Andy Lack — the former NBC News and MSNBC chairman who founded Mississippi Today and Deep South Today, and has now committed $12 million to nonprofit journalism — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why he went from running the most-watched news division in the world to building newsrooms in the Deep South. He argues Democrats simply don’t know how to talk to rural voters, white or Black, and describes a Mississippi that has made real gains in early education while still fighting brain drain and a sense of being stuck. On the business, Lack is clear-eyed: trust is the whole formula, video is essential, and the concentration of media ownership among billionaires and tech executives is a genuine threat. Plus what happens to medium-sized markets when the affiliate structure collapses, and why state and local government desperately needs watchdogs again. 

 

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck/  *Paid Partnership 

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Andy Lack joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:30 Why he founded Deep South Today

03:45 Mississippi’s politics, and the openings Democrats miss

06:15 Early education gains, brain drain, and a state stuck in the past

10:15 The model: pairing capital cities with smaller ones

12:30 Local news in a fragmented media era

14:15 The formula for success — video, and trust above all

25:00 Tech billionaires owning the media ecosystem

29:15 What happens when the affiliate structure collapses

39:30 Streaming, legacy brands, and journalism in the age of AI

45:15 Data centers and how tech engages communities

49:45 Expanding into news deserts and why watchdogs matter

Andy Lack &mdash; the former NBC News and MSNBC chairman who founded Mississippi Today and Deep South Today, and has now committed $12 million to nonprofit journalism &mdash; joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why he went from running the most-watched news division in the world to building newsrooms in the Deep South. He argues Democrats simply don&rsquo;t know how to talk to rural voters, white or Black, and describes a Mississippi that has made real gains in early education while still fighting brain drain and a sense of being stuck. On the business, Lack is clear-eyed: trust is the whole formula, video is essential, and the concentration of media ownership among billionaires and tech executives is a genuine threat. Plus what happens to medium-sized markets when the affiliate structure collapses, and why state and local government desperately needs watchdogs again.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to <a href="http://askchapter.org/chuck">askchapter.org/chuck</a> <a href="http://askchapter.org/realdana">/</a>&nbsp; *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan&rsquo;s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don&rsquo;t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.&nbsp;
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to <a href="https://quince.com/CHUCK">https://Quince.com/CHUCK</a> for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!&nbsp;
Timeline:
00:00 Andy Lack joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:30 Why he founded Deep South Today
03:45 Mississippi&rsquo;s politics, and the openings Democrats miss
06:15 Early education gains, brain drain, and a state stuck in the past
10:15 The model: pairing capital cities with smaller ones
12:30 Local news in a fragmented media era
14:15 The formula for success &mdash; video, and trust above all
25:00 Tech billionaires owning the media ecosystem
29:15 What happens when the affiliate structure collapses
39:30 Streaming, legacy brands, and journalism in the age of AI
45:15 Data centers and how tech engages communities
49:45 Expanding into news deserts and why watchdogs matter

The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.

The Chuck ToddCast

Interview Only w/ Andy Lack - Rebuilding Newsrooms In The Deep South

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9330610e-98a0-4128-8f05-b4e7011f5025/transcript