Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter: Recent Episodes
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Reliable Sources examines how journalists do their jobs and how the media affect the stories they cover in this weekly CNN program. Full video episodes available in the iTunes store.
Brian Stelter addresses the end of "Reliable Sources" on television and thanks the audience. Carl Bernstein, Jeffrey Goldberg, Jodie Ginsberg, David Zurawik, Claire Atkinson, Eric Deggans, and Brian Karem discuss the past, present and future of journalism and media.
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Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Shefali Luthra of The 19th discuss their roles as health care beat reporters in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. They tell Brian Stelter about coverage priorities; different types of stories about abortion; and sudden spikes in interest about reproductive rights. "I think what's been so deeply important to me has been trying to prioritize the voices of people who are affected," Luthra says. "I just feel a lot of responsibility to rise to this moment and do the the best and most responsible and hardest hitting reporting I can," Ollstein says.
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Henry Reese, who was on stage with Salman Rushdie when Rushdie was brutally stabbed, joins Brian Stelter. Plus: Bill McCarren on the ten year anniversary of Austin Tice's disappearance in Syria; Byron Allen on his plans for theGrio; John Dean on Donald Trump's potential legal peril; and Laura Bassett, Oliver Darcy and Caitlin Dickson on anti-FBI rhetoric becoming mainstream in the GOP.
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In his new book "The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan," combat veteran and acclaimed novelist Elliot Ackerman documents the horrors of America's evacuation from Afghanistan. He talks with Brian Stelter about why he wrote the book; what people need to know about the August 2021 withdrawal; and the media's coverage of war. In "our obsession not to repeat Saigon... we actually created, I think, a far more terrible image and grisly image," he says. Ackerman also shares how the war in Ukraine relates to last year's images from Kabul. He predicts that "America might be done with Afghanistan, Afghanistan is certainly not done with America."
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First Lady Jill Biden's former press secretary Michael LaRosa talks with Brian Stelter about media coverage of the first family. Plus, Elaine Godfrey, Howard Polskin and Lauren Wright analyze election denialism; Dan Friesen and Jordan Holmes, co-hosts of the "Knowledge Fight" podcast, dissect the trial of Infowars host Alex Jones; and David Bornstein explains how "solutions journalism" can transform the media.
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Oliver Darcy analyzes Alex Jones' legal quagmire and Jennifer Mercieca explains that Jones' media properties have "had a hard time acquiring new customers." Both Darcy and Mercieca comment on Jones' demeanor during the recent trial in Texas and compare his defensive crouch to his past behavior. Mercieca says the Jones case is about accountability for lies: "They're not being gaslit by Alex Jones anymore." At the same time, Darcy points out that Jones has "become more accepted by the right-wing media" in recent years.
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The acclaimed economist talks with Brian Stelter about recession fears, inflation and the "dystopian myths of red America." Plus, Tara Palmeri, Oliver Darcy and Liz Mair analyze Jon Stewart's use of TV interviews to highlight veterans' health care needs; Rachel Leingang discusses Arizona's primaries and the growing trend of GOP candidates running against the media; Lydia X. Z. Brown shares what really happened during a White House meeting that was ridiculed by right-wing media; and Katherine Stewart, author of "The Power Worshippers," talks about Christian nationalism.
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With the TikTok app becoming more popular and powerful by the day, BuzzFeed News contributor Emily Baker-White discusses her string of scoops about TikTok and its parent company ByteDance. She says ex-employees have opened up to her because they feel "weird" about "the power that ByteDance has now amassed through TikTok in the US." Regarding TikTok's Chinese ownership, "we've seen a lot of concern from the US government; we haven't seen a lot of action," she says. She also points out that "they're distributing information at a scale where it's incredibly hard to get it right."
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Sarah Longwell shares findings from her GOP voter focus groups and says there is a key difference between "Trump the man" and "Trump the phenomenon." Plus, David From discusses the state of American politics; Jennifer Dresden shares findings from Project Democracy's "Authoritarian Playbook;" David Zurawik analyzes recent anti-Trump editorials in Rupert Murdoch's newspapers; Bill Weir discusses life on the climate change beat; and columnist Lynne O'Donnell describes being detained and threatened by the Taliban in Afghanistan; and Ken Auletta discusses his new book "Hollywood Ending."
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"How 'Stop the Steal' Captured the American Right" is this week's New York Times Magazine cover story. Author Charles Homans says the movement predates Donald Trump and will outlast him as well. Homans tells Brian Stelter about his interviews with GOP voters; why the conversations "quickly shift from 'stolen election' to abortion or Covid lockdowns;" and what might happen to "democratic trust in the system one step down the road."
