National Press Club Update-1 Audio Podcast
NPC Update-1
The National Press Club Update-1 audio podcast is insight into news, politics, entertainment and sports. A production of the National Press Club, Update-1 provides a forum for listeners to learn more about newsworthy stories originating from the Club's facilities, as well as broader topics related to journalism, communications, freedom and transparency. As one of the NPC Podcast Committee members, I host podcasts for the NPC Update-1 Program, seen below.
Besides listening on Press.org, Update-1 can be found on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, Tunein and Spotify by searching for "NPC Update-1"
A Conversation with Mr. Tony Agnello
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been flown to the United States since the U.S. pulled its last troops out of Afghanistan at the end of August. The co-founder and chair of the Peace Corps Alliance for Cultural Understanding thinks the use of Afghan advisory groups is essential for the well-being of Afghan refugees.
In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast group member Lincoln Smith talks with Tony Agnello, the president of Friends of Afghanistan, a committee working with veterans’ organizations to ensure all eligible Afghans receive immigration clearance.
Agnello, who previously served in Afghanistan while in the Peace Corps, discusses the Afghan refugee resettlement camps and why he thinks public-private partnerships and faith-based coalitions should be part of the process of relocating Afghans into American communities.
A conversation with veteran reporter John donnelly
Two Recent NPC Honorees Remain Imprisoned
American journalist Danny Fenster has been imprisoned in Myanmar since May, while Chinese journalist Haze Fan has been detained in China since December. Fenster and Fan are the NPC’s most recent John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award winners.
In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast team member Lincoln Smith interviews veteran reporter and long-time Press Club member John Donnelly, who discusses the two Press Club honorees and another detained journalist, Austin Tice. Donnelly also highlights his own career and offers thoughts on the state of press freedom around the world.
International Federation of Journalists General Secretary Anthony Bellanger discusses the dangers Journalists face while on the job.
The International Federation of Journalists says 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide last year while doing their jobs. The killings occurred in 16 different countries during targeted attacks, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents.
In the latest edition of Update-1, National Press Club Broadcast/Podcast team member Lincoln Smith talks with IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger about the ongoing global challenges to press freedom. Bellanger discusses the deaths and imprisonment of journalists in Asia, Africa and Europe, summarizes the IFJ mission and compares and contrasts the current-day freedom of the press with that of 50 years ago.
Global Strategy Expert Dr. Jonathan Ward Discusses China's Ambitions and Their Impact on U.S.
The relationship between the United States and China is fast emerging as the number one American foreign policy priority. In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast Team member Lincoln Smith speaks with Dr. Jonathan Ward, an internationally recognized expert on Chinese Global Strategy. Earning his PhD at the University of Oxford and undergraduate degree at Columbia University, Dr. Ward is the founder of Atlas Organization, a Washington D.C. and New York-based consultancy. He has worked with the U.S. Department of Defense and American companies on China's long term strategy. In this interview, Dr. Ward discusses the state of press freedom in Hong Kong, China's objectives, how China intends to get what it wants and how the U.S. should respond.
The current strategic environment
Former National Security Council Director Dr. John Lenczowski Discusses The Current Strategic Environment
National Security is the focus of this edition of Update-1. Broadcast Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith speaks with Dr. John Lenczowski, founder and president of the Institute of World Politics, which is dedicated to teaching the art of statecraft. They discuss some books and lectures relating to the state of today's global strategic environment, including Eric Hoffer’s book "The True Believer; Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements," and the Kuklinski Museum Discussion Series, “Poland, the U.S. and NATO: Confronting the Russian Threat." Dr. Lenczowski also comments on the state of press freedom in China.
what we have learned from vietnam
Veteran Broadcaster Irv Chapman On What We Have Learned From Vietnam
With a broadcast journalism career spanning over 50 years, Irv Chapman has reported for Radio Press International and ABC News and now is with Bloomberg News. During his time with ABC, Irv was assigned to cover the Vietnam War. In this edition of Update-1, NPC Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith talks to Irv about his time in Vietnam and how what he reported on might apply to a current conflict, such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. They also discuss the differences between the media coverage of Vietnam and that of current wars and whether the United States learned anything from the Vietnam War.
The State Of Journalism
Mr. Mark Hamrick, President and Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst, Bankrate
The Internet is a global distribution platform, but along with such unprecedented technology and capability to instantly communicate, there area many overarching questions. What is the state of press freedom? How often is the First Amendment observed? What is the status of Freedom of Information? And how have the media changed from the 1960's to today? In this edition of Update-1, National Press Club Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith interviews former National Press Club President Mark Hamrick, who addresses these questions and more.
