V Spehar of Under the Desk News (@underthedesknews) will be the third speaker in Lehigh University’s 2024-2025 Compelling Perspectives series on February 6 at 6 p.m. in Zoellner Arts Center.
President Joseph J. Helble ’82 and Spehar will participate in a discussion focusing on the role of nontraditional media in contemporary society. A brief Q&A with the audience will follow.
Nontraditional media—encompassing digital platforms, social media, influencers, podcasts, streaming services and other non-mainstream channels—reflects rapid growth, diversification and increasing influence on how individuals consume news around the globe. Nontraditional media is increasingly shaping public discourse, entertainment and consumer behavior. It has inherent challenges, including the spread of misinformation, regulation and content placement among complex algorithms.
Spehar is a Rochester-based citizen journalist, award-winning podcaster and online personality who has built a following of more than 3 million subscribers on the video-sharing platform TikTok.
Specializing in short-form content, Spehar provides brief recaps of notable headlines. They launched “Under the Desk News” on TikTok in April 2020 with the goal of making news media less intimidating and easier to understand. Spehar began delivering one-minute news segments while under a desk. The videos quickly attracted a bipartisan audience.
In 2022, Spehar launched “V Interesting,” a long-form podcast with original reporting that tackles various topics such as Gen Z voter engagement. The podcast has been recognized by GLADD, a nonprofit organization focused on LGBTQ+ advocacy and cultural change.
Their reporting has taken them to the press room of the 2023 State of the Union to hosting the NBC livestream of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to speaking at UNESCO summits. “V Interesting” debuted in the top 10 news podcasts of June 2022 and has held a steady place in the top 25 news podcasts since. In 2023, Spehar received a Webby Special Achievement Award for their concise and compassionate reporting.
The first Compelling Perspectives event on the 2024-2025 topic welcomed veteran journalist Katie Couric to campus in September to discuss the role of traditional media in contemporary society. In December, longtime news editor Marty Baron ’76 ’76G ’14H explored the impact of traditional media during the recent U.S. presidential election.
Advance registration is required for this event. Space is limited; please register by January 28 to reserve your spot.