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Dr. Tracey Wilkinson describes a "chilling effect" in the medical field as abortion bans take effect. Plus, Nicole Carroll describes how the Columbus Dispatch confirmed a child rape allegation that some conservative media outlets disbelieved; Natasha Alford and Bill Carter analyze the partisan media battles over abortion; Shimon Prokupecz discusses the need for transparency in Uvalde; Brian Stelter says polls show many Americans want generational and structural changes to politics; and Matthew Ball previews his new book "The Metaverse."
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The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg talks about the magazine's decision to digitize its 165-year archive and what he noticed about the centuries-old articles. "We're not going to know ourselves if we don't know what we thought 10, 20, 30, 100 years ago," he says. Plus, Goldberg shares his new reporting about the author of "Where the Crawdads Sing," and discusses his coverage priorities heading into the 2024 election.
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Nina Jankowicz, former Director of DHS Disinformation Governance Board, joins to reveal how the the latest trends in disinformation are becoming harder to solve. Then, Melissa Bell on how to reestablish trust in American media and how to find the line between informing while not overwhelming the nation. Also, Elon Musk tells Twitter he wants out of the takeover deal, but is there someone who will buy it now? Plus, what is motivating voters this midterm year.
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David Zurawik, a 32-year veteran of the Baltimore Sun, opens up about why he left the newspaper last year. He says he sensed pressure to tone down some of his politically opinionated columns and lacked confidence in hedge fund Alden Global Capital's ownership of the paper. Zurawik, now a CNN media analyst, talks about the state of local news; the launch of a nonprofit news outlet called The Baltimore Banner; and the House's hearings about January 6. He says it is vital to uphold the news media's "public service" mission.
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Brian Stelter interviews TikTok VP Michael Beckerman and FCC commissioner Brendan Carr about TikTok's handling of user data. Plus, Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa talks about the fight for press freedom around the world; David French says most Americans are part of an "exhausted majority;" and Nicole Hemmer, Lulu Garcia-Navarro, and Oliver Darcy discuss some of the week's top media stories.
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Author and Dartmouth professor Jeff Sharlet has been reporting on the American right from a religious studies perspective for two decades. He talks with Brian Stelter about his forthcoming book, "The Undertow: Scenes From a Slow Civil War," and the blind spots that some members of the media have. He says it is important to understand the religious "lens" that many Americans see the world through. "If you don't have that lens, you're only telling part of the story," he says. Plus, Sharlet talks about Christian nationalism; Donald Trump's relationship with the religious right; the impact of the January 6 hearings; and how the rural-urban divide is "getting much starker."
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Kate Smith, Susan Matthews, and Sarah Longwell discuss how the overturning of Roe v. Wade is being covered by newsrooms. Plus, Brian Stelter connects the dots between recent episodes of political violence; Tom Nichols identifies some of the reasons why threats and violence keep occurring; and Ron Brownstein explains "the great divergence" between red and blue states.
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What is The New York Times' vision for Wordle and how does the viral hit game fit into the news outlet's broader strategy? Brian Stelter talks about that and more with Jonathan Knight, a senior vice president at The Times. Knight discusses the meteoric rise of the game; why The Times moved quickly to acquire it; and upcoming updates that will protect users' streaks and stats. Games are "intended to give people a bit of a break from the news, which can be a tough read," Knight says. To work on a product that "contributes to the independent journalism that's so important at The New York Times is super rewarding," he adds.
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Top Associated Press editor Julie Pace joins Brian Stelter to discuss. Plus: Danielle Belton, John Harwood, Robby Soave, Brian Fung, and more. Amy Doyle shares memories of her father Mark Shields, the longtime PBS and CNN analyst who died at age 85. Ibram X. Kendi addresses the media's coverage of race education. And Kaya Yurieff explains why "everyone wants to be TikTok."
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Keri Blakinger's reporting for The Marshall Project focuses on prisons and jails. Her new memoir, "Corrections in Ink," shares her personal experience with the criminal justice system, from her arrest for heroin possession to her two years behind bars. Blakinger tells Brian Stelter how she created a journalism career by accepting the "darkest parts of her past" and how being a former inmate impacts her storytelling. She also critiques how other news outlets cover America's prison system.
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Brian Stelter analyzes Fox's decision not to air the prime-time hearings live and talks with Shelby Talcott and Garrett Graff. Plus, filmmaker Nick Quested on his newly published video of the Capitol riot; former Obama aide Dan Pfeiffer on growing complaints about Biden's media strategy; and a discussion of the Washington Post's Twitter feuding with Oliver Darcy and Mara Schiavocampo.
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Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and Washington Post contributing columnist, has been detained since April. His wife Evgenia is advocating for Vladimir and other activists and journalists who have been swept up amid Russia's crackdown on dissent. She tells Brian Stelter that "Russia can be different" and "we need to make it harder for those who would try to be silent about it."
