Rex Smith

What you buy these days seems increasingly to be a reflection of your politics. At least, that’s what we learn in a report from Columbia University Business School research, which cites the polarization that has followed Donald Trump’s first election.

(Airs 01/16/26 @ 3 p.m. & 01/18/26 @ 6 p.m.) The Media Project is an inside look at media coverage of current events with former Times Union Editor, current Upstate American, Substack columnist Rex Smith, Judy Patrick, former Editor of The Daily Gazette and former Vice President for Editorial Development for the New York Press Association, and Barbara Lombardo, Adjunct Professor at the University at Albany and former Editor of The Saratogian. On this week’s Media Project, Rex, Judy, and Barbara talk about the FBI raiding a Washington Post journalist’s home, when interviewing the President doesn’t reveal much news, and much more.

We are living in a worldwide crisis of gloom. That, anyway, is what I took from a new international poll of 20,000 people across western democracies and Japan.

What would you say is the biggest problem facing our country? Now, if you said, “Donald Trump,” I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, but that’s not the kind of answer we’re looking for here. Hold that thought, though: you may be onto something.

(Airs 01/02/25 @ 3 p.m. & 01/04/25 @ 6 p.m.) The Media Project is an inside look at media coverage of current events with former Times Union Editor, current Upstate American, Substack columnist Rex Smith, Judy Patrick, former Editor of The Daily Gazette and former Vice President for Editorial Development for the New York Press Association, and Barbara Lombardo, Adjunct Professor at the University at Albany and former Editor of The Saratogian. On this week’s Media Project, Rex, Judy, and Barbara talk about newspapers charging for letters to the editor, requiring students to read newspapers in India, a look back at 2025, and more.

There was a remarkable line in one of the holiday greetings I got last week – so thoughtful, in fact, that I’m thinking of getting it needlepointed onto a seat cushion, so that I’ll have it around all year.

(Airs 12/26/25 @ 3 p.m. & 12/28/25 @ 6 p.m.) The Media Project is an inside look at media coverage of current events with former Times Union Editor, current Upstate American, Substack columnist Rex Smith, Judy Patrick, former Editor of The Daily Gazette and former Vice President for Editorial Development for the New York Press Association, and Barbara Lombardo, Adjunct Professor at the University at Albany and former Editor of the Saratogian. On this week’s Media Project, Rex, Judy, and Barbara talk look at the future of journalism in the new year and beyond, and more.

I am a secret fan of aphorisms – those pithy observations that contain a general truth, like, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and, “Actions speak louder than words.”

(Airs 12/19/25 @ 3 p.m. & 12/21/25 @ 6 p.m.) The Media Project is an inside look at media coverage of current events with former Times Union Editor, current Upstate American, Substack columnist Rex Smith, Judy Patrick, former Editor of The Daily Gazette and former Vice President for Editorial Development for the New York Press Association, and Barbara Lombardo, Adjunct Professor at the University at Albany and former Editor of the Saratogian. On this week’s Media Project, Rex, Barbara, and Judy talk about trying to cover President Trump’s speech to the nation this week, the difficulty of covering a President who constantly lies, covering Santa Clause, and much more.

This commentary is about language – foul language, nasty language, language that seemingly incites people to bad behavior.