Why We Wrote This
Who reports the news? People. And at The Christian Science Monitor, we believe that it’s our job to report each story with a sense of shared humanity. Through conversations with our reporters and editors, we explain the qualities behind our reporting that affect how we approach the news. Behind today’s headlines we find respect, resilience, dignity, agency, and hope. “Why We Wrote This” shows how. The Monitor is an award-winning, nonpartisan news organization with bureaus around the globe. Visit CSMonitor.com/whywewrotethis to learn more.
Why We Went Deep on Sudan
A land war grinds on into another winter in Europe’s east. The Mideast keeps spiraling, old enmity refueled. A U.S. presidential election claims whatever sliver of attention is left. The West tends to forget about the African continent even in less distracting times. But stories from many of its more than 50 countries abound – of wars, yes. Of starvation. But also of human courage and resilience. In this episode, the Monitor’s Peter Ford, our international news editor, joins host Clay Collins to explore the why and how of our recent series on Sudan.
Election Unprecedented, Part 2
Georgia’s voting-rules dispute has been given a lot of attention. So have process changes in other states, along with the standard complexities of mail-in ballot counts and the (now standard, it seems) preelection charges of a “rigged” process. In the second of two parts of a conversation with guest host Gail Russell Chaddock, the Monitor’s Cameron Joseph talks about this presidential election cycle compared with the past two, and about how he works to hold both sides to account in telling the full story.
Election Unprecedented, Part 1
The late-game ouster of an incumbent as candidate, state rules in flux, and back-to-back hurricanes in battleground states? Yes, the 2024 U.S. presidential election sits in a category of its own. Beneath those big factors: a set of wedge issues and a pair of candidates with stark differences of approach and appeal. Monitor politics writer Cameron Joseph joins guest host Gail Russell Chaddock to talk about the work of covering the wild run-up – and bracing for what’s next.
Gaza’s Story, From the Inside
Amid intensifying strife and humanitarian disaster, how do you report a story like the war in Gaza accurately and compassionately? How do you recognize the complexities of a war in which intense suffering exists alongside a powerful humanity and an effort to cling to hope? Monitor correspondents Ghada Abdulfattah in Gaza and Taylor Luck in Jordan join Managing Editor Amelia Newcomb, our guest host, to talk about the challenges they face – and, in Ghada’s case, how she navigates the danger and chaos that confront her every moment of the day.
Encore: The Power of Porches
Americans’ loss of social connection has long been an issue, and it worsened during the pandemic era to the point where loneliness hit epidemic levels. Today, some 6 Americans in 10 are reluctant to talk politics with those whose views oppose their own, even though it’s well known that such exchanges can be a balm. In this episode – an encore of one recorded in May 2023 – writer Sophie Hills talks about how she crafted a kind of antidote story, one about front-porch culture and the power of people to collectively make their lives a bit richer. Hosted by Clay Collins.
A Fuller View of Taiwan
Western news reports about Taiwan tend to focus on the island’s relationships with global superpowers, notably China and the United States. The people of Taiwan and their history can sometimes get lost in those narratives. Writer Ann Scott Tyson made a return trip to Taiwan to gather more of those important perspectives. Her cover story is a sort of coming of age story for Taiwan, exploring issues of national identity, civic responsibility, and peace. She joins guest host Lindsey McGinnis, the Monitor’s Asia editor, to discuss it.
A Fight Over Students’ Phones
You wouldn’t want your kid toting a television to class. So why allow a smartphone? That’s one take on a big back-to-school issue this year. Another take: Phones can be lifelines in emergencies. Two Monitor writers reported on the perspectives of parents, students, and educators and found a conversation growing that might finally yield some compromise solutions.
Encore: A Zeal for Reels
How does the Monitor’s film critic decide what to review – especially in festival settings? For Peter Rainer, it’s about staying moored by his own long experience and curating with a Monitor audience in mind. After the Toronto festival in 2023, Peter spoke on our podcast about how he does that. The films have changed; the work has not. We’ve reprised some of that episode this week.
A Beat That’s Bigger Than Borders
Hopes, fears, and hard decisions: The stories of would-be immigrants are stories that matter. So, too, are the stories and views of the many other stakeholders in the immigration debate, including U.S. ranchers whose land becomes the first zones of contention. Monitor writer Sarah Matusek is based in Denver, a city that has received thousands of people from South and Central American countries over the past two years. She joined host Clay Collins to talk about reporting a sprawling story with completeness and compassion.
Scenes From the Press Pool
What’s it like being in a president’s presence at big moments? What about at small ones, as when the commander-in-chief offers to buy you a burger? It’s all part of working in the press pool, where a hand-picked gaggle of reporters chronicles the president’s moves in real time and faithfully feeds detailed missives to the wider media. Linda Feldmann, who has cycled through the work for two decades, and Sophie Hills, who’s just getting her feet wet, joined veteran D.C. writer and our podcast’s guest host to describe the work and tell some tales.
