Journalists' Media Consumption Paradox: Work vs. Genuine Enjoyment

The Press Box · December 29, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Consuming media strictly for enjoyment is a rare luxury for journalists, as work often overlaps with personal interests, blurring the lines between professional research and genuine leisure.
The difficulty in separating personal enjoyment from professional consumption highlights a potential trade-off in journalism: while curiosity fuels work, it can limit true mental disengagement.
The discussion on overcovered stories reveals a tension between what is compelling to journalists and what resonates with a broader audience, suggesting a disconnect from non-industry perspectives.
The desire to revive past publications like Ebony or Vibe indicates a longing for curated cultural commentary that algorithms currently fail to replicate, pointing to a gap in media consumption.
The exploration of writing habits underscores the personal and often arduous nature of creative work, with practices ranging from extensive printing to therapeutic intervention for efficiency.
The differing personas presented on "Press Box" versus "Tailgate" illustrate how journalists adapt their communication styles to suit different platforms and audience expectations, showcasing a duality in professional identity.
The acknowledgment of unfinished story ideas that "haunt" journalists emphasizes the inherent challenges and missed opportunities within the profession, where instinct and execution do not always align.

Deep Dive

The Press Box hosts, Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson, engage in a holiday mailbag episode, reflecting on their media consumption habits, over-covered stories, and the enduring appeal of certain publications. Their discussion reveals a shared professional paradox: while their jobs involve constant media analysis, they find genuine enjoyment and escape in books, particularly physical novels, which serve as a distinct break from work-related consumption. This personal preference highlights a tension between professional duty and personal leisure, suggesting that true relaxation for them requires engaging with content devoid of immediate analytical or work-related application.

The hosts delve into the challenges of modern news networks, particularly CNN, acknowledging the skill of current anchors but questioning the long-term sustainability of cable news models in a shifting media landscape. They suggest that a fundamental shift in "TV news grammar" is needed, moving beyond superficial changes like "bells and whistles" to address the evolving ways audiences consume information. This implies that existing news structures are increasingly out of sync with audience behavior, necessitating a deeper reevaluation of content delivery and format to remain relevant.

Furthermore, the conversation touches upon the subjective nature of media coverage, with the hosts admitting their own role in over-covering a story involving Olivia Nuzzi. This self-awareness underscores the self-perpetuating cycle of media attention, where compelling narratives, even within niche circles, can lead to disproportionate coverage, especially when perceived audience interest is high. The implication is that journalistic decisions, while often driven by what is interesting or relevant to the media ecosystem, can diverge significantly from broader public interest or analytical depth, as evidenced by the limited audience for related book sales.

Finally, the hosts explore their personal writing practices and the publications they would revive, revealing a deep appreciation for long-form journalism and the serendipity of discovering books. Their desire to bring back newspapers or magazines like Ebony and Vibe points to a yearning for media that fostered community, offered in-depth cultural commentary, or provided a tangible connection to a readership. This suggests a broader concern about the fragmentation of media and the loss of shared cultural touchstones, highlighting the unique role these publications played in shaping both individual and collective understanding.

Action Items

Audit media consumption habits: Track personal media intake for 1 week to identify unconscious biases or overexposure to specific narratives.
Create a "curiosity budget": Allocate 1-2 hours per week for consuming media purely for enjoyment, unrelated to work projects.
Draft a personal media diet plan: Define 3-5 diverse media sources (books, long-form articles, documentaries) to explore topics outside immediate professional scope.
Analyze personal writing process: Identify 1-2 recurring writing challenges and research techniques for overcoming them (e.g., printing drafts, timed writing sprints).

Key Quotes

"I mean for me it's books okay that's that's my escape okay and like at night probably you know kids are asleep had some time to talk to christine winding down that's when I will turn to books and I first of all I sleep much better if I read for like 30 minutes or an hour before I go to bed I like that and it may be novels it may be non fiction books about stuff that I'm not writing about or talking about tomorrow yeah that's my that's my escape unplugged off the record reading I like that man that's really good and so and of course you're at the your kids are at an age you're reading physical books like you're in your bed reading a physical book yes always if I can help it"

Joel Anderson explains that books are his primary form of escape and relaxation. He finds that reading physical books before bed helps him sleep better and allows him to disconnect from his work. Anderson emphasizes his preference for physical books over digital formats, highlighting the tactile experience.

