On the Media - podcast cover

On the Media

WNYC Studioswww.wnycstudios.org
On the Media is a weekly show that uses the media as a lens to understand our world.  On the Media listeners say the show is an essential companion, helping them survive the firehose of media coming at them 24/7. Hosted by Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger, the show does not do ‘hot takes’, instead offering listeners context, historical parallels, media analysis and often a much appreciated deep exhale. On the Media hosts have an eye on the nuances and details regularly missed by other outlets which helps listeners understand where they should be paying attention (and what they can afford to ignore). Our media diets have untruths woven in, and inconvenient truths left out. These are the bits explored every week at On the Media.
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Episodes

Foreign & Domestic

In the wake of another mass shooting tragedy, Brooke looks back at a history of racially-motivated hate crimes. Plus, the strength and responsibility of comedy in the face of extremism, misconceptions about the future of the Affordable Care Act, and the climate change deniers' "I'm not a scientist" defense. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedi...

Jun 19, 201552 min

Codes of Conduct

As videos of police violence continue to make headlines, a guide to filming the police as a bystander. Plus, making sense of data breaches, a lesson in coding, and a trip into the future of storytelling, where virtual reality makes journalism a bodily experience. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailin...

Jun 12, 201552 min

Checking The Books

Two newspapers' quests to count every person killed by police in 2015, how librarians shaped the original debate over the Patriot Act, and more. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collecti...

Jun 05, 201559 min

The Bill That Nobody Read

Congress is locked in a battle over the future of the Patriot Act. This special hour of OTM reveals the origins of the act in a post-9/11 climate of fear... and considers whether it really is at the heart of the nation's struggle between security and privacy. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing on...

May 29, 201551 min

If We Knew Then...

A surprisingly difficult -- and misleading -- question about the Iraq War, the police bombing that no one remembers, and the struggle of ownership in the age of the "Internet of Things." On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw...

May 21, 201551 min

Seymour Hersh, NYC Nail Salons, and Ebola-Free Liberia

Seymour Hersh talks about his article claiming that the White House version of how Osama Bin Laden was killed is a lie. Plus, how a New York City nail salon expose went viral, and Liberia is finally declared Ebola-free. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast,...

May 15, 201551 min

Podcast Extra: Seymour Hersh

This week legendary investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published an account of the killing of Osama bin Laden that directly contradicts the official narrative. Hersh’s use of anonymous sources have led many to cast doubt on the assertions in the article; CNN’s Peter Bergen called his story a “farrago of nonsense”. Bob talks with Hersh about the swirling controversy in this On the Media special podcast. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://p...

May 13, 201522 min

After An Earthquake, Body Cams, and Veep

What the media get wrong about earthquakes, surveillance the public loves and hates, and the creator of HBO's Veep. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...

May 08, 201552 min

Unseen & Inscrutable

The deep historical roots of the Baltimore protests, shedding light on drone strikes, and combating sex worker stereotypes. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...

May 01, 201552 min

Dr. Oz, Narratives of Migration, and Cosmic Colors

Hundreds of refugees drowned recently when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean. We examine the dangers of false narratives of migration pushed by politicians and the media. Plus, Dr. Oz defends his credibility and a look at the Hubble space telescope’s lasting impact on popular culture. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share you...

Apr 24, 201552 min

"Young, Charismatic, & Ambitious"

As the 2016 campaign season begins, we discuss the words used repeatedly to describe candidates, and how to cover those who are unlikely to win. Plus: the uncertain right to record police; a critical examination of Washington's "nerd prom"; and more. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@...

Apr 16, 201552 min

Blame, Shame, or Deny?

Climate change is arguably the most urgent story in human history, but journalism has struggled to address the threat. This week, an exploration of new efforts by the press to understand and explain the science – and to get you involved. Plus: what the report on Rolling Stone’s retracted story means for the UVA campus, and the anatomy of another story that’s hard to check. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Foll...

Apr 10, 201551 min

The Cancer Show: Part 2

Today, the impact of cancer is not limited to patients and loved ones, not confined to hospital wards and research labs. It's a powerful symbol appropriated by Hollywood, the news media, and every realm of expression to signify what we most fear. In the second hour of "The Cancer Show," the stories we tell about cancer: on stage, on the big screen, and online. This week’s On The Media is part of WNYC’s Living Cancer Series, a radio companion to “Ken Burns Presents Cancer: The Emperor of All Mala...

Apr 03, 201551 min

Podcast Extra: Jon Ronson and Public Shaming

In his new book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed, Jon Ronson tackles the phenomenon of internet-fueled public shaming, which has ruined many a career and life in an era of the enormous, and un-erasable, digital footprint. Brooke talks with Ronson in this On the Media podcast extra. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts ...

