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Start with wonder, end with action. That’s the throughline of our conversation with travel and environmental writer Amy Brecount White, whose stories for National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, Sierra and more connect awe-filled journeys with the people and practices that keep wild places alive. We explore how she moved from early Washington Post essays to a career focused on regenerative travel, indigenous-led astro tourism and science-informed reporting that empowers readers to make change at home and on the road.

Amy opens up about the moment a small garden patch transformed her block into a buzzing wildlife corridor, and why native plants, oaks and even humble leaf piles can revive birds, bees and butterflies in weeks. She breaks down rain gardens, permeable design and the surprising truth about native bees versus honey bees. We dig into the telltale signs of responsible travel—B Corps, local guides conservation partnerships, and reduced tourism leakage—and highlight cruises and lodges that invest in coral restoration, community economies and cultural knowledge. Along the way, Amy shares reporting insights from Master Naturalist training to field interviews with scientists, park stewards and restoration crews.

If you’re curious about dark sky travel, wellness and longevity trips with real environmental benefits, or simply how to choose operators who leave destinations better than they found them, this episode brings clarity and momentum. We also talk PR pitching that actually helps journalists, Amy’s upcoming features from Yellowstone to Baja, and the environmental heartbeat of her new novel.

Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who loves nature, and leave a review to help more listeners find conversations that turn curiosity into care.

Conntect with Amy at:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

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What happens when a line cook falls in love with magazines—and refuses to choose between the stove and the story? We sit down with Chandra Ram, celebrated food writer, cookbook author and former editorial leader at Plate and Food & Wine, to chart a career built on craft, curiosity and a relentless commitment to serving readers as well as diners.

We dig into the early days that shaped her taste for pace and hospitality, the consulting and PR pivots that revealed how media really works and the unexpected phone call that led to years steering a chef-focused magazine. From there, Chandra explains how she helped a legacy brand honor icons like Julia Child while welcoming weeknight cooks who just want perfect pancakes and fewer half-used cans. You’ll hear how real-time traffic, search behavior and reader pain points inform recipe development, and why small choices—like using a full can of coconut milk—build trust.

We also confront the forces remaking food media: social platforms with shifting rails and AI that answers before a click. Chandra makes the case for direct relationships through newsletters, the enduring power of cookbooks you can smudge and dog-ear, and a smarter approach to inclusivity that goes far beyond token dishes. Expect candid insights on developing a strong writer’s voice, creating entry points that invite readers into a story, and trends worth keeping—hello, crunchy sauces packed with seeds and nuts.

If you care about where recipes come from, whose stories get told, and how to cook better tonight, this conversation is for you. Enjoy the episode, then subscribe, share with a friend who loves food media, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Chandra’s Substack newsletter: Another Bite
• Chandra’s Instagram (@chandrasplate)
• Chandra’s LinkedIn
  
  
• Cookbooks by Chandra Ram
  – The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
  – Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces (with Bill Kim)
  – The Eiffel Tower Restaurant Cookbook (with Jean Joho)
  – Women in Food (contributor)
  – The Chicago Food Encyclopedia (contributor)
  
  
• Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers
  
  
• Dianne Jacob's Will Write for Food

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Step past the velvet ropes and into the rooms where power becomes personal. Angela sits with bestselling author and journalist Kate Andersen Brower to trace a path from midnight shifts at CBS to Bloomberg’s White House beat and the books that reveal the people who keep the presidency moving. From riding on Air Force One to riding a helicopter that touched down on the Buckingham Palace lawn, Kate shares electric moments that shaped her view of leadership, access and the stakes of getting the story right.

We dig into the origin of The Residence and the staff whose names rarely make headlines but whose work steadies every administration—ushers who know first families as people, butlers who carry institutional memory and housekeepers who witness history at arm’s length. Kate unpacks the power and pressure of first ladies, the private grief that often underlies public composure and the ethical knots reporters face when truth, privacy and politics collide. She explains why some stories humanize rather than sensationalize, and how multiple credible sources guide what makes it to the page.

Kate also opens up about her work being featured on screen as The Residence inspired a Netflix series, why she chose to stay focused on writing over producing and what she misses—and doesn’t—about daily journalism. Looking ahead, she previews a forthcoming book with Norah O’Donnell spotlighting overlooked women who built America, and a deep dive into the presidential secretaries who sit just outside the Oval Office, balancing loyalty with duty. If you care about media, history and the people who keep institutions running when no one’s watching, this conversation will stay with you.

