Fall 2024 & Spring 2024 Fellow
Jane Coaston is the lead host of Crooked Media‘s daily news show “What A Day.” She also is an on-air contributor for the “Chris Wallace Show” and other CNN shows.
Jane was previously a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times with a special interest in American conservatism. She has written on topics including QAnon, college admission scandals, evangelicalism in America, and elections. She also hosted the popular New York Times podcast, “The Argument,” which offers context, analysis, and good-faith engagement on current political debates. Jane was a Senior Politics Reporter at Vox, covering current events spanning from the Republican Party to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Her work has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NPR, The Ringer, Buzzfeed, and The Washington Post. She has written for publications ranging from ESPN Magazine to The National Review. Jane served as a writer for the Human Rights Campaign from 2014-2016. She had previously worked for the Environmental Working Group, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Arabella Advisors, and the St. Louis Post.
She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, holding a B.A. in History and Political Science with a focus on World War, and she currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband.
Fall 2024 Study Group- Politics and Podcasts: Discovering Your Voice in the Digital Age
What can political podcasts offer listeners and audiences in an election landscape that is more confusing and more consequential than ever? In this study group with journalist and podcast host Jane Coaston, we dove into how podcasting works to shape political and cultural discourse. Students learned how podcasts are written and produced and the complex process that goes into making a podcast a success — and what that means for our politics and our culture. In addition, students built on what they learned during a studio visit. Whether you’re a longtime podcast fan, interested in launching your own show, or just interested in how political conversations are shaped, this study group proved engaging and informative, offering attendees new insights into how the biggest names in politics make some of the best podcasts.
Spring 2024 Study Group- A History of Opinion: Yours, Mine and the Times
Opinion writing is an art. Some people are doing it wrong. In this study group, New York Times writer Jane Coaston showed students how to do it better. They discussed the history of opinion writing from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries as well as different platforms of opinion, such as TV and internet publications. Finally, they looked at what the rise of opinion journalism has to tell us about the media, news, history, and, well, us.
Fall 2024 & Spring 2024 Semester Recaps
Jane Coaston said this about her experience at USC’s Center for the Political Future: “I loved being a Fellow because of the students. Some of the smartest, kindest, and best-prepared people I’ve ever gotten the chance to work with.”
USC students in Jane’s study group shared this about their experience:
“I learned what makes a good podcast (and a bad one), especially when it comes to ones talking about politics. My favorite part was the collaborative nature of it, where Jane encouraged us to give our thoughts and think about what sort of future we envision for the podcast industry.”
“Having spent extensive time in the USC Annenberg Media Center but minimal time in non-scholastic professional environments, being able to get an inside look at the machinations behind a major podcasting company with a somewhat rare viewpoint for the medium (establishment left) was incredibly valuable. I enjoyed every minute of each visit and the study group as a whole.”
Jane Coaston said this about her experience at USC’s Center for the Political Future: “My favorite part of my fellowship were the students. They were interested, interesting, and excited to engage and participate in conversations that were wide ranging and fascinating. I did not attend USC, but I am going to miss it profoundly.”
USC students in Jane’s study group shared this about their experience:
“I loved hearing about Jane’s own experiences with opinion writing and how we should apply that to ours. I also loved the guest speakers we heard from.”
Jennifer Nehrer, Journalism
“I gained more knowledge about what makes good opinion journalism and more broadly what makes good reporting, and how to integrate opinion journalism with complex or debated political issues to create meaningful coverage of important events/topics. My favorite part of being in this study group was getting to hear and share different points of view on a variety of topics relating to opinion journalism, and forming close connections with my peers and Jane.”
Jane shared her thoughts on the importance of politics, her first political experience, her advice for having respectful political discourse, and what she appreciates about CPF in her “Quick Takes: Q&A with CPF Fellow Jane Coaston” video.