A Leadership Institution Advocating for A Free Press
Ambassador Stuart W. Holliday, President and Chief Executive Officer, Meridian International Center
In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith interviews Ambassador Stuart Holliday, the president and chief executive officer of the Meridian International Center, a non-partisan diplomatic and global leadership institution that strengthens U.S. engagement around the world.
Ambassador Holliday has served an ambassador to the United Nations, as a Naval intelligence officer, as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. Along with providing unique insight into Meridian’s international mission, Ambassador Holliday discusses its advocacy for freedom of the press and its efforts to counter disinformation.
The Complexities of American Foreign Policy
Dr. Henry Nau, Professor of Political Science, George Washington University
U.S. foreign policy can be complex and difficult to understand. In this episode of Update-1, George Washington University political science professor Dr. Henry Nau discusses his book, "Perspectives on International Relations," with NPC Broadcast/Podcast team member Lincoln Smith. Dr. Nau provides an understandable synthesis of the world of foreign policy, and talks about the approaches used by Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump. He also offers predictions about American foreign policy in the future.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Mr. Jeff Rathke, American German Institute
For nearly 70 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has provided a system of collective defense for North American and European Nations. Known as NATO, the alliance has grown from 12 nations when it came into existence in 1949 to 29, but it has maintained a system of collective defense in which independent member nations subscribe to mutual defense. NPC Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith spoke with American German Institute President Jeff Rathke about the history and meaning of the alliance in this NPC-Update 1 Podcast.
A conversation on the korean peninsula
Mr. Scott Snyder, Council on Foreign Relations
In his most recent book, South Korea at the Crossroads, Autonomy and Alliance in an Era of Rival Powers, Scott Snyder charts a course for America and South Korea in the years ahead. In this episode of Update-1, NPC Broadcast/Podcast Team member Lincoln Smith interviews Snyder about the essentials of his new work, which spotlights South Korea’s complex relationships with both the United States and China. Interpretive and in-depth, the book also explores South Korea’s significance as a nation, seemingly possessing an often conflicting desire to be independent, yet maintaining a deep need for faithful allies. What will South Korean President Moon Jae-In ’s approach be towards North Korea in the months ahead? Will the people of South Korea seek a tougher stance toward North Korea? Can President Jae-In successfully balance his nation’s relationship with the United States and China, both multi-billion dollar trading partners of South Korea? Mr. Snyder discusses key themes in his book, which includes an overarching advocacy for a continued strong relationship between the United States and South Korea, now allies for over four decades.
A conversation with A Presidential Press Secretary
Mr. Ron Nesson, Former Press Secretary to President Gerald Ford
After serving as war correspondent for NBC News during the Vietnam conflict and later as the network's Washington D.C. correspondent in the 1970s, Ron Nessen moved on to become press secretary for President Gerald Ford from 1974-1977. In this edition of Update-1, NPC Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith interviews Nessen about his books, “It Sure Looks Different From the Inside” and “Making the News, Taking the News.” Whether discussing his near fatal wounding while in Vietnam or serving the president of the United States, Ron highlights his storied career, amidst two of the most critical and tumultuous decades in American history.
A conversation on Immigration
Ms. Peggy Orchowski, Senior Correspondent for Georgetowner Magazine
As National Guard troops are deployed along the Mexico border to fight illegal immigration, Update-1 examines the issue of immigration. Peggy Orchowski is a credentialed Congressional correspondent for Hispanic Outloook Magazine, based in Washington, D.C. She's also senior correspondent for The Georgetowner. A 19-year member of the National Press Club, she has authored "Immigration and the American Dream: Battling the Political Hype and Hysteria" and "The Law That Changed The Face of America: The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965." In this interview with NPC Broadcast-Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith, Orchowski discusses the history of immigration in the United States, the basics of immigration and whether immigration is a civil right.
The Korean Summit 2018
Col. David Maxwell, United States Army (Ret)
What happens next following last month's summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un? They signed a letter with four primary provisions -- renewed security for North Korea, renewal of peaceful relations, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and North Korean commitment to recovering Prisoner of War and Missing in Action remains. In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Lincoln Smith talks with David Maxwell, a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army and associate director of the Center for Security Studies and the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He provides in-depth analysis of the summit, including his predictions for the future.