On the day Julian Assange is freed, we explore the story of WikiLeaks' unprecedented data releases, how he and the organisation changed the way journalists and newsrooms operate and how these releases ultimately led to his incarceration. Also in the programme, ITV's Julie Etchingham explains the secrets behind chairing prime ministerial debates and…

This week, we turn away from the media for a moment, to a realm thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface – where sperm whales swim. These behemoths spend most of their lives in complete darkness, surfacing only for a few minutes at a time. They have the largest brains of virtually any other creature on earth, and they grow to be the size of on…

Why does every social media platform seem to get worse over time? This week’s On the Media explores an expansive theory on how we lost a better version of the internet, and the systems that insulate Big Digital from competition. Plus, some solutions for fixing the world wide web. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews Cory Doctorow, journalist, a…

Over the past few months, The Washington Post has weathered a slate of unfavorable news. In May, publisher and CEO Will Lewis revealed the Post lost 77 million dollars last year. Lewis also announced a big restructuring and, as reported by Semafor’s Max Tani, the paper’s chief technology officer should have "AI everywhere in our newsroom." But then…

In this episode of the podcast, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee discuss a variety of topics centered around the podcast industry, mainly focusing on the desired shift from downloaded content to streaming and the battle for control, the implications of this change for podcasters, and broader issues regarding podcast monetization and the relatio…

What's behind the glut of politics podcasts? Hardly a month goes by without a new title being launched, competing with established brands like The New York Times’s The Daily and the wildly popular The Rest is Politics with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. We talk to the team behind the latter about the secrets of its success, and the opportuniti…

In this episode of the podcast hosted by Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee, the focus was primarily on Spotify’s recent implementation of video on their platform and the ramifications for podcast RSS feeds. The episode begins with a scheduling update, then delves into the main topic regarding Spotify’s new capability to replace audio files from RSS fe…

Over the past two decades, 900 British postal workers were wrongfully prosecuted for fraud. On this week’s On the Media, hear how a TV show about the Post Office Scandal sparked a political reckoning in the U.K. Plus, meet the Redstones – the complicated family behind Paramount Global. [00:00] Host Brooke Gladstone interviews Jonathan Freedland, co…

We explore how political scandals unfold across the media and the art of the 'get to know' interview with two journalists who recently interviewed Rishi Sunak. As one of the alleged subjects of the Netflix drama Baby Reindeer sues the streamer for defamation, negligence and privacy violations, we weigh the legal arguments. Also in the programme, ne…

This week's midweek podcast comes from our colleagues at the New Yorker Radio Hour: On the Netflix reality-TV dating show “Love Is Blind,” contestants are alone in windowless, octagonal pods with no access to their phones or the Internet. They talk to each other through the walls. There’s intrigue, romance, heartbreak, and, in some cases, sight-uns…

In this episode titled “From Studio Eviction to Industry Speculation: A Podcasting Journey,” Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee discuss their personal experiences and broader developments in the podcasting industry. The episode starts with Cochrane recounting his recent studio eviction, describing the frantic move he was forced to organize over a holid…

This week, the Department of Justice accused one of the most influential right wing outlets of laundering tens of millions of dollars. On this week’s On the Media, a former reporter on his progression from defining the disinformation beat to running one of the most famous fake news outlets, The Onion. Plus, a satirical movement about birds illumina…

How do we gauge the power of newspapers in this election? Will press endorsements from the mainstream media prove decisive, or does power now stem from corners of the media that are harder to define, boosted by opaque social media algorithms? And as big tech increasingly squeezes the revenue and audiences of news outlets, we talk to the Editor of T…

Something happened on the internet this week that was at once HUGE and also kind of a foregone conclusion. Jimmy Donaldson better known as Mr. Beast has been for many years basically the king of YouTube. But, as of this week, Mr Beast is now officially the most subscribed YouTuber in the world with 271 million followers at time of recording. His cl…

When Donald J. Trump was found guilty on all counts in the hush money trial, some in the press were caught off guard. But the former president and conservative pundits primed for this result with a strategic messaging campaign. On this week’s On the Media, hear how Trump uses Truth Social to disseminate talking points to a web of right-wing influen…

A week into the election, we explore party control of the media message and the gaffes that happen when things go wrong. We hear live from the Labour battle bus, talk to Boris Johnson's former social media strategist and look at the way the different campaigns are crafting their message on TikTok. Guests: Shona Ghosh, Senior Editor, Bloomberg; Mart…

Micah breaks down media hype about AI. According to Sam Harnett, a former tech reporter, journalists are repeating lazy tropes about the future of work that once boosted companies like Uber, Airbnb, and Fiverr. Plus, Julia Angwin, founder of Proof News, debunks fantastical claims by AI companies about their software. And Paris Marx, host of Tech Wo…

