Sarah Jones Breaks It Down: A Kids News Podcast
By Mary Field,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
News pod for kids highlights media literacy; some violence.
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What’s It About?
SARAH JONES BREAKS IT DOWN is a news podcast for kids, tweens, teens and adults covering things happening in our world. Host Sarah Jones guides listeners through unpacking different topics and current events as a way to help kids (and adults) make sense of them. Jones emphasizes the importance of using journalism and her passion for covering underreported stories. For example, while covering the topic of war in an in-depth series of episodes, Jones shares many facts about the Russia/Ukraine conflict and provides information on other current underreported wars and conflicts. Through her stories, she weaves in first-hand accounts of people at the center of topics. In one episode she interviews a fellow journalist and friend, Hozan Ibrahim, whom she met while covering the war in Syria. Ibrahim identifies as a refugee of war from Syria and discusses the implications and pain experienced after being forced from his country. Each episode is around 10-minutes and goes in-depth about the topics discussed. Show notes provide a short episode summary and a list of consulted resources.
Is It Any Good?
The podcast is and outstanding resource for news and media literacy. Sarah Jones Breaks it Down provides interesting and newsworthy information while teaching listeners about journalism. Jones' career exemplifies a highly achieving journalist who's making an impact on the world through her work and empowering the next generation to do the same. Her travels and experiences lead to untold stories and fascinating information about things happening around the world.
The relatively short episodes leave room for discussion between adults and kids to promote further understanding of the topics. The content gives listeners info that can be further discussed at the dinner table, in a classroom, or during a car ride to support kids in understanding relevant news through fact-based journalistic reporting. The interviews and voices of diverse people Jones highlights bring a human-centered feel to the stories shared. Through these people, listeners are offered the opportunity to empathize and understand the direct impact of situations or events on peoples' lives.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about journalism and the definition shared in the first episode of Sarah Jones Breaks it Down. What is journalism? What are some different forms of journalistic reporting?
How can fact-based reporting help people and communities who might be suffering or experiencing trauma? What are different ways to fact-check stories you hear or see in media?
What is fascinating to you about the career of a journalist? Might it be a career that interests you? Why or why not?
Host Sarah Jones emphasizes the importance of integrity, curiosity and communication in her journalistic work. Why are these important character strengths? Why are they important when it comes to reporting news and current events?
Podcast Details
- Release date: May 25, 2022
- Genre: News
- Average Run Time: 9 minutes
- Website: https://akidsco.com/pages/sarah-jones-breaks-it-down
- Host: Sarah Jones
- Production Company and Network: A Kids Company About
- Pricing structure: Paid, Free (Free with kid-friendly ads. Ad-free with a subscription for $3.99/mo or $39.99/yr.)
- Topics: Activism , High School , Middle School
- Character Strengths: Communication , Curiosity , Integrity
- Last updated: October 26, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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