On the Media

Trump's Justices Changed the Way We Vote Forever. Plus, Ep.3 of American Emergency

How "Economic Blindness" Is Obscuring Our Financial Reality

Economic blindness manifests as a persistent disconnect between financial market performance and tangible global crises, such as the current oil supply instability and the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Human cognition, evolved to prioritize immediate, localized threats, struggles to process slow-moving, system...

The Psychology of Sticking Your Head in the Sand. Plus, Ep. 2 of American Emergency.

Trump's Glitzy Library Grift

American Emergency: The Movement to Kill FEMA

FEMA faces a profound crisis of legitimacy, caught between its secretive Cold War origins and the escalating demands of climate-driven disasters. Originally conceived as a dual-purpose agency for nuclear civil defense and disaster relief, its early reliance on classified "continuity of government" planning fueled decad...

How a Prison Fire Helped Create CBS News

The 1930 Ohio Penitentiary fire served as a foundational, yet largely forgotten, catalyst for the development of CBS News. Contrary to the network’s claims that its news division originated from its 1927 inception, the organization initially prioritized entertainment. The live, on-the-spot broadcast of the prison disas...

Grab Your Tin Foil Hat for The Onion's Takeover of Infowars

Donald Trump’s recent use of AI-generated imagery depicting himself as a divine figure has triggered significant backlash among his religious base, signaling a shift in support as some former allies now openly entertain conspiracy theories regarding his assassination attempt. Meanwhile, satirical outlet The Onion is pr...

Predicting the News

Influencers Usher In A New Era For #MeToo

Planet Money Wrote a Book And Then Dissected The Business of Publishing!

The publishing industry operates as a high-stakes, consolidated market where literary agents act as essential gatekeepers between creators and a shrinking pool of major publishing houses. Success in this environment relies on transforming artistic concepts into marketable products, often requiring authors to demonstrat...

Trump’s “Madman Theory” Is on Full Display in Iran

The podcast examines President Trump's foreign policy strategy, particularly his approach to Iran, through the lens of the "Madman Theory." It questions whether Trump's erratic behavior is a deliberate tactic or genuine instability, weighing the potential dangers of this approach. Bill Scher, politics editor of the Was...

A New Day for the Press in Hungary?

The podcast explores the state of democracy and press freedom in Hungary, focusing on the upcoming national elections and the rise of opposition candidate Peter Magyar. Ivan Nagy, a reporter for the Columbia Journalism Review from Hungary, provides insights into the erosion of Orbán's power base, which began with a sca...

Pete Hegseth is Praying for a Holy War

The Danger of Keeping Score

The Pentagon Kicks the Press Out … Again

Trans People are Facing a 'Dual State' in Trump's America

Trump Demands Patriotic Coverage of the War in Iran. Or Else….

A Win For Mr. Nobody!

Hegseth’s Pentagon Axed a Program Meant to Save Civilian Lives

A Good Sign For the VOA?

The episode examines the Voice of America's (VOA) historical role and its current challenges, particularly in light of recent political interference. It traces VOA's origins in combating propaganda during World War II by providing accurate news and promoting American culture through "soft power," including jazz music. ...