"I mean I think the reason and this is you tell you tell me I don't this is one of the things I don't presume that I have the expertise to know what a great tv lineup would be and so I think there's a reason to most of the programming ends up sort of looking the same because they've tested a lot of this stuff out and so you have uh this kind of person reading news here and you know maybe you have a few short documentaries or whatever but I just kind of feel like news networks look like the way they do for the reason they do right yeah and I I just think that's something we should think about more in 2026 because if we're gonna bag on all these people we should at least try to think of ideas for what the future should look like and to me it's just always like changing the grammar of tv news that's the hardest thing because that's what people are doing they're they're taking the wheel and they're repainting the wheel right and that's all they're doing"

Bryan Curtis discusses the challenge of creating a compelling TV lineup for a news network like CNN. He suggests that the current programming format, while perhaps uninspired, is a result of extensive testing and audience engagement. Curtis believes that truly innovating in television news requires more than just superficial changes; it necessitates altering the fundamental "grammar" of how news is presented.

"I mean and you know who over covered it raising my hand this podcast absolutely and it was it was one of those things where like it was so interesting and irresistible I do think I got to the point we mentioned it in our year end show with David but I just have gotten to the point where it's like okay I'm I'm probably complete with this saga now yeah I mean it's kind of funny because I know that people care about this the people that listen to this podcast right like I have a sense that and people will dm me or say hey you said this about that or I'm interested in this or I want to hear you talk about that and it's just really it's really telling because I'm like well man maybe that's 600 people you know because I mean the the because nobody wanted to buy that book right and so the world of people that we're talking about is really really small and so in retrospect um yeah it was over covered and especially because it did not get into I mean the rfk of it all like there was just no real analysis of like the kind of person he was and what he was doing right or consequence for him consequence for him yeah it just didn't matter to him at all or to his standing in the administration yeah absolutely"

Carson Griesby reflects on the overcoverage of a particular story, admitting that the podcast itself contributed to it. He acknowledges that while the story was compelling, the audience for such niche topics might be smaller than perceived. Griesby notes that the coverage lacked deeper analysis, particularly regarding the motivations and consequences for individuals involved.

"I mean see this is so hard because everything exists in a time and place yeah man see like man I'd love to bring like 80s sports illustrated back but also 80s sports illustrated wouldn't work in 2025 man like when I was just feeling like wouldn't it have been cool and not cool but you know you the the sports illustrated story on sharon moore last week I was like man this is the time when I really missed that kind of sports illustrated if we'd been waiting for it right like if nobody had done it for like two weeks yeah and we're like okay here it is it's amazing maybe Jordan did it you know like and we're like this is unbelievable but the thing is it wouldn't hold it wouldn't we would have already been pecked to death and we'd read and be like I already knew this yeah right yeah I just like yeah the austin murphy you know uh feature on that and you you know check in the pulse of the town and ann arbor yeah I would have been cool I mean see if we both had the idea and then had the idea that it would be cool to have sports illustrated but I actually I mean I would I would preserve a newspaper for one like I would if I could bring back the houston post or the dallas you know whatever whatever is left of the dallas morning news or fort worth star telegram like I would love to save one of those you know journalism pet cemetery yeah man where they come back"

Joel Anderson discusses the difficulty of reviving past publications like Sports Illustrated in the current media landscape. He argues that while a publication might have been excellent in its time, its format and content may not resonate with today's audiences. Anderson expresses a preference for preserving newspapers, believing they still offer a valuable digest of news that can work in the present day.

"I mean you know what man you know I know people um have had some issues with him of late but Michael Lewis I think Michael Lewis is a really good at explaining very complicated things and I'm really envious of that that gift so yeah yes sometimes you need the Michael Lewis is also a writer who's his pros is great without being overly adorned yeah he's not trying to be fancy with it no and sometimes when you get stuck as a writer what you want to do is read really great unadorned prose yep because I feel that straightens you out sometimes you're or trying to be too fancy yeah he's just really yeah it's just the story the words and the people and the anecdotes just hit you it's just like okay I'm right here I'm right here with you he's really effective at putting you in that scene and yeah he doesn't take you out of it by being overly flowery or you know trying to have some sort of glamour to his writing that really isn't unnecessary like American Kanto"

