Andrew Conte, Journalist-Author-Episode #247

Andrew Conte serves as the founding director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University.  He writes the Pittsburgh Public Editor column at NEXTpittsburgh. And he was an investigative reporter at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, where he won numerous national, state and local awards. 

Andrew has published several books, including Death of the Daily News, released in September, 2022, Breakaway, and The Color of Sundays, which explores the role of race in the National Football League mainly through how Bill Nunn, Jr. and the Pittsburgh Steelers identified undervalued players at historically black colleges. Netflix has optioned the book for a potential movie, and the Independent Book Publishers Association recognized The Color of Sundays with a Silver Benjamin Franklin Award. I’ve read The Color of Sundays and can tell you it’s a thoroughly researched, fascinating deep dive into how African Americans have become indispensable, elite players in high-profile sports.

For the record, Steve and Andy have known one another for many years as colleagues at Point Park University. If Andy hadn’t put out a call in 2016 for professors who might like to use the Center for Media Innovation to launch a podcast, StoryBeat would not exist.