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Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward reflect on their bond 50 years after the Watergate story began. Plus, Biden senior adviser Gene Sperling explains the administration's media blitz about the economy; San Antonio Express-News executive editor Nora Lopez says officials are stonewalling the press in Uvalde; and Brian Stelter reports on CNN setting a higher standard for "breaking news."
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James Pogue's reporting for Vanity Fair has been one of the most-talked-about political articles of the year. Brian Stelter asks Pogue about the "dissident right;" its use of words like "regime;" and why it flies under the radar of much of the media. Pogue describes how he gained the trust of key sources like J.D. Vance and Blake Masters. He warns that "if we don't get government working again, on some level, somebody is going to come in and do something very authoritarian because our society is breaking down."
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Brian Stelter asks whether Texas officials are still withholding information about the massacre in Uvalde. Shimon Prokupecz and Stella Chavez report on the fallout. Stephen Gutowski and Clara Jeffery discuss media coverage of guns. Plus: Would graphic images of victims change the debate? John Woodrow Cox shares his thoughts. Later, Afghan news anchors Farida Sial and Hamid Bahraam discuss the Taliban's face-covering directive for women anchors.
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Sewell Chan, editor in chief of The Texas Tribune, talks about covering the massacre at Robb Elementary and making sure that his employees take mental health breaks amid marathon reporting days. Chan also discusses several other reasons why Texas is in the news, from primary election results to abortion restrictions to heat waves. Chan says the Tribune's nonpartisan accountability journalism approach is sorely needed. "Opinion is plentiful, whereas meticulous gathering of facts is becoming a more rare and precious resource in the information ecosystem," he says, "so I think that's where we can have the most impact and best serve the people of Texas."
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Margaret Sullivan, Philip Bump, and Khaya Himmelman discuss the state of social media and disinformation; Insider global EIC Nicholas Carlson discusses his decision to publish a sexual harassment allegation against Musk; Kathy Barnette answers questions about her relationship with the media and controversies in her past; and Bill Carter talks about "SNL" and the TV upfronts.
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Kathleen Carley, a computer scientist and specialist in dynamic network analysis, defines spam bots, fake accounts, and other maladies of social networking. She discusses Elon Musk's recent questions about bots on Twitter and says the attention may be beneficial. She also says that "focusing on the number of bots is perhaps not a good thing to focus on, because more important than the numbers is how active are they and what are they active about."
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Wesley Lowery, Mara Schiavocampo, and Oliver Darcy discuss the media climate and possible connections to white supremacist violence. Plus, Ambassador Asaf Zamir, the Consul General of Israel in New York, addresses the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh; Holly Otterbein and Will Bunch discuss why some Republican candidates are shutting out the media; and Caroline Kitchener, who covers the politics of abortion for The Washington Post, discusses her reporting trip to Texas and best practices for journalists covering the abortion debate.
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Steve Schmidt talks with Brian Stelter about his headline-making "war" with John McCain's family. Schmidt explains why he is sharing secrets from McCain's 2008 campaign; how his stories have relevance for political journalists; and why he feels compelled to annotate history now. Schmidt also discusses challenges for the press and says the next few years are going to be "wild and chaotic and dangerous:" 2024, he believes, "could be a last choice election."
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Politico's executive editor Dafna Linzer discusses the decision to publish the Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Plus, interviews with Montse Alvarado, a host on the Catholic TV network EWTN, and Kate Smith, a former CBS reporter who now works at Planned Parenthood. Also: Some of the week's top media stories with Elahe Izadi, Brian Lowry, Eric Deggans, and David French.
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New York Times reporter Nick Confessore spent months interviewing Tucker Carlson's friends, studying Carlson's show, and checking the accuracy of the content. Confessore's resulting series, "American Nationalist," is about everything from Carlson's childhood to Fox's future as a far-right broadcaster. Everything about Carlson's show "comes back to a central narrative of elite corruption, elite hatred, how much the ruling class hates you," he says.
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April Ryan, Molly Ball, Leigh Ann Caldwell, and David Zurawik analyze President Biden and Trevor Noah's speeches at the 2022 White House Correspondents Dinner. Plus, Ball discusses Elon Musk's politics; Zurawik reacts to a new New York Times series about Tucker Carlson; Kristen Soltis Anderson addresses the disconnects between the press and the public; Moira Whelan talks about defending democratic values in the digital age; and Jodie Ginsberg shares her priorities as she takes over the Committee to Protect Journalists.