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• The Residence – Inside the Private World of the White House
  Kate Anderson Brower’s bestselling book offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the White House residence staff and the non-political professionals who serve presidents and their families.
• First Women – The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies
  An intimate portrait of modern first ladies, revealing the unseen pressures, influence, and complexity of a role with no formal job description.
• Team of Five – Former Presidents and Their Relationships
  A revealing look at how living former presidents interact, support, and sometimes clash behind the scenes.
• First in Line – The Lives and Power of U.S. Vice Presidents
  A deep dive into the often-overlooked role of the vice presidency and the individuals who have held it.
• Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon
  The first authorized biography of Elizabeth Taylor, tracing her extraordinary life, legacy, and activism.
• The Residence (Netflix)
  A murder-mystery series inspired by Kate’s book, produced by Shonda Rhimes and starring Uzo Aduba, using the White House residence as its dramatic backdrop.
• Kate Anderson Brower’s Website
  Learn more about Kate’s books, reporting, and current projects at katebrower.com.

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find the show.

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A chance assignment after the Gulf War put Jamie McIntyre inside the Pentagon at the very moment history refused to slow down. From Somalia to Haiti to Kosovo and Iraq, he learned that the defense beat isn’t just policy on paper—it’s operations, people and real-world stakes. Jamie shares how that era’s open access let reporters roam the halls, build sources, and pressure-test official narratives in real time, and why the shift to tighter control is more than an inconvenience—it’s a loss for the public.

We dive into how he rebuilt his reporting toolkit for a remote-first world: livestreamed hearings, transcript, and a carefully curated X feed that filters signal from noise. Then we compare that to an uncurated stream—an eye-opening look at how the platform can reward rage, rabbit holes and confusion. The takeaway is practical and urgent: your inputs shape your reality, and journalists now serve as both investigators and filters in an age that monetizes doubt.

Jamie also opens up about the hardest problem in the craft: convincing people to trust what’s true. He was in the Pentagon on 9/11 and later spent a decade engaging “truthers,” never changing a single mind. That experience informs a frank discussion on misinformation and identity, why facts alone often fail and how context-heavy reporting helps readers think more clearly. We wrap with candid advice for younger journalists, a look at Jamie’s book plans—either a study of disinformation or a Cold War-era memoir—and a measured sense of hope rooted in history’s long arc toward justice.

If you value clear, reality-based reporting on defense and national security, hit follow, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review with the one insight you’re taking away today.

Links & Resources

• Daily on Defense – Jamie McIntyre’s weekday newsletter offering clear, experience-driven context on U.S. defense and national security. Sign up here.
• Elements of Disbelief – Jamie’s writing on misinformation, conspiracy theories, and why false beliefs persist, rooted in his academic research on 9/11.
• Jamie McIntyre – Washington Examiner – Read Jamie’s defense and national security reporting.

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Start with a newsroom built from scratch in Belize. Add decades across TV, digital, teaching and public media. Now meet the throughline: a fierce commitment to service, collaboration and stories that help people live better where they are. Managing editor Holly Edgell of NPR’s Midwest Newsroom joins us to talk about leading a dispersed regional team covering Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska—and why the “slow cooker” approach to reporting still wins trust.

We dive into the craft behind collaborative journalism: coaching local station reporters on deeper stories, co-publishing across platforms and turning embargoed research into reporting that tests assumptions and centers real people. Holly shares standout coverage on housing—affordability, safety, climate resilience and insurance gaps—along with explainers on rural access and labor that move beyond headlines to accountability. She also pulls back the curtain on her day-to-day: Zooms across four states, careful editing pipelines and the art of translating regional reporting into digital, radio and social formats that reach audiences where they actually are.

The conversation also tackles the hard part: funding instability, audience fragmentation and how public media can adapt without losing its soul. Holly makes a compelling case for understanding who’s listening and reading, not just what’s produced; for convening civil, community-based conversations across widening cultural divides; and for building partnerships that amplify impact. For PR pros, she offers a playbook on pitches that land—specific, data-driven, aligned with coverage—and the red flags that guarantee a pass.

We close with what keeps her grounded: puzzles, travel, creative writing and narrative podcasts like Criminal that prove spare, human storytelling still cuts through the noise. If you care about local news that serves, regional reporting that collaborates and journalism that earns trust, you’ll want to listen.

Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who loves public radio, and leave a review to help more listeners find thoughtful conversations like this one.

Enjoy the conversation? Follow Holly on LinkedIn and subscribe to her Substack.

Belize Prize for Investigative Journalism
Celebrating and elevating investigative reporting in Belize. Co-founded by Holly, the prize recognizes journalists whose work drives accountability and strengthens democracy.

Playing in the Light by Zoë Wicomb
A powerful novel exploring racial passing and identity in South Africa—one of the books that recently inspired Holly.

Midwest Newsroom – NPR Regional Hub
Explore in-depth reporting from across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, including stories edited and produced by Holly.

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Want a front-row seat to how billion-dollar location decisions actually get made? We sit down with Ron Starner, executive vice president of Conway Data and a leading voice at Site Selection magazine, to unpack the data, discipline and real-world tradeoffs behind corporate expansion and economic development.