Bryan Curtis identifies Michael Lewis as a writer whose prose he admires for its clarity and effectiveness in explaining complex subjects. Curtis finds

Resources

External Resources

Books

"Play Their Hearts Out" by George Dohrmann - Mentioned as an example of a book that helped a writer's craft and broadened their perspective.
"Dream City" - Mentioned as an audiobook listened to for work-related research.
"Blood of Brothers" by Stephen Kinzer - Mentioned as a book found in a used bookstore that provided insight into a historical period.
"The Widow of John Ritter" - Mentioned as a book purchased out of curiosity about the actor's life.
"Art Brus's Biography" - Mentioned as a book purchased out of curiosity.

Articles & Papers

"The Holiday Mailbag Episode" (The Press Box) - Mentioned as the current episode.
"Our Dissolution Correspondence" (The New Yorker) - Mentioned as a historical heading for reader letters in The New Yorker.
"Sharon Moore" (Sports Illustrated) - Mentioned as a recent article that evoked a sense of missing the depth of past Sports Illustrated reporting.
"Joe Klein piece on Stephen Kinzer" (Esquire) - Mentioned as an article that led to discovering Stephen Kinzer's book.

People

Bryan Curtis - Host of The Press Box.
Joel Anderson - Host of The Press Box.
Bruce Baldwin - Producer of The Press Box.
George Dohrmann - Mentioned for writing "Play Their Hearts Out" and taking a creative writing course.
John Steinbeck - Mentioned as an author whose works are read.
John Grisham - Mentioned as an author whose works are read.
John le Carré - Mentioned as an author whose works are read.
Dr. Seuss - Mentioned as an author whose children's books are read.
Stan and Jan Berenstain - Mentioned as authors of children's books.
Louis Farrakhan - Mentioned in a joke about programming for CNN.
Jake Tapper - Mentioned as a CNN host whose show is liked.
Anderson Cooper - Mentioned as a CNN host whose show is liked.
Olivia Nuzzi - Mentioned as a story that was overcovered.
Ryan Lizza - Mentioned in relation to the overcovered Olivia Nuzzi story.
Michael Callahan - Mentioned as the sender of a question about barbecue line conversations.
Ralph Waldo Emerson - Mentioned as an author to read when forgetting how to write.
Zadie Smith - Mentioned as an author to read when forgetting how to write.
Friday Night Lights - Mentioned as a work that covers various interests.
Michael Lewis - Mentioned as a writer skilled at explaining complicated things.
Susan Orlean - Mentioned as a writer whose work is enjoyed and who was a podcast guest.
Mark Leibovich - Mentioned as a political writer who is funny and smart.
Tim Cahill - Mentioned as a travel writer who is funny and smart.
Adam Serwer - Mentioned as a friend and former editor who commented on writing habits.
Mark Scheu - Mentioned as a mentor who commented on writing habits.
Freshly Snipes - Mentioned as the sender of a question about bringing back publications.
Austin Murphy - Mentioned for a feature on a town in Ann Arbor.
Jordan - Mentioned in relation to Sports Illustrated.
David Shoemaker - Mentioned as a colleague.
Don Michael - Mentioned as the sender of a question about journalism school.
T.K. Parks - Mentioned as the sender of a question about pun headlines.
Glenn Stout - Mentioned in relation to "Best Sports Writing" books.
Bobby Orr - Mentioned in relation to a pun headline.
Mark Curry - Mentioned as a subject of an interview for a Slate piece.
Diddy - Mentioned as the subject of a piece Mark Curry was interviewed for.
Puffy - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
God - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
The Devil - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
Tyler - Mentioned as the sender of a question about end-of-year recap lists.
R.V.L. Reese - Mentioned as an example of a player who could rise in draft rankings.
Q USA 14 - Mentioned as the sender of a question about production magic.
Bill Raftery - Mentioned as an inspiration for "production magic" in broadcasting.
Mike Rhyner - Mentioned as a sports radio host who inspired "production magic."
Greggo - Mentioned in relation to Mike Rhyner and their show's split.
Stephen A. Smith - Mentioned in relation to on-air chemistry and professional relationships.
Max Kellerman - Mentioned in relation to on-air chemistry and professional relationships.
Skip Bayless - Mentioned in relation to on-air chemistry and professional relationships.
Ernestine - Mentioned as Skip Bayless's wife.
Luke Hansen - Mentioned as a listener with a question about Joel Anderson's persona.
Nick Field - Mentioned as a sender of a question about favorite book finds.
Thermos - Mentioned as a sender of a question about favorite book finds.
Libra - Mentioned as a service for finding used books.
Joe Klein - Mentioned as the author of a piece about Stephen Kinzer.
Stephen Kinzer - Mentioned as an author whose books were found in used bookstores.
Jason Tatum - Mentioned as a basketball player who was the subject of an unfinished feature.
Larry Hughes - Mentioned as Jason Tatum's godfather.
Me Brian - Mentioned as the sender of a question about favorite interviews.
Tupac's wife - Mentioned as a notable interview subject.
Michael Sam's dad - Mentioned as a notable interview subject.
Joel Anderson - Mentioned as the sender of a question about unfinished stories.
B-Dub - Mentioned as a producer of the podcast.
Kyle - Mentioned as a producer of the podcast.
Bobby - Mentioned as a producer of the podcast.
Zarahim - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
Chris Berman - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
Jalani Cobb - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
Bob Costas - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
Reese Davis - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
Kirk Herbstreit - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.
David Remnick - Mentioned as a guest on the podcast.