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Acclaimed television producer David Simon speaks with Brian Stelter about his new crime drama; how it shares a theme with "The Wire;" and why the relationship between police and the public must be repaired. Simon also discusses the differences between journalism and drama, commenting that "it's an amorphous thing when you’re trying to depict reality after the fact, with limited information, on a camera…in my shop we try to have an ethical discussion about every scene." Simon also shares his thoughts on the Baltimore Banner startup; Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover; and the possible plot for his next project.
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Brian Stelter covers the end of CNN+, Elon Musk's bid for Twitter and other media stories with Mara Schiavocampo, Oliver Darcy and Sara Fischer. Plus, Jonathan Haidt makes the case that social media has made American life "uniquely stupid;" White House Correspondents Association president Steven Portnoy discusses President Biden and the press corps; and "Navalny" director Daniel Roher talks about the making of his documentary.
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Taylor Lorenz, the Washington Post journalist who profiled the "Libs of TikTok" Twitter account and revealed the creator's identity, answers questions about her reporting. She says "Libs of TikTok," which ridicules progressive educators, has become a "feeding ground" for right-wing media outlets: "The idea that this woman is not newsworthy is nonsense." She says the conservative commentators denouncing her want to "sow doubt and discredit journalism. That is their agenda."
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Gessen argues that news outlets should not amplify "ridiculous messages" from Russian authorities. Plus: Scott McLean reports from Estonia; Jessica Toonkel and Clare Duffy discuss what Elon Musk and Twitter might do next; and Lynn Sweet dissects why President Biden is granting so few interviews and why the RNC is opposing the Commission on Presidential Debates.
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American journalist Danny Fenster was imprisoned in Myanmar for nearly six months in 2021. Now he is readjusting to normal life and getting back to reporting. He talks with Brian Stelter about his arrest; going into "reporter mode" in prison; experiencing a "sham trial;" and eventually winning his freedom. Fenster discusses the lack of due process in Myanmar, the role of state-run media, and the "challenge for [journalists] to make the story more compelling" as the citizens of Myanmar continue to suffer.
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Abigail Disney speaks with Brian Stelter about Republicans demonizing the company co-founded by her grandfather. Plus: Kara Swisher on Elon Musk's plans for Twitter; Anne Applebaum on the Ukrainian president's TV producing power; Claire Atkinson on Discovery's merger with CNN's parent WarnerMedia; and Katherine Wu on the first "so what?" wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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What does the media get wrong about covering gun violence? Mother Jones national affairs editor Mark Follman, author of "Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America" talks with Brian Stelter about "getting in front" of the story "instead of reacting to it." Follman debunks oft repeated myths, unpacks unhelpful headlines, and discusses how to combat sensationalism in an audience desensitized to mass shootings.
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Brian Stelter and a panel of guests discuss the right-wing media targeting both Disney and LGBTQ rights. Plus, Julia Ioffe makes the case that Vladimir Putin is now a prisoner of his own propaganda; Meduza editor Ivan Kolpakov discusses his fight to provide news to Russians despite restrictions; and CNN's Frederik Pleitgen calls in with eyewitness reporting from Bucha, Ukraine.
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"I was absolutely convinced I was going to die," Stuart Ramsay says. Ramsay, the chief correspondent for Sky News, was shot when his crew came under fire in Ukraine. One month later, he is now recovering from surgery and is able to share his story. Ramsay and senior foreign producer Dominique Van Heerden speak with Brian Stelter about how they fled the ambush; sheltered in place for several hours; and evacuated with the help of Ukrainian police. Unimaginably, Van Heerden says, "what happened to us was the good outcome," since other journalists have been killed in similar attacks.
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Journalists Ekaterina Kotrikadze and Tikhon Dzyadko, who fled Moscow when the war began, tell Brian Stelter about relaunching a channel on YouTube from outside Russia. Plus, Frederik Pleitgen talks about covering the invasion from both sides of the border; Jane Mayer shares the significance of the recently revealed Ginni Thomas texts; and CNN's Andrew Morse and Alex MacCallum preview this week's launch of the CNN+ streaming service.
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Brian Stelter and Oliver Darcy review the first quarter of 2022 across the wide world of media, from CNN to OAN, Fox to Facebook, Spotify to the Smiths. The pair also discuss news coverage of the war and Ukraine and the evolution of the pandemic. "We need to do better in the news media and elsewhere talking about what the end of this pandemic looks like,” Darcy says.
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Olga Rudenko, editor in chief of The Kyiv Independent, talks with Brian Stelter about covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Plus, Associated Press executive editor Julie Pace discusses war zone deployments; and Anne Applebaum, Peter Pomerantsev, Kimberly Dozier, Mara Schiavocampo and Philip Bump join the conversation.
