Michel Martin
Michel Martin: Making Sense of a Polarized World
In a conversation moderated by David Barasoain
Emmy Award-winning journalist and National Public Radio "Morning Edition" host Michel Martin visited campus on Nov. 9 to speak with students and deliver a lecture titled "Making Sense of a Polarized World." Martin's discourse with moderator David Barasoain, a well-known podcast producer, Southern alumnus and adjunct professor, covered a wide range of topics, from journalism's roots to technology's impact on information consumption.
Martin began the lecture by stressing the need for authenticity and the human factor in storytelling, stating, "People want to be known." She urged those in the audience pursuing a future in journalism to seek out voices that have earned the right to be heard and to question the authenticity of stories, citing an interview with an author who fabricated her experiences in foster care. "Journalism existed to amplify the points and views of people paying for it," Martin said, reflecting on the historical role of journalism and how the field has evolved into today's polarized media landscape. She criticized some journalists' tendency to start their pursuit of a story with answers rather than exploring the "why," resulting in biased news reporting.
"People with power and an audience are the ones who have an effect. Leadership does matter."
Addressing the role of technology, Martin emphasized its moral neutrality, asserting
that its impact depends on how it is wielded. She criticized algorithmic content delivery,
which limits exposure to diverse perspectives, fostering polarization.
Social media, she noted, amplifies content that provokes strong emotional reactions.
"People with power and an audience are the ones who have an effect. Leadership does
mat-ter," Martin said.She advocated for responsible media consumption and promoted "information hygiene" to prevent the spread of false information.
ABOUT MICHEL MARTIN
American Journalist, Host
Martin has been honored by numerous organizations, including the Candace Award for Communications from The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Joan Barone Award for Excellence in Washington-based National Affairs/Public Policy Broadcasting from the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association and a 2002 Silver Gavel Award, given by the American Bar Association. Along with her Emmy award, she has received three additional Emmy nominations. In 2019, Martin was elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in journalism.
Martin graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College at Harvard University in 1980 and earned a Master of Arts from the Wesley Theological Seminary in 2016.
An established audio producer who loves crafting well-told stories, David Barasoain is a 1990 alum of Southern Adventist University. His work has been featured on PRX and NPR, and he currently serves as the senior producer of Buried Truths, the Civil Rights cold-cases podcast, for which he won the Silver Gavel Award, the Robert F. Kennedy, and the George Foster Peabody Award.
In Atlanta, Georgia, he may be best known as the creator and managing editor of the long-running, 361-part series, Atlanta Sounds. It featured the power of the human voice and showcased everyday life in Atlanta. The stories ranged from two girls laughing on a swing to the reflections of life as a middle school teacher.
Former bosses and colleagues have called him “the glue,” “the host whisperer,” and even “the Joe DiMaggio of radio.”
About the Lecture Series
This annual lecture series celebrates Sauls’ legacy by inviting prominent journalists and top communication professionals to campus to inspire a new generation of truth seekers, storytellers, and influencers.