Dr. Jesse Schroeder, associate professor of communication at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, is using his academic and television industry experiences to launch a podcast that provides a behind-the-scenes look at today’s media landscape.
After finishing his faculty portfolio this past year, he decided he’d like to enhance his scholarly activities but discovered there is not much content available when it comes to research in the media industry. So earlier this spring semester, he created a scholarly podcast titled “Masterclass: Media Matters.”
Through thoughtful conversations between Schroeder and his guests, this podcast will provide industry analysis and real-world stories from his media professional contacts, offering information for aspiring journalists, other media professionals and those who are curious about the profession in general.
A new episode will be available each Monday, where listeners will learn more about the media profession from the perspective of those actively working in it.
Schroeder explained that the podcast serves four key audiences: students seeking industry knowledge, researchers and educators looking to align academia with current trends, professionals eager to learn from peers, and media consumers wanting a clearer view into how the industry operates. Together, these perspectives create a space for learning, collaboration, and deeper understanding of today’s ever-shifting media landscape.
“Anyone who consumes media content can be enlightened by what they may learn about the industry,” Schroeder said. “In today’s climate, there are multiple streams of disinformation and misunderstanding surrounding the way media works. Media consumers can learn from industry leaders about how the business works and what goes into making decisions that impact what they receive as the media consumer.”
Schroeder said he is also learning from these industry professionals and is sharing this information with his current students.
“Many times, what I learn simply validates what I’m teaching,” Schroeder said. “Other times, it gives me a new perspective or idea I want to share with my students.”
He said he originally planned to require his students in certain classes to listen to each episode, but soon discovered that many of them had subscribed to the podcast and were listening to the episodes on their own, allowing for discussion in classes.
A recent guest on the podcast deals with the timely 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. Schroeder shares an interview with Robin Marsh, a news anchor/reporter at KWTV News 9 in Oklahoma City, who was one of the first journalists on the ground that day. She discusses her coverage of the tragic event and the days following, along with some wisdom she’s learned over the years.
Other interviews on the podcast so far include:
- Rachel Knapp, a national news correspondent in Washington, D.C., shares what it’s like to work at the network level and with politicians in DC.
- Jason Goodwin, an assistant news director at KLTV/KTRE in Tyler, Texas, where Schroeder also worked as a main evening anchor from 2021-2023. Goodwin shares advice on the changes in the media industry and what he looks for when hiring.
- Joseph Perez, a news producer in Houston, Texas, and a former student of Schroeder’s who is a Northwestern graduate. Perez discusses his role behind the camera and creating content. He also talks about how digital news is now first in most newsrooms with TV news coming in second.
- Daniella Rivera, an investigative journalist in Salt Lake City, Utah, shares information regarding her field. Her station invests in doing investigations, and her stories have prompted major political change in some cases.
- Cody Gottschalk, a broadcast meteorologist at KLTV/KTRE in Tyler, Texas, shares about his role as a TV meteorologist and how digital news and weather consumption has changed the way he gets information out.
- Amy Wilson, a Western Lifestyle Media Professional. She is the former host on RFD-TV and Cowboy Channel and is a former Miss Rodeo America. Wilson now works for the Equine Network. She discusses media-related jobs outside of the traditional news setting.
- Devyn Shea, a digital news host at KOLD-TV in Tucson, Arizona, will be on the April 21 episode. She discusses how news consumption has changed with a focus now on digital media content. She hosts from a live streaming news desk in the middle of the KOLD newsroom every weekday.
A link directly to the “Masterclass: Media Matters” podcast on Spotify may be found at https://open.spotify.com/show/3viT7GeRLCNb6dnXHfeb29, or listeners may search for the title of the podcast on this station, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.
The Freedom native is a 2003 graduate of Northwestern’s mass communication program and went to work immediately in the radio and television news industry. During this time, he also started work on his master’s degree. In 2006, he was offered the broadcast media position at Northwestern and finished his master’s degree in 2007. He taught in the communication department for eight years and earned a Ph.D. in Education Technology Management in 2011. He left Northwestern in 2014 when he was offered a morning anchor position at KXII in Sherman, Texas. After several years there, he and his family moved to Tyler, Texas, in 2021 where he worked as a main evening anchor at KLTV/KTRE television. In 2023, his contract was up in Tyler, and he decided not to renew it. He and his family felt it was time to move back home to northwest Oklahoma, where he was able to return to Northwestern and start teaching in the communication department once again.
“It is so nice to be back, and to be able to teach and mentor the next generation of communication majors,” Schroeder said.
He is married to Amanda, also a Northwestern graduate. They have three children, Brayden and Parker, who are current Northwestern students, and Mia, who attends Freedom Public Schools.
To learn more about the mass communication program at Northwestern, contact Schroeder at jaschroeder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8465 or visit https://www.www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/communication/mass-communication.
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