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Kimberly Dozier is one of the only people in the world who can relate to what wounded Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall is going through. When Dozier was reporting for CBS in Baghdad in 2006, she survived a bomb blast that left two colleagues dead. Dozier reflects on the trauma and the road to recovery for wounded war correspondents; describes how journalists are mobilizing to help Hall; and underscores the importance of reporting in conflict zones like Ukraine. She also warns against letting "image fatigue" set in, arguing that "getting tired of the war helps Putin."
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Veteran Russia journalist Yevgenia Albats joins Brian Stelter from Moscow. Plus, Maria Ressa and Nick Kristof react to Russia's new anti-journalism law; Daniel Dale debunks videos circulating on social media about Ukraine; and Christof Putzel pays tribute to his friend Brent Renaud, the filmmaker who was killed near Kyiv on Sunday.
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Brian Stelter catches up with two public health experts who helped explain Covid-19 when the pandemic first upended American life two years ago this week. Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal and Dr. James Hamblin discuss the initial "communication vacuum," the decline of trust in information sources, and the potential end of the pandemic.
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Brian Stelter reports on a new Russian law that may make legitimate reporting a crime. Robert Mahoney, Julia Ioffe and Thomas Friedman analyze Putin's crackdown on the press. Jim Sciutto explains the challenges in confirming information from the battleground. An executive from Facebook's parent company says the company is trying to restore service in Russia. And a TV host from a Ukrainian news network has a message for the world.
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"You cannot exaggerate how dangerous this moment is," New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman says. Friedman talks with Brian Stelter about the Ukraine war; how to cover the "economic nuclear bomb" dropped on Russia; and why he dubs this "World War Wired."
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Jane Lytvynenko, Julia Davis and Bianna Golodryga share tips for navigating social media during war in Ukraine and analyze Russia state-owned media's conduct. Plus, David French says the battleground is full of unknowns; Ekaterina Kotrikadze of TV Rain describes working in Russia under government pressure; and Jon Favreau previews President Biden's State of the Union address.
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Markus Dohle talks with Brian Stelter about making a personal donation of $500,000 to PEN America to combat the censorship of books. Dohle says there is a "theme" behind the current wave of book bans in the United States and observes that "bad things follow after the written word is suppressed." Dohle also discusses the state of the publishing business and makes a bullish case for the future of print.
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Joe Peyronnin, a former president of Fox News, talks about the network's over-the-top criticism of Hillary Clinton and other Democrats. Plus, Clarissa Ward shares how journalists are verifying info in Ukraine and Russia; David Zurawik reacts to the latest revelations about the shakeup at CNN; David Leonhardt discusses the media's "balancing act" as the Omicron surge wanes; and Kelly Weill previews her new book "Off The Edge" about conspiracy culture.
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How influential is media consumption on Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy? What are the long-lasting effects of vaccine disinformation? Katherine Ognyanov discusses these questions and shares new data from a multi-university study of vaccine misperceptions. "People who believe they're vaccine experts are more likely to hold misconceptions," she says. Ognyanov is a professor at Rutgers and one of the founders of the COVID States Project.
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Jeremy Peters and Sonia Moghe share observations about the Sarah Palin v. New York Times trial. Plus, Donie O'Sullivan discusses his interview with 'Freedom Convoy' participants in Canada; Gretchen Carlson heralds passage of a landmark #MeToo bill; and Peters describes lessons from his new book "Insurgency."
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Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says social media companies are competing for a "finite supply of human attention" and becoming more aggressive to get it. Harris expands on his ideas from "The Social Dilemma" and discusses threats to democracies around the world. Plus, he argues that the United States must focus on "protecting its digital borders" with adversaries now throwing "information bombs" online.
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Joanne Lipman, Mara Schiavocampo, Ken Auletta, David Zurawik, and Claire Atkinson all join Brian Stelter with analysis. Plus: Senator Amy Klobuchar discusses a bipartisan effort to level the playing field with Big Tech, and "Red Carpet" author Erich Schwartzel talks about China's soft power and influence in Hollywood.
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Brian Stelter shares the latest reporting about the sudden resignation of CNN boss Jeff Zucker. Claire Atkinson of Insider, Sara Fischer of Axios and Oliver Darcy of CNN analyze the news and what it means for the network. "It's like 'The Sopranos' and 'The Godfather' all rolled into one story," Atkinson says. The reporters also discuss the CNN+ streaming service, ABC News turmoil, and Rachel Maddow's hiatus from her MSNBC program.
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Amanda Ripley joins Brian Stelter with secrets to de-escalating disputes. Plus, Oliver Darcy and Philip Bump discuss anonymous sourcing in light of the Tom Brady retirement stories; Shelby Talcott talks about Biden White House coverage; Kat Rosenfield likens Joe Rogan to "a weed;" Nic Robertson reports on Russian TV's interest in Tucker Carlson; and "Jeopardy!" victor Amy Schneider reflects on her winning streak.
