How did the right get their vice grip of the airwaves, all the while arguing that they were being censored? On this week’s On the Media, a look at the early history of American radio, and why, in the post-war era, the U.S. government encouraged more diverse viewpoints on the airwaves — until it didn’t. Plus, the technological and legal changes that led to the popularity of conservative talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh. [00:10] Reporter Katie Thornton explains how radio programming shifted fro...
Nov 29, 2024•51 min
Our latest episode featured Micah's interview with Hank Green, a very popular YouTuber and science communicator. We got a lot of nice feedback about the conversation, and there were some interesting exchanges that we couldn’t fit in the radio version. So we’re bringing you a longer edit here. Hank describes how content creators depend on legacy media; his inspiration for making videos in 2007; and how OTM can reach a bigger audience. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM b...
Nov 27, 2024•24 min
A recent report from the Pew Research Center finds that 1 in 5 Americans get their news from influencers. On this week’s On the Media, YouTuber and science communicator Hank Green explains how he makes the truth go viral. Plus, hear how tech billionaires plan to escape the end of the world. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Renée DiResta, researcher studying online manipulation and professor at Georgetown University, about what the data tells us about how news consumption is changing. Plu...
Nov 23, 2024•50 min
In the run up to the election Donald Trump was doggedly pursuing the votes of young men. He courted them, as we described on the show, through interviews with influencers like Joe Rogan and Adin Ross, and Logan Paul. These personalities are part of the so-called manosphere, where anti-feminist, often right-wing politics are the norm. While reporting on this corner of the internet, host Micah Loewinger has been thinking a lot about a conversation he had with Richard Reeves , author of the book of...
Nov 20, 2024•18 min
Many of Donald J. Trump’s cabinet picks have something in common: a very close relationship with Fox News. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the revolving door from the conservative network to the White House. Plus, election conspiracy theories from Kamala Harris supporters go viral. And a satirical news site buys up Alex Jones’ Infowars. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Matt Gertz , senior fellow at Media Matters, about the re-opened revolving door between conservative media and ...
Nov 15, 2024•50 min
Many media outlets were prepared for conspiracy theories and lies to spread after the election. But many thought that it would be coming from Donald Trump or his supporters spreading the “Big Lie.” But since Donald Trump’s win, some social media posts from Kamala Harris supporters and people on the left have gone viral questioning the outcome of the election. Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Anna Merlan , senior reporter at Mother Jones covering disinformation, technology, and extremism, about t...
Nov 14, 2024•22 min
Since Donald J. Trump won the election, journalists have been retreading his path to victory, and discussing how the press should cover his next presidency. On this week’s On the Media, hear how a group of powerful podcasters helped boost Trump to his second term. Plus, an exiled Russian journalist shares rules for surviving an autocracy. [01:00] Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger and Executive Producer Katya Rogers discuss the day after the election. We also hear from OTM listeners abou...
Nov 08, 2024•50 min
Brooke and Micah recorded a conversation on Wednesday morning after the election. 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, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].
Nov 06, 2024•30 min
As the election approaches, conspiracy theories have flooded social media. On this week’s On the Media, hear why journalists are struggling to keep up with disinformation, on and offline. Plus, what does The Washington Post’s non-endorsement really mean? And, a look at the media coverage of the Uncommitted movement. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Brandy Zadrozny , senior reporter at NBC, about the growing swirl of disinformation around the election—and the toll it’s taking. [14:26] Hos...
Nov 02, 2024•50 min
Donald Trump is being called a fascist – by his former appointees and his opponent Kamala Harris. On Sunday, in a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, Trump and his allies traded in crude and racist insults, amplifying the nationalistic rhetoric his camp has become known for. The event drew stark comparisons to another gathering at the Garden–a 1939 " Pro-American Rally ," put on by the German-American Bund, a pro-Nazi group, with 20,000 of its members in attendance. The MAGA rally, for s...
Oct 30, 2024•31 min
Donald Trump is being called a fascist – by his former appointees, as well as by his opponent Kamala Harris. On this week’s On the Media, a historian of fascism explains why he sounded the alarm back in 2018. Plus, the science behind why horror films make your skin crawl. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Jason Stanley , a professor of Philosophy at Yale University and who has written several books on fascism. He first warned about Trump’s fascist rhetoric in 2018, and explains why it's ...
