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Dogs Chase Cars and Reporters Chase Truth: A Veteran Journalist Reflects (Ep. 215)
About this Episode
Broadcasting from Eagle Pass, Texas, I kick off the week with returning guest and veteran journalist Patrick Sangimino to explore how American journalism changed over the last four decades—from the heyday of local newspapers to today’s social-media-driven news cycle. We talk trust, bias, and the pivotal role of community reporting in holding local officials accountable, plus how national narratives, COVID coverage, polling, and predictive markets have warped public perception. Patrick shares stories from his 40-year career, why Watergate inspired a generation, how unnamed sources erode credibility, and why athletes and politicians bypass the press via direct-to-fan platforms. We also touch on his book, Dogs Chase Cars, its upcoming audiobook, and his new project about life after a newsroom career. Along the way: holiday reflections, family moments, the joy of minor league and high school sports, and why reading long-form still matters in a 280-character world.
Resources and links mentioned: Patrick’s website at patricksangimino.com; follow Patrick on X at @PSangimino and on Instagram at @PatrickSangimino. His novel Dogs Chase Cars is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with an audiobook in progress. For show updates, visit joerooz.com and join the email list.
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Special thanks to:
Executive Producer Wayne Rankin
Executive Producer Rosanna Rankin
Executive Producer Carolina Jimenez
Executive Producer Marisa Lee
Executive Producer Angela Wetuski
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(00:00:46) Cold open: looping slogans and sound collage
(00:03:07) Show intro from Asylum Studios and host welcome
(00:03:54) Monday blues, show routine, and holiday vibe
(00:05:16) A birthday shout-out to sister Laura and family memories
(00:07:56) Weekend recap and Sunday Bible study on the tabernacle
(00:13:02) Guest intro: Patrick San Gimino and his book Dogs Chase Cars
(00:13:46) Sibling pranks, Italian family banter, and childhood stories
(00:16:36) Mail woes and plans for discussing the book
(00:17:28) Food talk: authentic Alfredo, Parmesan, and bakery struggles
(00:22:06) Homemade bread plans and living in Texas culture shock
(00:22:07) Pivot to media: writing the follow-up novel and themes
(00:22:35) Care packages, anise cookies, and espresso debates
(00:25:41) Patrick’s 40-year journalism journey and favorite newsrooms
(00:27:58) From print to digital: decline of newspapers and trust
(00:31:39) When did it change? Quakes, Watergate, and fragmented truth
(00:34:17) Trump, fake news, and covering the presidency
(00:36:20) Free speech abroad and lawsuits without a First Amendment
(00:38:36) Reading culture, attention spans, and love of paper books
(00:44:54) Local sports coverage and building a community website
(00:48:32) Why small-college and minor league sports still feel pure
(00:51:34) Shrinking newsrooms, rising workloads, and reader value
(00:54:15) Community attitudes, relationships, and guilt by association
(00:55:36) COVID coverage, bias, and national media missteps
(00:58:42) Social media’s impact: athletes, politicians, and direct lines
(01:03:39) Bias, balance, and the half-story problem online
(01:05:43) AI writing, clickbait, and losing the nut graph
(01:11:14) Metrics over meaning and eroding craft standards
(01:16:37) How journalism survives: objectivity and banning anon sources
(01:19:02) Rebuilding trust and why COVID needed health reporters
(01:20:49) Admit the bias: transparency as a path back
(01:22:29) Are we training journalists or activists?
(01:23:32) Support your local paper or lose the guardrails
(01:24:35) Minneapolis fraud story and the importance of local digging
(01:25:28) A local watchdog example from Eagle Pass
(01:26:07) Advice to a 22-year-old reporter then and now
(01:28:41) Golden ages: from JFK and Watergate to Oscar Madison
(01:31:39) Finding Patrick online and where to buy the book
(01:32:17) Casting the audiobook voice and the dangerous NPR read
(01:36:37) Wrap-up with Patrick and plans for part three
(01:37:57) Host reflections and closing community notes
(01:39:23) End-of-show plugs, schedule, and producer shout-outs
(01:45:06) Sign-off: Make Texas independent again and good night
- Wayne Rankin
- Rosanna Rankin
- Carolina Jimenez
Hosts & Guests
No transcript available for this episode.
