Five Dubs Podcast

Join Rebecca Snyder as she sits down with Tim Franklin, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University. In this episode, they dive into the latest Medill State of Local News Report findings, explore the growing crisis of news deserts and discuss innovative solutions reshaping the local news landscape. From the challenges of ownership shifts to the...

Dive into the complexities of Maryland's legislative session with Rebecca Snyder and special guest Lorenzo Bellamy of Bellamy Genn Group. From navigating a looming $2.7 billion budget deficit to discussing the evolution of public notices and news media in the digital age, this episode unpacks the key issues shaping Maryland's future. Plus, gain practical advice on advocacy and staying engaged in t...

In the last episode of Five Dubs: Marketing Pros for 2024, Kevin Berrier from MDDC Ad Services sits down with Erik Nefores, founder of The Green Villager, to talk about how sustainability and technology can work together to create a better future. Erik shares what inspired him to start The Green Villager, a blog and community hub focused on making eco-friendly concepts simple and accessible. He di...

In this episode, Rebecca Snyder welcomes Frances “Toni” Draper, publisher of the Afro-American Newspapers , to discuss her upcoming book Prayer and Pen , set to release in January 2025. Toni shares the deeply personal and historical journey behind this unique collection of prayers written by her grandfather, Carl Murphy—a prolific writer, journalist, and former editor of the Afro. Together, they e...

In this episode of Marketing Pros, host Kevin Berrier dives deep into the evolving world of social media marketing and the impact of AI with Ross Gray, co-founder and COO of Cloud Campaign. Together, they explore how businesses and marketers can balance the efficiency of AI tools with the human touch needed for authentic engagement. What You’ll Learn: How AI can optimize your social media content...

 In this Rewind episode of Five Dubs , host Rebecca Snyder speaks with Allison Taylor Levine, executive director of the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) in Delaware. Allison discusses her journey from journalism to nonprofit work, her passion for strengthening local news, and how LJI aims to support Delaware’s media ecosystem. She shares insights from the recent Delaware News Ecosystem Report, re...

In this Rewind episode of Five Dubs by MDDC Press, host Rebecca Snyder sits down with Michael Fletcher from ESPN’s Enterprise Reporting Team. Michael shares his unique journey into journalism, starting from an unexpected interest in engineering to a celebrated career covering stories that intersect sports, politics, and social issues. They discuss some of his groundbreaking work, including coverag...

In this episode of The Five Dubs Podcast , MDDC Executive Director and Host Rebecca Snyder explores the Maryland Kids Code, a legislative effort aimed at protecting the data of minors on social media. Loyola University Maryland Philosophy Professor Nina Guise-Gerrity and student Kate McLaughlin discuss their research on the bill's implications for local journalism and media, emphasizing the balanc...

On this week’s episode of Five Dubs: Marketing Pros, host Kevin Berrier has a conversation with Jake Shipley and Darius Long of County Sports Zone , a digital platform dedicated to high school sports in Maryland. We explore the brand’s inception, growth, and future, and discuss the challenges they faced, including the impact of the pandemic, and how they adapted to meet the needs of their audience...

In this episode, host Rebecca Snyder welcomes Kathryn Foxhall from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) to discuss a crucial issue affecting journalists today: the growing difficulty in accessing public information due to gag orders imposed by public information officers (PIOs). Kathryn shares insights from her extensive experience in fighting for transparency, highlighting a pivotal case...

In this Member Spotlight episode, host Rebecca Snyder sits down with Konrad LaPrade, Group Publisher of INI USA, and Andy West, Editor-in-Chief, for an insightful discussion on the unique mission of INI Independent News Media. Konrad and Andy share how their nonprofit-owned, for-profit model allows them to focus on hyperlocal journalism, serving diverse communities across Delaware and Maryland. Th...

In this Member Spotlight episode, host Rebecca Snyder is joined by Jim Johnson, Executive Editor, and Chad Campbell, Assistant General Manager of APG Media, a network of over a dozen hyperlocal newspapers across Maryland. They discuss the importance of community news, the challenges of covering diverse regions, and their secret to longevity, with publications celebrating milestones of up to 200 ye...

