Shock and Owe

 Film & Press · Media Criticism

When the Press Chose the Easy Story — and Why It Mattered

Rob Reiner's Shock and Awe is a film about a war. But more than that, it's a film about cowardice in the newsroom — and the few who refused to play along.

Imagine you're a reporter in 2002. The United States just suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. The president says a foreign country has dangerous weapons that could be used again. Almost every major newspaper in the country agrees. Your editor agrees. Your colleagues agree. Do you just go along with it, or do you keep digging?

That is the central question in Shock and Awe, Rob Reiner's 2017 film about the months leading up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The film is based on real events and real people. And the answer two reporters gave  Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel of Knight Ridder news service changed how we understand what journalism is supposed to do.

Two very different newsrooms

Most big-name news outlets in 2002 and 2003 ran with the government's story. Officials said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). They said Saddam Hussein was a threat. They connected him, vaguely, to the 9/11 attacks. Reporters printed what officials said. Editors approved the stories. The public read them and believed.

Knight Ridder was different. It wasn't a flashy outlet. It didn't have the same prestige as The New York Times or The Washington Post. But Landay and Strobel did something simple that most other reporters weren't doing: they went and talked to the people who weren't at the podium. They called mid-level intelligence analysts, weapons experts, and inspectors who had actually been to Iraq. And those people had serious doubts about the government's claims.

"They weren't smarter than everyone else. They just asked the next question — and then the one after that."— the core lesson of the film

The stories Knight Ridder published were accurate. They warned that the WMD case was weak, that the intelligence was shaky, and that the push for war was moving too fast. Almost no one paid attention at the time. The invasion happened anyway. And when no weapons were ever found, the Knight Ridder stories turned out to be right all along.

Why the press went along

It would be easy to say the other reporters were just lazy or dishonest. But the film shows a more complicated picture. After 9/11, the country was frightened and angry. Questioning the government felt, to many people, like being unpatriotic. Reporters who had close relationships with White House officials didn't want to risk losing that access by being too tough. And frankly, the story the government was telling was exciting and easy to run with.

This is one of the oldest tensions in journalism: the press is supposed to challenge the government, not act as its spokesperson. But when the government is popular, and the public wants to believe a particular story, that challenge becomes very hard to make. The reporters who do it anyway tend to get ignored, criticized, or shut out.

That's exactly what happened to Landay and Strobel. Even after their stories ran, colleagues at bigger outlets brushed them off. Readers sent angry letters. The two men were treated like they were being difficult, or worse, disloyal, or for simply doing their jobs.

Why are they the heroes here

Landay and Strobel aren't heroes in this story because they turned out to be right. They're heroes because they kept going when everyone around them said to stop. They didn't have insider access. They didn't have a famous editor backing them up. What they had was a commitment to finding actual evidence and the stubbornness to keep looking even when no one seemed to care.

For journalists, that's the real lesson. Not every story has a clear villain. Not every lie is obvious. Sometimes the most dangerous thing isn't a government that's hiding something, it's a media world that has decided it already knows the answer and stopped asking questions.

For the rest of us, regular readers and citizens, the lesson is just as important. The film is a reminder that "everyone is reporting it" doesn't make something true. The biggest news organizations in the country got this story badly wrong. That should make all of us a little more careful about which sources we trust and why.

Does any of this sound familiar today?

It should. The pressures that led to the Iraq War coverage haven't gone away. Today's reporters still rely on government sources. They still risk losing access if they're too critical. And the pressure to be first, to publish now, verify later, is even stronger in the age of social media than it was in 2002.

That doesn't mean history is simply repeating itself. But it does mean the question the film asks is still a live one: when the government is pushing a story hard, and most of your colleagues are going along with it, do you have the courage to slow down and check?

Hindsight makes the right choice seem obvious. It always does. The hard part is making it in the moment, when you don't know how the story ends, when being the person who asks "but are we sure?" means standing alone in a very loud room.

That's what Landay and Strobel did. It cost them. And it turned out to matter more than almost anything else that was published during that entire period.

Voice, Visibility, and Power

After breaking barriers in education, she went on to build an influential career in journalism. She worked for major news organizations like The New York Times and PBS NewsHour, where she focused on telling stories that were often overlooked. Her work emphasized the importance of giving a voice to underrepresented communities.

Charlayne Hunter - Gault

Today I will be discussing the impact, influence, and legacy of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a trailblazer in both civil rights and journalism.

