'Southern News, Southern Politics' explores complicated and consequential history of a newspaper dynasty in NC

By Leoneda Inge,

Published February 27, 2025 at 3:05 PM EST

The Raleigh News and Observer has a long history and a complicated legacy in North Carolina. A new book, Southern News, Southern Politics: How a Newspaper Defined a State for a Century, explores how the newspaper reported on — and also shaped — politics for generations of North Carolinians.

Author and former N&O political columnist Rob Christensen talks with Leoneda Inge about the book, which also tells the story of the family that owned and ran the paper — referred to over the years as "The Nuisance and Disturber" — from the late 1800s to the end of the 20th century.

Rob Christensen will be speaking about his new book on March 4th and March 8th.

Guest

Rob Christensen, former political columnist for the News and Observer in Raleigh, author of Southern News, Southern Politics: How a Newspaper Defined a State for a Century

Due South

Leoneda Inge

Leoneda Inge is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Leoneda has been a radio journalist for more than 30 years, spending most of her career at WUNC as the Race and Southern Culture reporter. Leoneda’s work includes stories of race, slavery, memory and monuments. She has won "Gracie" awards, an Alfred I. duPont Award and several awards from the Radio, Television, Digital News Association (RTDNA). In 2017, Leoneda was named "Journalist of Distinction" by the National Association of Black Journalists.

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Rachel McCarthy

Rachel McCarthy is a producer for "Due South." She previously worked at WUNC as a producer for "The Story with Dick Gordon." More recently, Rachel was podcast managing editor at Capitol Broadcasting Company where she developed narrative series and edited a daily podcast. She also worked at "The Double Shift" podcast as supervising producer. Rachel learned about audio storytelling at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. Prior to working in audio journalism, she was a research assistant at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC.

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