In this episode of Marketing Pros, host Kevin Berrier sits down with Sarah Mogol, Chair of the Board for Executive Alliance, to dive deep into the incredible efforts of this Maryland-based organization. They explore how Executive Alliance is empowering women professionals across various industries through mentorship, advocacy, and education. Sarah shares more details about the November 13th event,...

In this episode, host Rebecca Snyder is joined by Brandi Swicegood from the Sunlight Research Center, an organization dedicated to deep background research on political candidates. Brandi shares her expertise as a veteran investigative journalist and explains how her team is helping under-resourced newsrooms uncover crucial details about political figures through innovative research techniques. Th...

In this episode, host Rebecca Snyder sits down with Pat Reynolds, the President and Executive Director of the Council on State Taxation (COST), to discuss the growing trend of advertising and service taxes across the U.S. They explore how states like Maryland have implemented digital advertising taxes and the broader implications for businesses and consumers alike. Pat offers insights into the leg...

 In this episode of the Member Spotlight, Rebecca Snyder sits down with Lara Lutz, editor of the Bay Journal, to discuss the publication’s role in environmental journalism across the Chesapeake Bay region. Covering parts of six states and Washington, D.C., the Bay Journal has been providing crucial reporting on the restoration of the Bay and environmental issues for over 30 years. Learn about the...

 In this episode, Jerry Zremski, of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, takes center stage for an in-depth conversation on the current state of local journalism. Zremski shares his unique insights on covering politics and policy from the nation's capital, delving into the intricacies of reporting on Western New York issues from Washington, D.C. He discusses the challenges of maintaining loca...

In this episode, Kevin Berrier dives into the highly impactful antitrust ruling against Google with expert insights from digital marketing pros Ben Bouslog and Sam Rahimi of AdCellerant. They discuss the intricacies of the case, drawing parallels to past antitrust actions like those against Microsoft, and explore the potential consequences for businesses relying on Google for search and advertisin...

In the final episode of the Master Class series, Rebecca Snyder hosts an insightful discussion with award-winning journalist Julie Scharper from the Baltimore Banner. Scharper shares her journey in journalism, from her early days at the Baltimore Sun to her current role as an enterprise reporter at the Banner. She provides a deep dive into her Best of Show-winning feature story about Gavin Knupp,...

MDDC Executive Director Rebecca Snyder sits with Abby higgins and Eric Falquero of The 51st Newsroom, a worker-led nonprofit dedicated to transforming local journalism in Washington, DC. Hear firsthand from the passionate journalists driving this initiative, as they share their journey of launching a public crowdfunding campaign to build a better local news site. Discover how their commitment to d...

Join us for an enlightening session with Xerxes Wilson from The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware as we dive deep into the intricacies of First Amendment and free speech reporting. Discover the compelling story behind Wilson's award-winning piece on a prison boycott in Delaware, exploring the high costs of prison tablet services and the broader implications for free speech and prisoner rights....

Join us for a mouth-watering episode as we sit down with Eammon Azizi, the mastermind behind the award-winning Que 42 BBQ. From his early days in marketing to becoming a celebrated pitmaster, Azizi shares his unique journey of turning a passion for BBQ into a beloved brand. Discover how his innovative approach to flavors, dedication to quality and support for local businesses have made Que 42 a st...

Join Rebecca as she sits down with Mike McClure, publisher of Morning Star Publications. Discover how McClure's lifelong passion for baseball and his extensive experience in journalism have shaped his career and the local newspapers he now leads. Learn about the unique challenges and joys of covering high school sports, local news and community events in the heart of Delaware. Mike also discusses...

In this episode of our Master Class series, Rebecca Snyder sits down with Alex Mann from The Baltimore Sun. Mann, a Best of Show winner for the profile category in the MDDC contest, shares his insights on the art of crafting compelling profiles. They delve into Mann's acclaimed profile of Earl Young, a former inmate turned mentor for Baltimore City Schools. Alex discusses the genesis of the story,...

Join us for an enlightening session with Dwight Weingarten, an award-winning investigative reporter for the Daily Times and the Herald-Mail. In this master class, Dwight delves into his groundbreaking investigation of child labor in Purdue plants. Discover the behind-the-scenes process of fact-checking, source management and the challenges of covering sensitive topics under tight deadlines. This e...