Hunter-Gault in 1975

Charlayne Hunter-Gault made history in 1961 when she became one of the first Black students to integrate the University of Georgia. At the time, she faced intense discrimination, protests, and even threats to her safety. Despite this, she remained strong and continued her education, becoming a symbol of courage during the Civil Rights Movement.

Book of the Times By Charlayne Hunter Gault

One of her most impactful contributions was her reporting on Africa. Instead of reinforcing negative stereotypes, she highlighted the complexity, culture, and progress of African nations. This helped shift global perspectives and encouraged more accurate storytelling.

Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s influence extends far beyond her own career. She has inspired generations of young journalists, especially women and people of color, to pursue careers in media and to tell stories that matter. Her legacy reminds us that journalism is not just about reporting facts—it is about truth, representation, and making a difference.

In conclusion, Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s life demonstrates the power of resilience, leadership, and storytelling. She not only broke barriers but also used her voice to create lasting change in society.

What I learned about Ida B Wells

 My thoughts on Bria Henry's presentation on Ida B Wells

When our teacher assigned class presentations, I walked in expecting the standard experience — slides packed with text, a nervous delivery, and information I'd probably forget by lunch. What I did not expect was to leave feeling genuinely educated and moved. Bria Henreys' presentation on Ida B. Wells was something else entirely, and I think it deserves to be talked about.

A Trailblazing Career in Journalism That Defied Every Odd

One of the first things Bria broke down was Ida B. Wells' journalism career, and the context she provided made it hit completely differently than anything I'd read in a textbook. Wells became a prominent journalist and newspaper co-owner in the late 1800s — a time when that path was nearly impossible for Black Americans, let alone Black women. She used her platform fearlessly, writing investigative pieces that exposed racial injustice across the South. Bria explained how Wells documented lynchings with the rigor of a trained investigator, compiling data and eyewitness accounts to challenge the false narratives being used to justify racial terror. I had no idea the depth and danger behind that work until Bria laid it out so clearly.

Her Overlooked Role in Founding the NAACP

This was genuinely the part of the presentation that surprised me most. Bria highlighted that Ida B. Wells was one of the founding members of the NAACP in 1909 — yet her contributions have been consistently downplayed or left out of mainstream historical accounts. Wells was instrumental in organizing and pushing for the organization's civil rights mission, but over time, credit shifted toward other figures. Hearing Bria present this so directly made me realize how much of history gets quietly rewritten, and how important it is to go beyond the standard curriculum to find the full truth.

The Personal Struggles Behind the Legacy

Bria also took time to humanize Ida B. Wells beyond her achievements, which I thought was a really thoughtful choice. She talked about the personal hardships Wells endured — being exiled from Memphis after her anti-lynching editorials sparked outrage, navigating a society that pushed back against her at every turn, and fighting to be taken seriously in spaces that were never designed to include her. Learning about those struggles made her accomplishments feel even more extraordinary. It wasn't just what she achieved — it was what she overcame to achieve it.

Truth In Journalism

My Thoughts on Five Star Final

 I thought a lot about the history of journalism and how the field has battled to strike a balance between responsibility, profit, and the truth after watching Five Star Final. The press employees' actions throughout the movie show a number of ideas we have studied, particularly the emergence of the Penny Press, the influence of press barons, and a powerful approach of Yellow Journalism. I became mindful of how quickly journalism can move from informing the public to simply attracting attention as I watched the characters decide what to publish.

The newspaper in the movie behaves a lot like the early Penny Press newspapers, which was one of the most obvious similarities I saw. News was no longer limited to wealthy readers when newspapers such as The New York Sun started to sell for just a penny. Editors frequently concentrated on stories that would grab readers' attention because these publications relied on sizable audiences to survive. Scandals and crime stories were popular because they were dramatic and poignant.In Five Star Final, the newspaper decides to reopen an old murder case mainly because they believe it will sell more papers. As I watched the film, it felt clear that the goal wasn’t really to inform the public but to create a shocking headline that people would want to read.

I also saw how the movie shows how powerful press barons are. The editor in the movie seems to know that reopening the story could be bad, but he still feels like he has to do it. The owners of the newspaper want a story that will get more people to read it, and that pressure goes down to the reporters. It led me to reflect on how powerful newspaper publishers in the past often put business ahead of journalism. When earning profits is the primary concern, it can be easy to disregard concerns about making moral decisions.