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Shira Ovide, author of the On Tech newsletter for The New York Times, talks about the power of technology "empires;" the implications of the recent Microsoft-Activision deal; and what the blurred reality of the "metaverse" might look like. She discusses her recent columns and analyzes how lawmakers and regulators are reckoning with companies that are "as powerful as a government."
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Plus, do doom-and-gloom perceptions match reality? Oliver Darcy and Catherine Rampell discuss "negativity bias in the media." Later, Jeffrey Toobin previews Sarah Palin v. New York Times; John Harris discusses the importance of media institutions; and Brian Stelter visits a middle school where students are learning about news literacy.
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John Della Volpe, author of the new book "Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America," talks with Brian Stelter about how and why teens and young adults are misunderstood. He shares his optimistic view of the generation; discusses the news events that have shaped their opinions and values; and the role of TikTok and other social media in their lives. He also says Generation Z is "turning away from traditional media to preserve their mental health."
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Joe Lockhart and Alyssa Farah Griffin discuss the media's coverage. Plus, Olivia Nuzzi talks about her quest to interview Dr. Oz; Kate Starbird and Caroline Orr Bueno dissect Covid misinformation; and Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz share their experience building NewsGuard, a startup that is supplying credibility ratings for news sites.
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Jessica Lessin, founder of The Information, talks about her own company's profitable business model and takes stock of the digital media universe. She discusses Substack, Axios, Puck, and other new media ventures. She says "influencer journalism," signified by star writers churning out newsletter copy, should not be the primary mode of news production.
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Katie Harbath says Facebook and Twitter need more "guardrails." Plus, Dr. Lucy McBride addresses Covid-19 anxieties and "doomsday doctors," and former Ted Cruz staffer Amanda Carpenter reacts to Cruz's groveling on Tucker Carlson's show. Later, Carl Bernstein previews his new memoir "Chasing History."
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Wall Street Journal reporter John Jurgensen talks with Brian Stelter about the success of "Yellowstone," the Paramount Network drama that attracted more than 10 million viewers for its most recent season. Jurgensen says it may be "tempting to think streaming has flattened the world," but "Yellowstone" shows that cable can still be a launchpad for big hits. Now ViacomCBS is using the cowboy soap opera to lure subscribers over to its streaming service. Jurgensen and Stelter also discuss other trends on the television beat.
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Two reporters open up about lingering trauma from covering the Jan. 6 attack. Plus, David Frum analyzes the rise in political violence and addresses America's "new normal." Later, Kara Swisher shares where Big Tech is taking us in 2022. Guests: Grace Segers, Hunter Walker, Nicole Hemmer, Ryan Reilly, David Frum, and Kara Swisher.
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The top editors of The AP and Reuters come together for a conversation about 2021 news and 2022 priorities. Plus, Brian interviews the outgoing head of the Committee to Protect Journalists; a member of the media who was evacuated from Afghanistan; and the editor of the humor website The Onion.
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Oliver Darcy and Brian Stelter debrief about 2021's biggest stories at the intersection of media, politics, business, and culture. The two also look ahead to the new year, discussing cable news line-up changes, Fox’s future in "conspiracy land," and Facebook's response to vaccine disinformation.
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David Leonhardt and Katherine Wu discuss how Covid risk calculations are changing. Derek Thompson says there are "three circles of risk." Plus, Carl Bernstein says the voting rights fight is the top story for newsrooms.
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Former "60 Minutes" producer turned journalism professor Peter Klein says some American news outlets have a "problematic" approach to global reporting. He says he was motivated to start a nonprofit, the Global Reporting Center, to support deep reporting and collaboration. He discusses his center's work and the power of partnerships with scholars and experts. Klein also looks back at his time at "60 Minutes" and his work with Lara Logan, who is now an incendiary commentator on Fox. Klein says he and other former colleagues have been worried about Logan and ultimately embarrassed by her transition from respected reporter to fringe Fox "actor."
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Brian Stelter speaks with newspaper publishers in Kentucky and Tennessee about the recovery from Friday's tornado outbreak. Plus, why is Tucker Carlson so popular on Russian TV? CNN reports on how the Fox echo chamber fuels Russian propaganda. And was the outcome of the Jussie Smollett trial also a guilty verdict for the media? SE Cupp, Will Bunch, Julia Ioffe, Bill Evans, Daniel Richardson, and Jay Rosen join Brian.
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Jay Rosen says newsrooms need to stand for "pro-democracy, pro-truth, pro-science, pro-evidence, pro-voting." The journalism professor at NYU shares thoughts about how to recalibrate and "redesign" news coverage. The biggest hurdle for journalists, he says, is recognizing how "the routines and assumptions of political journalism" collapse when covering GOP extremism and Donald Trump's lies. Rosen also responds to Jonathan Karl's recent remarks about the challenge of covering Trump, and he makes the case that some voters are now in an "information loop of their own."
