Citations Needed

News Brief: Why the Media Should Stop Calling it a "Government Shutdown"

Episode 23: The Media's Grim Addiction to Perseverance Porn

Episode 22: Trumpwashing -- How the Media Uses Trump to Launder Our Criminal Past

Episode 21: Quantifying Negative Media Portrayals of People of Color

Episode 20: Lotteryism, Part II -- A Most Dangerous Game: How Sports Are Used to Fleece Public Trusts

Citations Needed, co-hosted by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson, delves into the concept of "lotteryism," where communities and individuals compete for resources from corporations and billionaires, often at the expense of solidarity and collective action. They explore how sports, particularly stadium deals and Olympic bid...

Episode 19: Lotteryism Part I -- How a Compliant Press Fuels the Spectacle of 'Winning'

Citations Needed, co-hosted by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson, delves into "Lotteryism," the media's role in promoting individual success stories over collective action, often driven by corporations and billionaires. The episode explores how this concept manifests in various sectors, such as sports, business, and philan...

Episode 18: Fake News Panic and the Silencing of Dissident Media

In this episode of Citations Needed, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson dissect the "fake news" phenomenon, exploring its origins, the motivations behind its propagation, and its impact on alternative media. They critique the mainstream media's role in amplifying the panic, the problematic definitions of "fake news," and th...

Episode 17: Whitewashing America's Role in Yemen

Citations Needed, hosted by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson, critically examines the media's inadequate coverage of the Yemen war, siege, and blockade led by a Saudi-U.S. coalition. They discuss how the media often omits the U.S.'s role, simplifies the conflict as a civil war, and perpetuates the "Iran-backed Houthi" nar...

News Brief: #J20 Trial Update and the Political Definitions of 'Violence'

In this Citations Needed News Brief, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson interview Sam Adler-Bell about the J20 cases, focusing on the legal and media aspects of the trials facing those arrested during the inauguration day protests. They discuss the charges, the precedent set by the mass arrests, and the racial and class imp...

Episode 16: Editorial Boards––Protectors of Establishment Ideology

In this episode of Citations Needed, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson dissect the role and influence of editorial boards, particularly those of major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post, focusing on their tone, historical context, and impact on shaping public opinion. They critique the anonymous nat...

Episode 15: The Real Estate Page As Colonial Dispatch

In this episode of Citations Needed, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson discuss the use of colonial language in real estate journalism, arguing that terms like "urban pioneer" and "new frontier" reinforce racist and white supremacist attitudes by erasing the history and contributions of people of color in gentrifying neighb...

Episode 14: The Iran Deal Protection Racket

In this episode of Citations Needed, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson dissect the media's portrayal of Iran's nuclear program, highlighting the pervasive yet often unsubstantiated claim that Iran possesses a nuclear weapons program. They argue that media outlets frequently conflate Iran's civilian nuclear energy program w...

Episode 13: The Always Stumbling US Empire

In this episode of Citations Needed, Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson discuss the media trope of portraying the U.S. as a "stumbling empire," either incompetent or benevolent, but rarely malicious or competent. They analyze how the U.S. is often depicted as reluctantly drawn into wars, with good intentions, while adversar...

Episode 12: The New Atheists, Celebrity Crusaders For Empire

Citations Needed, hosted by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson, explores the phenomenon of New Atheism, critiquing its liberal chauvinism and imperialist tendencies. The hosts, along with guest Luke Savage, dissect the movement's key figures like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens, highlighting t...

Episode 11: The Deficits Racket Part II -- Racist Media as Barrier to Govt Spending

In this episode of Citations Needed, Adam Johnson is joined by producer Florence Burrow Adams to discuss how race serves as a barrier to government spending and broad social programs. They analyze the media's role in racializing poverty, with guests Sean McElwee and Professor Noel Cazenave, who provide insights on how ...

Episode 11: The Deficits Racket Part I -- Single Payer Propaganda War

Citations Needed, a podcast about media, PR, and the history of bullshit, presents the first part of a two-part episode on deficits. Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson discuss the concept of "deficit trolls" and how the fear of deficits is used to undermine progressive policies. They argue that the media disproportionately ...

Episode 10: Ableism and the Ethics of Calling Trump “Crazy”

Episode 09: Liberal Media Throws #J20 Activists Under the Bus

Episode 08: The Human Rights Concern Troll Industrial Complex

News Brief: Harvey, Climate Change and Snitch Reporters