Oct 25, 2024•50 min
For the last few years, patriotism has been stuck in the wheelhouse of the GOP. A Gallup poll from June shows that 60% of Republicans — compared to 29% of Democrats — express extreme pride in being American. Donald Trump wraps himself in flags at each rally, walking out to God Bless America. But recently, Democrats have been taking it back, little by little. At a rally in Philadelphia, the crowd erupted into chants of, “USA! USA! USA!” and at the DNC, former Republican representative Adam Kinzin...
Oct 23, 2024•13 min
This election is set to be the most expensive ever. On this week’s On the Media, what does a billion dollars in campaign funds actually buy? Plus, Democrats condemned dark money for years. Now they embrace it. [01:00] Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger explore why Donald Trump came to be so reliant on his billionaire donors. Plus, Andrew Perez of Rolling Stone details Trump’s history of promising his benefactors big favors. And Bloomberg reporter Annie Massa breaks down the relationship ...
Oct 19, 2024•50 min
The new film “ The Apprentice ,” takes us back to New York in the 1970s, to when Donald Trump was just starting to make a name for himself, and to his introduction to Roy Cohn, the ruthless attorney and political fixer. The fictionalized depiction of real events, shows how Cohn molded Trump into his protégé, imparting his political lessons on how to wield political power, manipulate the media, and bend the truth. The film was directed by Ali Abbasi and written and executive produced by Gabriel S...
Oct 16, 2024•26 min
When Fox News launched in 1996, critics joked about its incompetence. But just a few years later, the network proved itself to be a political force. On this week’s On the Media, hear how Fox News rose to power during the election of 2000. Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger introduce Slow Burn’s host Josh Levin . Levin spoke with the hosts, reporters, and producers who built Fox News, many who’ve never spoken publicly before. And you’ll hear from Fox’s victims, who are still coming to ter...
Oct 11, 2024•50 min
It’s been less than two weeks since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, tearing through the southeast United States. And already, Hurricane Milton is looming as a deadly sequel. With states still reeling from the physical and emotional toll of the first storm, more trouble has been brewing online. This week on our podcast extra, host Micah Loewinger sits down with Will Oremus , technology reporter for The Washington Post, to talk about how he and his colleagues have been documenting the s...
Oct 09, 2024•21 min
Israel has launched a ground invasion into Lebanon. On this week’s On the Media, hear from a reporter in Beirut on the state of the press as the country braces for more violence. Plus, the state of book censorship in America. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Nada Homsi , correspondent at The National’s Beirut bureau, on what the press looks like in Lebanon as Israel launches a ground invasion into the country. [14:23] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Raviv Drucker , an Israeli journ...
Oct 04, 2024•50 min
And exclusive sneak peek of a brand new radio play starring Edie Falco, John Turturro and Tony Shalhoub. Inspired by Sinclair Lewis’ dystopian novel, It Can’t Happen Here , Richard Dresser’s novel, and now 6-part radio play called It Happened Here 2024, offers a glimpse of what could happen after the 2024 election if fascism creeps into the USA. The story centers around the Weeks family as they brace for the election. Paul and Ruth’s family work to defeat the so-called Great Leader . Paul’s brot...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 10 min
In Georgia, a controversial new rule to hand-count ballots is being challenged in court. On this week’s On the Media, how the big lie of 2020 is shaping elections in 2024. Plus, how newsrooms are preparing for a whirlwind of disinformation on election night — and beyond. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Sam Gringlas , politics reporter at WABE, about the controversy surrounding new election rules in Georgia and the officials backing them. [14:37] Host Micah Loewinger interviews Ari Berma...
Sep 27, 2024•50 min
When Fox News launched in 1996, critics called it “disorganized, incompetent, and laughably inept”. And during that election cycle it barely registered. But everything changed in 2000, when Fox News called Florida (and the presidency) for George W. Bush before any of the other networks. Potentially altering the outcome of the election in Bush’s favor. Our midweek podcast this week is episode one of the new series of Slow Burn from Slate which takes that pivotal moment as its starting point to ex...
