Moderator:
- Matt Loveless, Assistant Professor of Practice, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
Panelists:
- Steven Thorpe, SVP of Product Strategy & Growth, NEP Group, Inc.
- Brandon Schrand, Executive Producer & Host, The Snake River Killer podcast and WSU Director of MarCom, CAHNRS
- Kyle Bonagura, Sports Journalist & Podcaster, ESPN
Length of Lesson: 75-90 minutes
- 10 minute warm-up
- 50 minute panel
- 15-20 minute discussion
- Optional classroom activities:
- Fact or Speculation?
- Build an Ethical Podcast
- Reflection assignment
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Explain how journalists and podcasters verify information before publishing.
- Analyze the ethical challenges involved in reporting true crime stories.
- Distinguish between evidence-based journalism and speculation or sensationalism.
- Evaluate how storytelling techniques influence audience engagement.
- Recognize the importance of transparency, sourcing, and verification in building public trust.
- Apply media literacy skills when evaluating podcasts, documentaries, videos, and other digital media.
1: Pre-Video Warm-Up
Activity: “Would You Believe It?”
Present students with three short headlines.
Examples:
- A viral TikTok claims police arrested the wrong suspect.
- A podcast uncovers new evidence in a decades-old murder.
- A YouTube creator says investigators covered up important facts.
Ask students:
- Which headline would you trust first?
- What information would you need before believing it?
- Does popularity make something more credible?
Transition:
Today’s panel explores how journalists and podcasters investigate real crimes while balancing truth, ethics, audience engagement, and respect for victims.
2: Watch the Presentation
Content Advisory: This presentation discusses creating content centered around real criminal cases, violence, and trauma. Teachers are encouraged to preview the video and determine whether the content is appropriate for their students and classroom setting.
Teacher Note
Encourage students to listen for examples of:
- fact-checking
- source verification
- transparency
- ethical storytelling
- investigative journalism
- audience trust
- narrative structure
- misinformation
- media literacy
3. Post-Viewing Discussion Questions
- The panelists explained that producing a single investigative podcast may require months – or even years – of research.
Why is extensive research especially important when reporting true crime? - Kyle Bonagura described becoming a “subject matter expert” before publishing his podcast.
Why should journalists fully understand a topic before telling its story? - The panel repeatedly emphasized transparency when information could not be completely verified.
Why is it better for journalists to admit uncertainty rather than present assumptions as facts? - The speakers discussed how some online creators copy reporting without proper attribution or verification.
How can audiences distinguish between original journalism and recycled or misleading content? - True crime podcasts often use suspense to keep audiences engaged.
Where should journalists draw the line between compelling storytelling and sensationalizing tragedy? - Several panelists discussed protecting victims and treating families with dignity.
Why should empathy remain an important part of journalism, even when covering difficult or controversial stories? - The panel explained that podcasts, social media, and YouTube have made it easier than ever for anyone to publish content.
What responsibilities come with having that level of public influence? - The panelists argued that media literacy is becoming one of society’s most important skills.
What habits can help people become more thoughtful consumers of digital media? - One speaker noted that audiences should evaluate not only what a creator says, but how they gathered the information.
Why does understanding a journalist’s reporting process help build credibility? - If you were producing a true crime podcast, what ethical standards would you establish before publishing your first episode?
Optional Activity 1: Fact or Speculation?
Time: 20 minutes
Divide students into small groups.
Provide each group with a fictional crime scenario containing a mixture of:
- verified facts
- eyewitness statements
- anonymous rumors
- social media posts
- police statements
- unconfirmed speculation
Students sort each piece of information into three categories:
- Verified Fact
- Needs Verification
- Should Not Be Reported Yet
Groups compare their decisions and explain their reasoning.
Conclude by discussing how misinformation often spreads when speculation is presented as fact.
Optional Activity 2: Build an Ethical Podcast
Time: 15–20 minutes
Working in teams, students imagine they are launching a new investigative podcast.
Their challenge is to create an editorial code of ethics by answering:
- How will we verify information?
- How many independent sources should confirm important facts?
- How will we protect victims and families?
- When should we decide not to publish information?
- How will we correct mistakes if new evidence emerges?
Each team shares its five ethical principles.
Compare similarities between the different codes.
Reflection Assignment
Prompt
The panelists argued that audiences are increasingly surrounded by podcasts, videos, social media posts, and other content that may not always be accurate.
Write one page reflecting on:
- Why media literacy matters today.
- What responsibilities journalists have when reporting real events.
- How transparency and ethical storytelling help build public trust.
Support your reflection with examples from the panel discussion.
Key Takeaways
Students should leave understanding that:
- Great journalism depends on evidence, verification, and transparency.
- Ethical storytelling requires balancing audience engagement with respect for victims and their families.
- Not all podcasts or online creators follow professional journalistic standards.
- Critical thinking helps audiences distinguish reliable reporting from speculation or misinformation.
- Transparency about uncertainty strengthens credibility rather than weakening it.
- Responsible journalists continually verify information, correct mistakes, and prioritize truth over speed or popularity.
Teacher Notes
Media Literacy Connections
This lesson provides one of the strongest opportunities in The Murrow Standard series to explore the foundations of responsible journalism and critical media consumption.
Key themes include:
- Verification Before Publication: Students learn that credible journalism depends on confirming information through multiple sources, documentary evidence, and transparent reporting practices—not assumptions or viral claims.
- Distinguishing Fact from Speculation: The panel demonstrates how professional journalists separate verified facts from rumors, anonymous claims, and unconfirmed information, reinforcing essential critical thinking skills.
- Ethical Storytelling: Students examine the responsibility journalists have to tell compelling stories without exploiting victims, sensationalizing tragedy, or sacrificing accuracy for entertainment.
- Transparency Builds Trust: Rather than presenting uncertain information as fact, the panelists explain how acknowledging limitations in reporting can strengthen public confidence in journalism.
- Evaluating Digital Media: Students are encouraged to think critically about podcasts, YouTube channels, TikTok videos, and other online content by asking important questions:
- Who created this content?
- What evidence supports their claims?
- How do they know the information is true?
- Are they citing original reporting?
- Are they separating facts from opinions?
This lesson reinforces one of the central goals of The Murrow Standard: helping students become thoughtful consumers – and ethical creators – of media by recognizing that credibility is earned through rigorous reporting, transparency, and a commitment to truth over sensationalism.