Organizations & Institutions

Nordstrom - Mentioned in a commercial break.
Apple Card - Mentioned in a commercial break.
Goldman Sachs Bank USA - Mentioned in relation to Apple Card.
The New Yorker - Mentioned for its historical practice of printing reader letters.
CNN - Mentioned in a discussion about programming and future media.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) - Mentioned in relation to sports analytics.
New England Patriots - Mentioned as an example team for performance analysis.
Interstellar Barbecue - Mentioned as a location for a barbecue line experience.
The Atlantic - Mentioned as the publication where Adam Serwer works.
Slate - Mentioned as a publication where Joel Anderson worked.
The Athletic - Mentioned in relation to a story about domestic violence.
Sports Illustrated - Mentioned in relation to past reporting depth and a specific article.
The Houston Post - Mentioned as a newspaper that could be brought back.
The Dallas Morning News - Mentioned as a newspaper that could be brought back.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Mentioned as a newspaper that could be brought back.
Spy Magazine - Mentioned as a publication that would be fun to read in 2025.
Grantland - Mentioned as a publication that feels of its own time.
Ebony - Mentioned as a magazine that the speaker wished still existed.
Vibe Magazine - Mentioned as a magazine that covered hip-hop culture and was a desired place to work.
J School - Mentioned in relation to a segment that is not currently running.
Youngstown State - Mentioned as a college football team.
St. Louis - Mentioned in relation to Jason Tatum.
The Ringer - Mentioned in relation to Ringer Tailgate.

Websites & Online Resources

podcastchoices.com/adchoices - Mentioned in relation to ad choices.
applecard.com - Mentioned for Apple Card terms.
jdpower.com/awards - Mentioned for dependability study award details.
chevy.com - Mentioned for Chevrolet truck information.

Other Resources

College Football Podcasts - Mentioned as a type of podcast listened to for work.
Fiction - Mentioned as a genre of books read for escape and to broaden perspective.
Non-fiction - Mentioned as a genre of books read.
Novels - Mentioned as a type of book read for escape.
Children's Books - Mentioned as books read to children, offering learning and perspective shifts.
Dr. Seuss books - Mentioned as children's books that can be brilliant and change perspective.
Caps for Sale - Mentioned as a children's book that is liked.
Berenstain Bears - Mentioned as children's books that were enjoyed as a child and are now being revisited.
Sports Reporters - Mentioned as a potential revival on CNN.
Media Consumers - Mentioned as the audience of The Press Box.
Barbecue Line Conversations - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Writing Routine and Practice - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Punted - Mentioned as an action taken when a story is no longer appropriate.
J School - Mentioned as a segment that may return in the non-college football season.
Pun Headlines - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
Best Sports Writing of the Year - Mentioned as a topic for a parody piece.
Puffy - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
God - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
The Devil - Mentioned in relation to Mark Curry's interview.
End of Year Recap List Gimmick - Mentioned as a