Sep 25, 2024•49 min
Lies that immigrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio have inspired dozens of threats against the town, and toward Haitian-Americans across the nation. On this week’s On the Media, hear how public acceptance of political violence has grown. Plus, how January 6 became a recruiting tool for one of the country’s largest militias. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Macollvie Neel , special projects editor at The Haitian Times, to talk about the recent wave of rhetoric and threats aimed at...
Sep 20, 2024•50 min
Last Tuesday, as audience members and press were still milling about the presidential debate stage in Philadelphia after the spotlights dimmed, the real bombshell of the night dropped — Taylor Swift's endorsement Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. And this week, pop star Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took to Instagram, announcing that they were voting for Harris and Walz. Swift and Eilish stand amid a sea of pop stars, including, among others, Beyonce, Charli xcx, and Cardi B, who have cheered ...
Sep 18, 2024•20 min
Kamala Harris has come under fire for ignoring interview requests from the press. On this week’s On the Media, the debate over whether giving media access actually helps inform voters. Plus, a guide to understanding election polls, and how they’ve evolved since the failures of 2016 and 2020. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone explores a rising complaint from some in the political press that Vice President Kamala Harris isn’t engaging enough with reporters, featuring: Perry Bacon Jr. , Washington Post...
Sep 13, 2024•50 min
Last summer, OTM host Micah Loewenger reported a piece about the rise of worker-owned newsrooms: Hell Gate, a local New York publication, and Defector, a national outlet focused on sports and culture. Inspired by Defector and Hell Gate, more worked-owned outlets have come on the scene — including 404 Media , known for its mix of fun internet coverage and hard-nosed investigations. In this week’s midweek podcast, Micah speaks to 404 co-founder Samantha Cole about the challenges they have faced si...
Sep 11, 2024•20 min
At a town hall event hosted by Fox, Donald Trump shared a number of falsehoods, and appeared to confuse who he was running against. On this week’s On the Media, how mainstream outlets fail to hold the Republican candidate accountable. Plus, meet the right-wing American pundits who’ve received payouts from the Kremlin. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Daniel Drezner , professor of International Politics at Tufts University. Drezner discusses how the political press continues to struggle ...
Sep 06, 2024•50 min
Brooke and Micah update the listeners about a new funding model for the show. 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 , Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected]....
Sep 04, 2024•10 min
During election season, voters hope to glimpse the true selves of presidential candidates. And sometimes, revealing details hide in plain sight. On this week’s On the Media, one reporter sifts through political memoirs for truths about politicians and the people they lead. Plus, in vivid detail, a novelist imagines the private lives of former presidents. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Carlos Lozada , New York Times Opinion columnist and a co-host of the weekly “Matter of Opinion” podc...
Aug 30, 2024•51 min
A recent update to the Apple podcast app also included a tweak to how podcast downloads work. As a podcast user you’re free to shrug and move on. But for podcast creators this could be a big deal. According to data from Podtrac, overall downloads across the industry were down 15 percent as of February. This American Life lost 20 percent of their downloads. Some shows at NPR saw a 30 percent dip. In this week's midweek podcast, OTM producer Molly Rosen looks at how Apple has shaped the podcast in...
Aug 28, 2024•12 min
When President Biden campaigned for re-election, he highlighted threats to democracy and his long track record. But since Kamala Harris took over the ticket, the party has landed on new messaging. On this week’s On the Media, a democratic strategist explains why we heard words like joy and freedom over and over at the Democratic National Convention. Plus, hear how Christian nationalism is shaping American politics. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews Anat Shenker-Osorio , a democratic messa...
Aug 23, 2024•50 min
This is an episode from the Vox daily news podcast, Today, Explained . Host Noel King spoke with OTM regular, Rick Perlstein. As a historian of US politics he is often called upon to draw comparisons between today’s events and those of the past. This year in particular, the echoes with 1968 are unavoidable: the DNC is again in Chicago, there are protests outside (this time its about Gaza, then it was the Vietnam War). On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today...
Aug 21, 2024•22 min
