It's All Journalism

Michael O'Connell spent twelve years making It's All Journalism, recording over 650 conversations with working journalists about the real state of the profession. The show wrapped in December 2024, but the archive is enormous and most of it remains remarkably relevant. O'Connell had a knack for finding the people doing genuinely interesting work in newsrooms, whether that was a local reporter experimenting with newsletter models, a data journalist at a regional paper building tools from scratch, or an editor wrestling with how to cover AI fairly. Each episode ran about 30 to 45 minutes and had the feel of a thoughtful coffee conversation rather than a formal interview. The topics ranged widely: FOIA strategies, audience engagement, revenue models, diversity in newsrooms, mental health for reporters, and the practical challenges of covering local government when your staff has been cut by half. The show partnered with the American Press Institute for a recurring segment called Better News, which highlighted specific innovations at outlets around the country. It has 281 episodes on Apple Podcasts with a 4.4-star rating from 41 reviewers. The tone was consistently optimistic without being naive, which was refreshing in a profession that can lean toward despair. For anyone entering journalism or trying to figure out where the industry is heading, this archive is a genuine education. The concluded status means no new episodes are coming, but what exists is a time capsule of a profession in the middle of its biggest transformation.