Apr 02, 201526 min

The Cancer Show: Part I

Over the last 2,500 years, cancer has shifted from a disease in the shadows to one at the center of scientific research and public discussion. In the first of two special episodes, On the Media dives deep into the way we talk about cancer: in the news, in the hospital, and in our private lives. This week’s On The Media is part of WNYC’s Living Cancer Series, a radio companion to “Ken Burns Presents Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, coming to PBS March 30th. Support for Living Cancer is provid...

Mar 23, 201552 min

Confession and Suppression

Last week, suspected murderer Robert Durst was arrested the day before an HBO film aired his apparent confession. On the Media examines the line between making great documentary and staying on the right side of the law. Also, why you won't catch a Florida official using the term "climate change." Plus, Wikipedia takes on the NSA. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok ...

Mar 20, 201552 min

#49 - Do URL Believe in Magic?

What happens when you buy a magic spell on Etsy? Writer Jaya Saxena and her husband Matt Lubchansky recently tested one witch's wares, and they talk to TLDR about being careful what you wish for. Plus, TLDR hires our own spellcaster, a mystic named Melenia O'Breasal, to talk about how a person comes to cast spells, where all that incense comes from, and the difference between peddling magic online and off. To read Jaya's original Daily Dot piece, click here . To check out Melenia's Etsy store an...

Mar 13, 201511 min

Cashing in on Ferguson, That Letter to Iran, and Nihilism's Allure

This week, two police officers were shot in Ferguson, MO, bringing in yet another wave of reporters. We examine whether the constant media presence has turned the town of Ferguson into a symbol and a brand. Plus: Brooke charts the history of nihilism. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia...

Mar 13, 201552 min

On the Rocks

We’ve seen more horrific videos from ISIS, but this time the cruelty is directed at priceless artifacts. This week we examine the media's reaction to the videos after it turns out that most of the smashed antiquities were fakes. Also, Hillary Clinton’s email habits as secretary of state have reporters scrambling to understand the Federal Records Act. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagra...

Mar 06, 201552 min

Secure Connections

This week, after years of debate, the FCC voted to treat the internet like a public utility. On the Media examines what the decision means for the data flowing through our devices. Also, as the situation in Libya continues to deteriorate, a look back at the people who helped end Muammar Qaddafi's rule in 2011. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthem...

Feb 27, 201552 min

Safe Words

Why the language of terrorism is so divisive. Also, how Fifty Shades of Grey introduced America to the kink community. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal dat...

Feb 20, 201551 min

Whistleblowers, the Legacy of Lynching, and Vintage Jon Stewart

An exploration of the term “whistleblower”, from its origins as a sports reference to its current status as a moral mantle. Plus, reframing the legacy Jim Crow-era lynchings. And a farewell to venerable media satirist Jon Stewart. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by ...

Feb 13, 201551 min

On the Anti-Vax Non-troversy

In the wake of a US measles outbreak, the media, politicians, and even celebrities have quarantined the country in a vortex of paranoia and fear. The combination of false science and government distrust has given a pedestal to the irrational, and the self-evident necessity of vaccines has come under attack. Bob inoculates with a little history and a lot of common sense on the anti-vaccination "controversy." On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://...

Feb 06, 20155 min

Threat Assessment

The content of a new ISIS video shocks the world. Also, vaccinating children stokes faux controversy, again, and a new documentary has the Church of Scientology on the offensive. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com ...

Feb 06, 201551 min

The Case for Boredom

Meet our friends from down the hall. The podcast New Tech City about technology and human behavior has kicked off a fascinating project that anyone can join in on. And, we want you to know about it. This episode of New Tech City kicks off the Bored and Brilliant Project . The goal is to get you rethinking your relationship with technology and to start thinking more creatively by testing your tech habits in a series of challenges . Since the spread of smartphones began, boredom has become an enda...

Feb 05, 201517 min

Naming the Shooter, the Law of the Internet, and More

Whether to name the perpetrators of mass shootings, the myth of defensive gun ownership, and the "Ebola Doctor" Craig Spencer. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...

Jan 30, 201556 min

Japanese Captives, the diary of a Guantanamo Bay inmate, and more

A video threat from ISIS to Japan, debunking conventional wisdom in Congress, and a newly published memoir from a Guantanamo Bay inmate. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...

Jan 23, 201552 min

Terror Reporting and Technological Paranoia

On the narratives we expect after a terrorist event, double standards for free speech in France, and the eerie technology of Black Mirror' s not-so-distant future. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...

Jan 16, 201554 min

The Attack on Charlie Hebdo, Reckoning with Free Speech, and More

After the massacre at the French weekly Charlie Hebdo, a look at the symbolic weight of French satire and true freedom of speech. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p...

Jan 09, 201552 min

True Crime

A special hour on the enthralling genre of true crime. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Bluesky , TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Jan 02, 201551 min
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