If you told me a year ago that I’d be hosting a podcast about journalism in the middle of a pandemic, I would have called you crazy.

But this seems to be the year of crazy, right? Open any news app and read the headlines from the past six months. I think you’ll have to agree that the amount of information we are trying to process can become overwhelming.

Professor Sue Ellen Christian, the first guest of Season 9 of The Lead, shares a great tool for understanding the crazy we are experiencing: media literacy. With a practical but hopeful tone, Christian of Western Michigan University shares how we can apply media literacy to consume and create content that helps make sense of the world. She reminds us to value our attention and remember the power of the story.

I am so thankful to begin this process, learn a lot and share stories from media leaders. Here’s to trying new things and embracing the crazy. 

Give the episode a listen: 

Caroline Odom is a junior majoring in journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. She is also majoring in risk management and insurance with a certificate in personal and organizational leadership at UGA’s Terry College of Business.