A majority of Americans believe that the economy is in a recession even though it’s not. On this week’s On the Media, hear why there’s a mismatch between facts and feelings about the economy. Plus, how the outlandish claims of AI companies often go unchecked by the press. [01:09] Host Micah Loewinger interviews Jeanna Smialek of The New York Times …

At the end of this week Newsnight as we know it comes to an end. From Tuesday, its format will change – and it’ll be shorter too. To discuss the end of an era, Katie and Ros speak to an all-star Newsnight line up: Kirsty Wark, Peter Snow, Michael Crick. They're also joined by Professor Suzanne Franks, who researches changing broadcast news consumpt…

Immigration consistently polls as one of the most important topics for voters. According to a recent Gallup poll immigration is the most polarizing issue of the last 25 years, with 48 percent of Republicans saying it’s the most important issue compared to just 8 percent of Democrats. This probably has something to do with the coverage of immigratio…

On this week’s On the Media we revisit another fraught moment in American democracy: the contested election between Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000. Hear about the extraordinary legal battle that ensued, and what it can teach us about partisan politics today. Leon Neyfakh, host of the podcast Fiasco, takes us back in time to witness how the Gore…

In this episode of the New Media Show, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee delve deep into various facets of the podcasting world. Their discussion started with Todd sharing his travel experiences to and from the Philippines, where he attended Podfest Asia. Discussing the state of podcasting in Asia, starting with Spotify’s significant influence i…

Katie and Ros go inside the controversy about Netflix drama Baby Reindeer which has raised questions about the impact drama inspired by true events can have on real people. They’ll be helped by Piers Morgan who just interviewed one of the alleged subjects; Clive Coleman, legal expert and dramatist; and Chris Banatvala, former Head of Standards at O…

This week, President Biden announced major new tariffs on $18 billion worth of imports from China. The goods that will be affected include batteries, steel, aluminum, and semiconductors. Tariffs on electric vehicles will go up from 25 percent to 100 percent. These new tariffs signal a reversal from Biden’s messaging on tariffs during the 2020 campa…

In reports about pro-Palestinian college encampments, comparisons to the anti-war demonstrations of 1968 abound. On this week’s On the Media, hear how historical analogies distract us from what makes today’s protests unique. Plus, a reporter debunks a theory that Bill Gates is somehow funding campus activism. [01:09] Host Micah Loewinger speaks wit…

US university campuses have been the scene of pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the last month. We assess the challenges of reporting the protests and hear why student journalists have been crucial to our understanding of the story. We also look at Israel’s ban of Al Jazeera where the government accuses it of being a mouthpiece for Hamas, a charg…

Last week, news broke that writer Paul Auster died from complications related to lung cancer. The New York Times called him “the patron saint of literary Brooklyn;” elsewhere he was dubbed "the dean of American postmodernists." He was the author of many novels such as The New York Trilogy, and he wrote screenplays, memoirs, and nonfiction, includin…

When politicians publish their autobiographies, often they reveal more than intended. On this week’s On the Media, find out how 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 wi…

In this episode of the podcast featuring hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee, they delve into a comprehensive discussion on podcasting, focusing on the viability and reality of video podcasting. The episode begins with Todd updating listeners on his business-related travel plans, which include attending Podfest Asia. Rob and Todd then shift the co…

Chinese science fiction has gone from a niche, underground genre to the country's hottest new export. On Saturday, at the 8th China Science Fiction Conference hosted in Beijing, an animated presenter unveiled graphs detailing the meteoric rise of the genre, claiming that China had raked in nearly $16 billion in revenue from its sci-fi industry in 2…

An information iron curtain has fallen across large parts of the globe, where access to impartial news reporting and information has never been more difficult. With the help of BBC specialists, Ros and Katie consider the impact of censorship and technological controls on Russia, Iran and China; how ingrained state disinformation has become and how …

Trump is back in court for his hush money trial hearing, and his immunity case was argued at the Supreme Court. On this week’s On the Media, hear what gets lost in the blow-by-blow coverage of Trump’s legal woes. Plus, an essay from a former NPR editor has lawmakers calling to cut funding to the public radio network. [01:10] Host Brooke Gladstone s…

In this episode of the New Media Show, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee dive deep into the significant news of Spotify, Megaphone, Chartabe, and Podbean pulling out from the IAB podcast measurement compliance. They discuss the various implications and reasons for these decisions, what they mean for the podcasting industry, particularly in adver…

