Amplifying Voices and Correcting the Record

What if you could use your voice to amplify the voices of others? This is the ethos underlying the Second Draft Podcast. This student-produced podcast focuses on reparative journalism as a part of the Second Draft Project course at the University of Southern California (USC). It is hosted by Dr. Allissa Richardson, associate professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at USC, and Professor Jameela Hammond, adjunct professor and radio coach at the Annenberg School.

What is the Second Draft Podcast?

The Second Draft Podcast is a natural extension of the Second Draft Project, which aims to correct the common misconceptions arising from biased media coverage of African American news and history. The project uses AI technology to create interactive interviews of key historical figures, while the podcast focuses on audio journalism as an avenue for reparative journalism. In each episode, USC undergraduate journalism students explore the biases present in the media coverage of major personalities and events in African American history. Currently two seasons long, the podcast has delved into the lives and deaths of memorable individuals like civil rights leader Malcolm X and legendary musician Nipsey Hussle.

The existence of this podcast begs the question: Why does journalism need to pay reparations in the first place, and how?

The Pursuit of Reparative Journalism

The late Philip L. Graham, former President of the Washington Post, is often credited with saying, “Journalism is the first rough draft of history.” In many ways, this is true. Media and news coverage are our first points of reference for recording any contemporary historical event. But what happens when the first draft is flawed? News coverage is frequently littered with biases, omissions, and misconceptions. This leaves us with an incomplete — or worse, incorrect — version of history. This is why creating a second draft through reparative journalism is not only a necessity but also an obligation.

The term “reparative journalism” was coined by researcher Meredith D. Clark. At its core, it recognizes that the institution of American journalism was built on a foundation of discrimination that seeps into media to this day. To make a change, we must first accept the shortfalls of the system.

Reparative journalism is the term I use to describe a specific approach to newsmaking that centers structural vulnerability as its core value. It is the framework I envision for the news media to redeem itself by reconstructing our shared reality through radically inclusive editorial choices. — Meredith D. Clark

The world’s first school of journalism was opened by Walter Williams in 1908 at the University of Missouri, colloquially referred to as Mizzou. It was intended to professionalize and standardize the craft through academic structure. Williams also created the Journalist’s Creed, a set of ethical and professional rules for journalists to abide by (think the Hippocratic Oath, but for journalists). Many journalists still live by this creed to this day. However, we need to understand this in context. 1908 was knee-deep in the Jim Crow era, when most Southern academic institutions abided by the “separate but equal” ideology, which prohibited different races from studying together. In 1939, the Missouri School of Journalism famously rescinded its admission of Black journalist Lucile Bluford from its graduate program once it realized that she was Black, and took the matter to court. It’s worth noting that this wasn’t even the first time Mizzou was sued over racial segregation. Bluford ultimately lost in court, and it wasn’t till 1950 that Mizzou had its first Black student.

All this considered, does this strike you as a profession free from bias? Can one not argue that discrimination was built into its very foundation? Reparative journalism is not an attempt to merely reform the person, but crucially, it must reform the system.

Change Through Storytelling

We invite you to join our students as they revisit Black news stories that were misreported or underreported in mainstream media. With in-depth research and first-person accounts, we center Black storytellers to create a more accurate and inclusive record of Black history.

For instance, the second episode of the podcast focuses on the Daughters of the Movement, Black women who have carried on the mantle of civil rights work from the generation before them. Our students referenced the speeches of Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, who has dedicated her life to carrying on the work of both her parents. Dr. Shabazz grew up with a unique difficulty; everyone thought they knew her father, yet most people outside her family had a skewed perception of him. Early news coverage painted him as little more than a violence-seeking radical, and even recent media have a one-dimensional view of him. Dr. Shabazz describes her late father as kind, loving, and compassionate, qualities that were necessary to address the racial injustices of the time. Even after his death, her mother and sisters continued to discuss him and his work fondly.

Season Two of the Second Draft Podcast covers the life and legacy of Black music legend and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle. Nipsey Hussle, or Ermias Joseph Asghedom to his family, was a powerful example of the creativity and communal spirit of African Americans on the West Coast. Through a series of episodes, the student hosts guide you through a detailed narrative of his life and career. With three Grammy nominations and two wins, he succeeded as an independent rapper at a time when hip-hop struggled to gain mainstream recognition. With a knack for business innovation and a penchant for giving back, he died tragically young but well-loved. He poured tens of thousands of dollars in investments and donations into his native Crenshaw District, determined to give others the start in life that he didn’t have.

The highest human act is to inspire. — Nipsey Hussle

Listen In

History can teach us a lot, and correcting flawed records can help us understand even more. Join us on this exploratory journey as we comb through Black history and gear up for the third season of the Second Draft Podcast. Tune into the podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, or Podbay.

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