Additionally, yellow journalism is heavily represented in the film. Even though it is obvious that those involved in the previous crime want to move on with their lives, the reporters pursue them and press for information. The newspaper is more interested in generating drama than in providing facts that aid the public in understanding a significant issue. Observing those scenes got me thinking about how easily journalists who are focused on attention and competition can cross ethical boundaries.

The movie also raises important questions about the obligations about journalists. I think  journalists have a responsibility to be equal and considerate to the people they cover. They ought to consider how their stories might actually affect someone's life. They also have an obligation to readers to be truthful and accurate. People should be able to fully understand actual social problems through journalism. In the past, investigative journalists like Ida Tarbell and Nellie Bly used their work to educate the public and reveal issues.

While watching the movie, I did notice that the editor seemed to struggle with these questions. At certain points he looked uncomfortable with what the newspaper was doing, which made think that he understood the ethical conflict. Overall, the movie made me realize that the tension between truth, profit, and responsibility has been part of journalism for a long time. Even though the film is from 1931, the issues it shows still feel very relevant today.

Journalism and Media History

The Roots of Investigative Journalism

Investigative journalism did not begin with modern documentaries or viral social media threads. Its roots stretch back to the nineteenth century, when reporters realized the press could do more than repeat events; it could challenge power and expose wrongdoing. Over time, several major moments helped shape investigative reporting into what it is today. From the rise of cheap newspapers in the 1830s to brave undercover reporting and the reform-minded writers of the early twentieth century, these milestones created the foundation for the watchdog journalism society relies on today.

The Penny Press and Public Accountability

The first major turning point came with the Penny Press in the 1830s. Newspapers such as the New York Sun were sold for only a penny, making news affordable to everyday people rather than just wealthy readers. Because these papers depended on large audiences to survive, journalists began covering issues that mattered to ordinary citizens. Stories about political corruption, crime, labor struggles, and unsafe conditions began appearing more often. The Penny Press did not fully invent investigative journalism, but it helped create a culture where reporters questioned authority and worked to serve the public interest.

Figure 4.7 R. F. Outcault’s The Yellow Kid, first published in William Randolf Hearst’s New York Journal in 1896.

Nellie Bly and Immersive Reporting

In 1887 a determined young reporter named :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} changed journalism forever by going undercover in a New York mental asylum. Working for the New York World, Bly pretended to have a mental illness so she could be admitted to the institution on Blackwell's Island. Once inside, she documented the harsh conditions patients experienced every day. Her reporting described neglect, poor treatment, and abuse that had long been hidden from the public. Because her story came from firsthand experience, readers felt the reality of the situation more deeply. Bly proved that immersive, first person reporting could reveal truths that traditional reporting sometimes missed.

Photo by H.L. Meyers, Portrait of Nellie Bly. Prints and Photographs Division.

The Muckrakers and Reform

By the early 1900s investigative journalism grew even more powerful through the work of writers known as muckrakers. Journalists spent years gathering evidence and interviewing sources to expose corruption in major industries. Tarbell's investigation revealed how the company used unfair practices to dominate the oil market. Meanwhile Sinclair's novel exposed shocking conditions inside Chicago's meatpacking plants. Public outrage from these investigations helped push the government to pass stronger antitrust laws and improve food safety regulations.

Why Investigative Journalism Still Matters

These moments in history reveal the deeper purpose of investigative journalism. At its core, it exists to hold powerful institutions accountable and give the public the information they need to understand their world. The tools journalists use today may include data analysis, digital records, and international collaboration, but the mission remains the same. Just like the reporters of the Penny Press, the bravery of Nellie Bly, and the determination of the muckrakers, modern investigative journalists continue searching for truth. When done well, investigative reporting does more than tell a story. It encourages reform, sparks public conversation, and reminds society that transparency and accountability are essential to a healthy democracy.

National Negro Press Association

In 1940, a pivotal moment in African American journalism history occurred when twenty leading Black publishers gathered in Chicago to create what would become one of the most influential organizations in the Black press. Originally founded as the National Negro Publishers Association, this groundbreaking coalition was the visionary work of John H. Sengstacke, the young publisher of the Chicago Defender, America's largest Black newspaper at the time.

John H. Sengstacke, part-owner and general manager of the Chicago Defender, 1942. Photo by Jack Delano, Library of Congress.

