Brian Reed, the journalist behind the acclaimed podcast S-Town, appears in this trailer to announce a new show called Question Everything. The trailer is addressed directly to S-Town listeners, leveraging that existing audience to introduce the new project. Reed describes Question Everything as a show about journalism — specifically, his attempt to examine and improve the profession he has worked in for over 15 years. In the first episode, Reed sits down with a fellow journalist who publicly called S-Town morally indefensible, framing the conversation as a direct reckoning with criticism of his own most famous work. The central questions raised include whether S-Town was a legitimate story to tell and whether Reed had the right to tell it the way he did. Reed positions the new show as relevant to anyone who has felt frustrated or misled by the news at a time of widespread distrust in media. He quotes a source describing the current information environment as one where people believe 'so much bullshit,' which Reed says he views as a legitimate journalistic beat. He also admits that reporting can feel like 'an exercise in failure,' suggesting the show will not shy away from self-criticism. A brief anecdote involves a jailer who implied Reed would drop a story about a DA after facing pressure; Reed says he was already mentally writing the story as the threat was made. This illustrates his philosophy of editorial independence under pressure. Reed also reflects on whether journalists should soften their reporting to preempt blowback, questioning whether that kind of defensive writing is even appropriate. He references MSNBC and CNN as examples of outlets that some people automatically dismiss regardless of content. Reed grapples with the ethics of sourcing, describing a moment when a subject asked what she would get out of participating in a story. He admits he struggled to answer and could only conclude that shared stories create connection for listeners. The trailer includes audio clips from what appear to be interviews and field recordings from the new show. The production quality is consistent with Reed's previous work, mixing ambient sound with direct address. The trailer ends with a call to find Question Everything wherever podcasts are available. Overall, the trailer positions the show as both a media criticism project and a personal ethical reckoning for Reed himself.