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Plus…Julie K. Brown on the Ghislaine Maxwell trial giving rise to new conspiracies; an anti-vax Christian broadcast network CEO died from complications due to Covid-19 after downplaying the virus; former Republican Senator and Presidential candidate Bob Dole dies at the age of 98; and more.
Mara Schiavocampo, Sara Fischer, David Zurawik, Bob Smietana, Eric Boehlert, Julie K. Brown join Brain Stelter.
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James Andrew Miller, author of the new HBO oral history "Tinderbox," shares what he learned through his interviews with five decades of network executives, stars and producers. HBO created a "whole new pathway for people to experience television," he says. But now it is under tremendous pressure from the likes of Netflix. Miller also discusses the impacts of the AT&T-Time Warner deal and his interviews with media moguls about the pending combination of WarnerMedia and Discovery. Referring to the streaming race, he says "it's a really expensive war" and "not everyone is going to make it."
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Plus... Brian Stelter says Biden's detractors are shaping the "metastory" of his presidency; a Colorado anchor calls out Rep. Lauren Boebert and the media; a new report says "democratic backsliding" is underway in United States; and more. Kyle Clark, Magdi Semrau, Chris Arnade, Susan Glasser, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Annika Silva-Leander, and Larry Hobbs join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter shares his previous experience as a balloon handler in the Thanksgiving parade, and he talks with Wesley Whatley, a creative producer at Macy's, who helps plan the festivities every year. Whatley reflects on the nearly 100-year "tradition" of the parade; his role selecting marching bands and other performers from across the country; and the importance of both the in-person experience and the television broadcast. Plus, Whatley asks Stelter about his balloon-flying skills and Whatley describes the moment Kermit sang a song he wrote.
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Plus... David Zurawik discusses Rupert Murdoch's jab at Donald Trump; Brian Stelter describes "news whiplash;" Katelyn Polantz explains what we're not seeing during the Jan. 6 prosecutions in federal court; and more. Jon Karl, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Rachel Stockman, David French, Katelyn Polantz, and David Zurawik join Brian Stelter.
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The arrival of audience metrics went off like a "bomb" inside newsrooms like The New York Times, Caitlin Petre says. Petre researched how The Times and Gawker reckoned with analytics in very different ways. The result is her new book "All the News That's Fit to Click." Chartbeat metrics became "addictive" for some journalists as the "habit forming" offerings "mimicked digital games," encouraging users to "boost" their scores and "work harder and harder," Petre says. And for the average consumer? "Keep in mind," she says, that with every click, "you are actually sending a message or signal back to a newsroom."
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Plus: A new report offers solutions to 'information disorder;" Brian Williams' departure highlights a talent problem at MSNBC; MyPillow CEO's media empire shows the depth and breadth of the Big Lie delusion; and more. Catherine Rampell, Eric Deggans, Zachary Petrizzo, Rashad Robinson, Abigail Tracy, Art Cullen, and Beth Levison join Brian Stelter.
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Media reporter Jon Allsop, speaking from the sidelines of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, shares his reporting and analysis about how the gathering is being covered. Allsop, the author of CJR's The Media Today newsletter, tells Brian Stelter that "this summit brings all the storylines together." He describes the unequal nature of global news coverage, citing a "huge equality problem" that is evident at the summit, and major investments by outlets like The New York Times. "This is a huge news peg," he says, but reporters will need to stay on the story and see if countries "actually follow through on the pledges that they made here."
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Plus: A Covid vaccine conspiracist within the White House press corps; a new aid for local news; why spyware is a 'worst nightmare' for journalists. Natasha Alford says. Natasha Alford, Claire Atkinson, Nicole Hemmer, Batya Ungar-Sargon, Steven Waldman, and Nicole Perlroth join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Rosenwald, the author of "Talk Radio's America," analyzes the influence of right-wing media echo chambers on the off-year elections and talks more broadly about the impact of media on voting patterns. Rosenwald also discusses some of the factors that make right-wing radio popular: hosts frame the world into good guys and villains, creating narratives that are like "pro-wrestling, a soap opera for men." He also argues there is no equivalent media ecosystem for a liberal audience.
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Plus: Kara Swisher dissects Facebook and YouTube; David Sirota critiques coverage of DC budget battles; Julie Roginsky discusses Rupert Murdoch's televised conspiracy theories. Astead Herndon, Bill Carter, Kara Swisher, David Leonhardt, Julie Roginsky, David Sirota, and Stewart Bainum join Brian Stelter.
