Among pundits, a Goodman hard to find

By: Dave Astor Given that Amy Goodman hosts the radio/TV news program "Democracy Now!," it's no surprise that her King Features Syndicate column takes a multimedia approach as well. "Readers are also viewers and listeners," she explains. "People want information on different platforms."

Goodman's weekly print column ? which turned one year old on Oct. 24 ? has been accompanied by a podcast since May. That move has helped boost column sales, reports King Managing Editor/ Director of Publishing Glenn Mott, who says a video component is in the works for 2008.

Goodman's feature enjoys 72 clients, including dailies of all sizes, alternative weeklies, and Web sites. Mott calls 72 an "impressive" number for a year-old column, especially in today's tough sales environment.

Podcasts are particularly effective in an investigative/ reported column such as Goodman's. Unlike some syndicated pundits, she constantly interviews people in the U.S. and abroad, often in person, and readers can hear the interviewees via the podcasts. One recent offering featured the voices of "Jena Six" defendants to whom Goodman spoke when she visited Louisiana to cover that case.

Goodman says her King column and other work provide a forum for the "silenced majority" ? noting that corporate-owned media often ignore or distort "the real voices and real stories" of people such as those trying to end the Iraq war or rebuild devastated sections of New Orleans in the face of government obstacles. "The media should build bridges, not advocate for the blowing up of bridges," says Goodman, adding that she often covers international issues because the United States can be very insular.

"Amy provides a real alternative," says Mott. "She doesn't come from the so-called 'mainstream media.'"

Goodman founded "Democracy Now!" ? which airs daily on about 500 radio and TV stations, and via the Web and podcasts ? in 1996, and serves as its executive producer and host when not writing print columns. The news program is co-hosted by New York Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez.

The paperback edition of her latest book (Static: Government Liars, Media Cheerleaders, and the People Who Fight Back) was released this fall. It was co-written by her brother, investigative journalist David Goodman. She also gives about 100 speeches a year. The week before she spoke with E&P, Goodman appeared in Seattle, Minneapolis, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wis.

How did the ultra-busy Goodman feel when Mott asked her about doing a column? "I had to think about it because of how much time it would take," she replies, adding that she decided "expanding the debate" on opinion pages was too important an opportunity to pass up. And Goodman feels these pages need more female voices.

Mott says he wanted to sign Goodman because of her energy, fearlessness, large following, reporting ability, and multimedia experience. He observes that the days of launching a print column without a multimedia component are all but gone.