Katie and Ros explore the place of creativity in modern media, from advertising to game show formats. They talk to the producers behind ITV’s The 1% Club and Channel 4’s Hunted. They’ll also hear about concerns over dating app Grindr’s use of user data and talk to media regulator Ofcom about new research into how audiences feel about politicians pr…

Alex Garland's new film, 'Civil War,' debuted at no. 1 at the box office earlier this month, and follows four journalists on a road trip from New York City to D.C. in the midst of societal collapse. The beating heart of the film is Lee, a veteran photojournalist played by Kirsten Dunst, who's determined to interview the president as his administrat…

Former president Trump says he wants to make America pray again. On this week’s On the Media, hear how Christian nationalism is shaping American politics. Plus, what the new film Civil War has to say about the role of journalism when civilizing norms have broken down. [01:08] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Matthew D. Taylor, scholar at the Insti…

This episode of the New Media Show, hosted by Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee, delves into various aspects of new media, particularly the integration and impact of video with traditional podcasting audio media. The conversation opens with Todd Cochrane welcoming listeners to the show and introducing his co-host, Rob Greenlee. They further discussed …

Last week Dr Hilary Cass published her final report and recommendations to NHS England in her role as Chair of the Independent Review of gender identity services for children and young people.  The Cass report recommends a new approach for clinicians. But what might journalism do differently in the way it covers such a polarising subject?  We discu…

April 19th, which is this Friday, marks an odd holiday known as Bicycle Day — the day, now 81 years ago, when Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann rode his bike home from work after dosing himself with his lab concoction, lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD. The first acid trip. Hofmann’s wobbly ride is what launches us into an exploration of a moment, wh…

New York City’s alternative weekly newspaper, The Village Voice, birthed a generation of legendary writers. On this week’s On the Media, how the Voice transformed journalism and what’s being lost as alt-weeklies across the country die off. Plus, why the feds brought America’s most controversial alt-weekly mogul to court. [02:17] Host Micah Loewinge…

In this episode of the New Media Show, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee dive deep into the challenges and realities faced by podcast content creators, particularly regarding YouTube’s algorithms and discoverability. The conversation spans from the practicalities of podcast production to the philosophical aspects of content creation and distribu…

The Executive Chairman of the Sky News Group, David Rhodes shares his plans for Sky News – and on his years as a senior TV news exec in New York. Elon Musk has predicted that AI will surpass human intelligence within a year. OpenAI and Meta have also said that they're on the brink of releasing new AI models that will be capable of reason and planni…

The Village Voice, founded in 1955, is widely credited as the first alternative weekly newspaper, or alt-weekly. The big show this week is all about the rise and fall of the alt-weekly—the type of off-beat, fearless publication that, once-upon-a-time, you could pick up on a street corner in cities across the country. For the mid-week podcast, Micah…

President Joe Biden is calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as famine looms. On this week’s On the Media, hear how warring media narratives have jeopardized UNRWA, the largest humanitarian aid organization in the region. Plus, what the explosion in sports gambling means for the future of sports journalism. 1. Mehul Srivastava [@MehulAtLarge], Financial …

In this episode of the new media show, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee discuss a range of topics related to the podcasting industry, including their experiences at Podcast Movement Evolutions, the Google Podcast shutdown, YouTube’s presence at Podcast Movement, and other industry news Todd discusses his observations at Podcast Movement, descri…

British counter terrorism officers are investigating the stabbing last Friday of an Iranian TV host outside his home in London. Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati was hospitalised, before being discharged and moving to a safe place under the supervision of the Metropolitan Police. We talk to British Iranian journalist Sima Sabet, who has a…

With his cool rhymes and even cooler clothes, Basketball Hall of Famer Walt "Clyde" Frazier made a successful transition from NBA star to sports broadcaster on the MSG Network. Frazier sat down with Brooke back in 2012 for a live event to discuss basketball, broadcasting, and the art of being cool. We're re-airing it now because a) it was Mr. Frazi…

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, conspiracy theories proliferated. On this week’s On the Media, hear how memes and misinformation obscure the real causes of tragedies, from bridges to planes. Plus, what Ronna McDaniel’s hiring and firing from NBC News tells us about the revolving door from politics to tv news. 1.…

Last week, the Princess of Wales announced that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. It was preceded by weeks of speculation about her whereabouts that went well into conspiracy territory. How exactly did conspiracy theories move from the fringes to the mainstream? And what are the responsibilities of the "mainstream media" when covering them? A…

Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter, comes out on Friday — and the record has already sparked plenty of conversation about race and the country music genre. This week, we're sharing an episode from our friends at the podcast Today, Explained from Vox media, on this very topic. Hear co-host Noel King take a journey through the history of black musici…