? What are the lessons we can learn from this? And is everyone in charge providing the information the public has a right to know? In this episode of The Outcue, assistant news director Justin Mitchell sits down with Madison Tromler and Chris Cerenelli to talk about how t...

In this week's The Outcue, assistant news director Justin Mitchell, anchor Derek Steyer, and chief videographer Pat Connelly discuss covering breaking news in the aftermath of the explosion at the Realty Building from an apparent gas leak. They discuss how all news stories that everyone is currently working on for that day are paused, and everyone goes into all hands on deck to cover the imme...

On this week's Outcue, assistant news director Justin Mitchell sits down with two veteran WFMJ videographers - Ron Martin and Bob 'Bubba' Meluch - who share their stories about their time in the field and talk about stories that will stick with them their entire life. Our videographers are those who are on the frontlines getting images for broadcast - some happy, uplifting, others f...

In this week's The Outcue, assistant news director Justin Mitchell, anchor Madison Tromler, and senior digital content manager Robert McFerren discuss stories we cover when someone calls us with concerns over a purchase they have made and are unhappy with the company. The Latin phrase "caveat emptor," which means "let the buyer beware," alludes to placing the burden of due...

This week, after months of speculation, Steward Healthcare filed for bankruptcy.  The move was not unexpected, but it leaves questions about what its impact will be on the future of healthcare in the Valley. Will hospitals remain open? Will nurses unions remain? Could another hospital system move in and take over?  In this week's The Outcue, assistant news director Justin Mitchell and anchor...

Gene Steratore is the NFL/NCAA Basketball rules analyst for CBS Sports.  After a 15 year career on the field, Steratore is now in the broadcast booth.    21 Sports Dana Balash caught up with Steratore and talks about his days in the NFL, in the broadcast arena and more.

In today's 21 News Special Edition of The Outcue, 21 News Assistant News Director Justin Mitchell and anchor/reporter Sydney Canty discuss behind the scenes of this week's 21 News "101 West" on the complicated and often misunderstood perception of human trafficking and how it happens. The outcue is the term used in the news industry as the final words of a story, but this podca...