Ross Barkan is an award-winning journalist, novelist, and essayist based in New York City. He is a columnist for New York Magazine, a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, and the editor-in-chief of the Metropolitan Review. A Queens Tribune veteran who came up covering local politics and city streets, Barkan brings deep reporting roots to his work across both fiction and nonfiction — including his latest novel, Colossus.

On this episode, Kevin and Ross discuss the lost art of the big city newspaper columnist, whether great writing and bold opinions can survive in the digital age, the complicated relationship between Donald Trump and the New York media, and what it takes for young journalists to make their mark today.

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Ed Madison, PhD, is a journalist, professor at the University of Oregon, and Executive Director of the Journalistic Learning Initiative, a nonprofit bringing journalism education to students in 18 states. He created a suite of AI-powered writing coaches named after legendary journalists — including one named Jimmy Breslin — built to help young writers develop their skills without doing the work for them.

In this episode, Kevin and Ed discuss how a dead man ended up with a new job, whether AI can ever truly capture the voice and soul behind great writing, and what the future of journalism means for the next generation.

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James Rosselli is a rising sports broadcaster and student at High Point University who has quickly gained attention for his energetic play-by-play style and viral on-air moments. Inspired by a lifelong love of sports and early experience in stand-up comedy, Rosselli has developed a distinctive voice that blends preparation, humor, and storytelling. Still early in his career, he is already building momentum with national exposure and ambitions to reach the highest levels of sports media.

On this episode, Kevin and James discuss his path into sports broadcasting, the craft of calling a game and preparing like a pro, handling pressure and viral attention at a young age, and the evolving future of sports media, including NIL and the business of college athletics.

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