The organization's founding conference took place from February 29 through March 2, 1940, on the very day Sengstacke's uncle, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, passed away. Abbott had long dreamed of unifying Black publishers, and his nephew successfully realized this vision by bringing together publishers who shared a common goal: harmonizing their energies for the benefit of Negro journalism. The association represented a crucial response to the mainstream press's neglect of issues affecting African Americans.

However, the roots of organized Black journalism extend even further back in American history. In 1909, the earlier National Negro Press Association was established in Louisville, inspired by the Negro Business League. This earlier organization brought together African American editors and journalists to strengthen the influence of the Black press. The 1940 organization built upon this foundation, creating a more formal and enduring structure.

Newsboy selling the Chicago Defender, one of the leading Black newspapers, Chicago, Illinois, 1942. Photo by Jack Delano, Library of Congress.

Under Sengstacke's leadership as the first president, the association worked diligently to address problems within the industry and elevate the quality of African American journalism. The organization provided Black newspapers with the ability to share resources, coordinate coverage, and present a unified voice on critical issues affecting their communities nationwide. In 1956, reflecting its growth and broader mission, the association changed its name to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

The impact of this organization cannot be overstated. At a time when mainstream media largely ignored or misrepresented Black Americans, member newspapers provided essential coverage of civil rights struggles, community achievements, and the full spectrum of African American life. The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial antagonisms when it accords every person full human and legal rights, regardless of background.

The organization also established NNPA Media Services in 2000, providing advertising placement and press release distribution to member publications. This innovation helped newspapers remain financially viable. The NNPA Foundation supports the mission through pre-professional training programs, summer internships, and scholarships for aspiring journalists at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Today, the NNPA comprises more than 200 African American-owned newspapers across the United States and Virgin Islands, reaching approximately 20 million readers weekly. The organization has evolved with technology, launching the BlackPressUSA Network in 2001 to create a premier network of local Black community news and information portals. Under Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.'s leadership as president and CEO since 2014, the NNPA continues its historic mission of giving voice to the Black perspective on news, issues, and opinions while serving as both a historic institution and a contemporary change agent in American media landscape.

Me in 500 words: More Than Muscle

Photo: Drew Sanchez

Media day photos for High Point University Rowing Team September 3, 2025

 When The Body Quits The Mind Decides 

You would probably think I’m crazy if I told you that my skin once formed a heart. And if I told my ten-year-old self that I would be here today, I would be in complete awe and disbelief. Sports have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. They were the one thing that made me feel like I fit in when everything else around me was constantly changing. I moved to different counties growing up, and I was always the new girl—the one who felt like she had something to prove.

The adrenaline and passion that sports gave me felt natural, almost like second nature. Because change was inevitable in my childhood, I learned to embrace it. I was impulsive in the best way, always wanting to try something new—roller skating one day, attempting to surf on a random summer afternoon the next. Looking back, it wasn’t just my body that pushed me forward. It was my mind. The curiosity, the drive, and the need to test my limits were always stronger than fear.

After losing my passion for track, I randomly tried out for the rowing team one day without knowing how much it would change my life. I fell in love with the quiet of the lake, the discipline of early mornings rewarded with a sunrise, and most importantly, the feeling of belonging. For the first time, I felt like I had a home—a second family. High school was the only time in my life when I wasn’t constantly moving, and rowing gave me something steady to hold onto. I found a powerful, welcoming community of women who pushed me to be better, both physically and mentally.

Growing up wasn’t easy. I was diagnosed with tinea versicolor at ten years old, a tropical skin condition that caused light patches on my skin that couldn’t produce melanin in the sun. It made me stand out in ways I didn’t want to. I was treated differently because I looked different, and it made doing what I loved even harder.

Those moments taught me resilience, patience, and self belief, shaping my perspective on struggle, strength, and growth, and reminding me that discomfort is often the beginning of real transformation.

But those struggles shaped me. They reminded me where I came from and gave me a story I want to share so others don’t feel as alone as I once did.

Through my athletic career, I’ve faced countless mental challenges. There are moments when my body feels empty, when there’s nothing left in the tank. But that’s when my mind steps in. My mind decides for the little girl who never felt like she belonged. It decides for the version of me who needed a purpose. Every day, I prove her wrong. Because when the body wants to quit, it’s always the mind that decides to keep going—and where the mind goes, the body will follow.