Ron traces his path from a scrappy small-town newsroom to steering award-winning coverage for a global C-suite audience. He explains how the Conway Projects Database—built over four decades—anchors every ranking and feature, with clear thresholds for jobs, capital and square footage. No favorites, no spin, just verified projects and credible outside data. We dig into the misconceptions that dog the field, including the myth that editors choose winners, and explore why companies only invest where workers thrive and infrastructure delivers.

From the Mountain West’s rapid ascent to the Great Lakes’ industrial strengths, Florida’s Space Coast surge, and Delaware’s surprising talent magnetism, we map where capital is flowing and why. Ron also breaks down the growing pushback from NIMBY to BANANA—build absolutely nothing anywhere near anybody—and what that means for communities vying for high-wage jobs. Then we look ahead: how AI is reshaping site selection modeling, redefining workforce needs and elevating demand for engineers and AI-ready technicians across sectors.

If you work in PR or economic development, you’ll hear practical guidance on pitching corporate real estate stories that matter—think outcomes, not hype, and understand the difference between commercial and corporate real estate. If you’re an operator or policymaker, you’ll learn what moves the needle: policy clarity, talent pipelines, reliable power and water, and a culture that says yes to sustainable, community-friendly investment.

Enjoy the conversation? Follow Ron on LinkedIn and subscribe to Site Selection’s Investor Watch newsletter.

And if this sparked fresh ideas, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show.

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Stories change the way we work, but meetings change what we do next. That belief runs through our conversation with Sarah Braley (aka Sally), managing editor at Northstar Meetings Group and a veteran journalist whose passport and notebook have shaped how planners think about destinations, incentives and experience design. We trace Sally's path from early magazine days to becoming a trusted voice at Meetings & Conventions and Incentive, and we explore how the shift from monthly issues to daily digital reporting transformed the job—and the industry.

Sally breaks down why experience design matters more than ever, offering practical ways to build programs that engage attention, respect budgets and deliver outcomes attendees can use. We dive into inclusive F&B strategies, from allergy-aware registration to vegetarian-first menus that improve quality and reduce waste. She also makes a compelling case for rethinking destination strategy: while mega-conventions draw headlines, most gatherings host under 100 people, and smaller cities like Burlington, Toledo and Knoxville can deliver outsized impact with walkability, character, and value. For incentive travel, bucket list markets such as Australia and New Zealand still shine when authenticity and access are thoughtfully planned.

If you work in PR, you’ll get clear guidance on what makes a pitch land: B2B relevance, access to the planner, strong visuals and a crisp angle that helps readers do their jobs better. And for editors and planners alike, Sally’s on-the-ground role at Northstar events offers a rare view into how content, logistics and attendee experience feed each other.

Through downturns and disruption, one truth remains: when the world shifts, people meet to solve problems. Join us to hear what’s new, what works and what’s next for meetings, conventions and incentives—and how to tell better stories about all three. If this conversation helped you think differently about events, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review so others can find the show.

You can connect with Sally via email at

Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to the Media in Minutes podcast here or anywhere you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-in-minutes/id1555710662

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A single press call about the farm bill changed everything for our guest, Business Management Editor Cassidy Walter of Successful Farming. What started as a political beat in college became a career dedicated to helping producers make smart, profitable decisions in an unpredictable market.

We explore how Cassidy translates corn, soybean, wheat and livestock price moves into plain-English guidance farmers can act on. She explains the difference between agronomy and business reporting, why clear market context matters more when margins tighten and how stories on mental health and community sit alongside coverage of land values, basis and risk management. Cassidy also pulls back the curtain on the craft: breaking down complex policy and trade, partnering with designers to make tough topics visual and choosing sources who bring data and lived experience to the page.

You’ll hear about standout features like the Huck and Buck Farm Sanctuary profile, the Future Grain Marketers of America story that demystifies hedging for the next generation, and the Mexico Maize package unpacking GMO corn and trade. We also dig into what makes Successful Farming unique across magazine, web, radio and podcasts, plus a preview of high-impact projects: the future of California specialty crops as Peru competes on price, whether grain markets are in a longer downturn and a practical safety guide on preventing and managing fire on the farm.

PR pros, there’s candid advice here on pitching: write crystal-clear headlines and decks, aim the idea at the right editor and match timelines to print versus digital. Cassidy shares the types of analysts and farmer voices she needs, and the one contact method she always checks: email. If you care about the business side of agriculture, storytelling with purpose and decisions that keep family operations resilient, this conversation is for you.

You can connect with Cassidy via email at cassidy.walter@agriculture.com.

Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to the Media in Minutes podcast here or anywhere you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-in-minutes/id1555710662