Charles Mitchell, a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, discusses how Chief Justice John Roberts has long touted the need for an independent judiciary as an essential element in a functioning democracy.

President Donald Trump has filed a defamation and deception and unfair trade practices act lawsuit against the BBC. The case involves a report aired by the BBC just before the election in 2024. The lawsuit is a first-of-its-kind legal action by a sitting U.S. president against a foreign news outlet. Alex Morey, a First Amendment specialist for the Freedom Forum, analyzes the case and the First Amendment issues.

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss withheld a segment on a notorious prison in El Salvador before it was scheduled to air on “60 Minutes.” Tony Pederson, managing fellow of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, discusses the controversy surrounding holding a story dealing with criticism of the Trump administration.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s exit caused hard feelings around the university and the state of Mississippi. Terry Mattingly, a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, comments on a recent article by Baptist Press that uses Kiffin’s leaving for advice to pastors. 

The Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics will present a program on Soggy Sweat’s iconic Whiskey Speech on Wednesday, March 25. The program will feature a screening of a documentary film on the speech followed by a discussion of the historical context and importance of the speech. Cosponsors for the event are the University of Mississippi School of Law, the Mississippi Judicial College, and the Lafayette County Bar Association.

Jared Schroeder, an associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism, discusses some lawmakers have proposed bills to support local journalism. He and Zivile Raskauskaite, a doctoral candidate, created the new resource that tracks legislative efforts to support local journalism, which is hosted by the Reynolds Journalism Institute.

Black gospel music and its free speech implications will be the focus of a program by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. “Free Speech, Freedom Songs and the Music of Liberation” will be presented in the Overby Center auditorium on Feb. 25 as a part of Black History Month. 

R.J. Morgan, instructional associate professor in the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi and director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association, discusses the annual Fall Statewide Convention at the University of Southern Mississippi. MSPA has a new partnership with Press Forward Mississippi which aims to strengthen local media.

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill spoke about the city of Oxford’s current infrastructure budgeting situation as part of the Great Conversations series by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. Members of the Oxford community and representatives of Ole Miss were in attendance. 

Robert F. Darden of the Overby Center panel of experts writes that, when freedom of speech was restricted, protest spirituals were an effective means of communication that also became foundational messages for the Civil Rights Movement. 

Charles Mitchell of the University of Mississippi and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts discusses the Pentagon’s new media policy imposed by Pete Hegseth.

In an exclusive Q&A with the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, James E. “Jim” Prince III shares his insights on ensuring journalistic integrity, the relationship between advertisers and news outlets, and the current state of journalism.

As Mississippi celebrates the 100th anniversary of Medgar Evers’ birth, his daughter Reena Evers-Everette, joined by Mississippi Today’s Jerry Mitchell and Dr. RJ Morgan, a professor at Ole Miss, talked about how she remembered her father and how Mitchell played such a big role within her family. 

Longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, a conservative Democrat, and his wife are under indictment on charges of bribery, fraud, and money laundering. Speculation continues that Cuellar might switch parties to become a Republican in exchange for a pardon. Carlos Sanchez, a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, examines the issues.

Terry Mattingly, Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture at Saint Constantine College in Houston and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, discusses the new debates on the First Amendment created after Charlie Kirk’s death.

In an exclusive Q&A with the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, James E. “Jim” Prince III shares his insights on the future of journalism, the evolving relationship of advertising and news, and ensuring objectivity.

Tony Pederson, managing fellow of the Overby Center, discusses the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

A student support fund has been established in the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics in honor of Rose Jackson Flenorl (’79), manager of global citizenship at the FedEx Corporation and an alumna of the University of Mississippi.

Gerrymandering of district lines has been around a long time, writes Charles Mitchell of the University of Mississippi and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts. And Chief Justice John Roberts, in a majority opinion in 2019, wrote that it’s up to voters, not the courts, to deal with the issue.