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Stewart Bainum wanted to take over the Baltimore Sun but a hedge fund blocked him. So now he is launching a nonprofit news outlet in Baltimore instead. Bainum tells Brian Stelter about his interest in local news; his approach to gaining subscriptions and support; and his recruitment of Kimi Yoshino from the Los Angeles Times to run the Banner's newsroom. Bainum says his investment comes with significant risk, but the potential reward "is tremendous because it can be replicated across the country." He also reveals that he is "surveying the media landscape of Maryland" for possible partnerships and joint ventures.
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Plus: An NYU psychologist explains how identity shapes our view of reality; why Donald Trump's new social network should be taken seriously; how Fox News gave birth to a false narrative about school boards. Richard Blumenthal, Suzanne Nossel, Philip Bump, Mara Schiavocampo, Oliver Darcy, Katie Paul, and Jay Van Bavel join Brian Stelter.
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Nearly a decade ago, an influential review of climate-related studies found a 97% consensus about man's impact on climate change. Now a new review, led by Mark Lynas, has found a 99.9% consensus. Lynas says the science is so settled that "it is case closed." Republicans "undermining the case for action" are basing that entirely on politics, not science, he adds. Lynas discusses how "right-wing media" in the United States tends to offer "anti-scientific perspectives on climate change" and needs to start offering more "right-wing solutions." He also discusses how climate change reporting is evolving, and what to expect from COP26, a pivotal UN climate summit.
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Plus: Why threats to American democracy should be front-page news; Pelosi and Sanders blame press for budget confusion; Brian Stelter shares a personal story about threats against journalists. Marc Elias, Robert Costa, Bari Weiss, Jen Senko, Oliver Darcy, and Matt Belloni join Brian.
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Bari Weiss talks about her departure from The New York Times and her reemergence as the editor of "Common Sense," a newsletter on Substack. She outlines topics that she says are "not allowed" in most news coverage and argues that people are flocking to alternatives like her publication. Weiss also identifies "disinformation by omission" and threats to free speech. Stelter asks about the business model of her publication and how she is investing subscriber revenues into growing the brand.
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Brian Stelter on reporters versus "repeaters" in the media; why presidents make bad media critics; how the Pandora Papers were "a win for democracy." Brittany Shepherd, Meridith McGraw, Olivia Nuzzi, David Zurawik, Sara Fischer, Michael Abramowitz, and James Fallows join Brian Stelter.
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Jeff Horwitz first connected with Frances Haugen late last year when he was trying to meet more sources at Facebook. He eventually earned her trust and access to a trove of internal research from the company. Horwitz tells Brian Stelter what his source relationship was like; why he wondered if anyone would care about the revelations; and whether he is working on any more Facebook Files stories. Plus, Stelter asks about Horwitz's headband fashion statement.
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Plus... How to decode news coverage of Congress; a not-so-happy anniversary for Fox News; why are MAGA media stars siding with vaccine opponents? Nick Clegg, Juliette Kayyem, Susan Glasser, Charlotte Alter, Jonathan Cohn, Ben Smith and Meg Kinnard join Brian Stelter.
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CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, the author of multiple books about the Supreme Court, discusses the court's new term and the media's coverage with Brian Stelter. Toobin previews the fall's cases involving abortion rights, the second amendment and religious freedom. He also discusses new developments in court accessibility, with audio of oral arguments being live streamed in a possible bid to stave off TV cameras. Toobin also expresses "real reservations" about whether the court can "continue to be a bulwark for democracy in the future."
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Plus... How the media should make sense of DC's budget battles; evaluating news coverage of the Gabby Petito case; explaining the Covid-19 false alarm on the set of 'The View;' and more. Timothy Snyder, Josh Marshall, Catherine Rampell, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Chris Best, Oliver Darcy, and Chloe Melas join Brian Stelter.
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Chris Best co-founded Substack in 2017. Now the company is powering thousands of newsletters and turning some writers into millionaires. Brian Stelter interviews Best about Substack's business model; the accompanying controversies; and the future of digital subscriptions. The goal, he says, is to"return control into the hands of readers and writers themselves," to "design systems and create spaces where great stuff is rewarded."
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Plus... why the phrase 'do your own research' is hurting America's Covid response; the rise of 'digital detectives' during missing persons cases; did the media overreact to 'Justice for J6' rally? Rep. Adam Smith, Mary Trump, Renee DiResta and Yael Eisenstat, Evan Osnos, and David Zurawik join Brian Stelter.
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Does fall TV "premiere week" still exist and if so, how much does it matter? Are the streaming services squeezing out old-school outlets and are the broadcast networks merely "managing decline?" Brian Stelter talks with two of CNN's entertainment experts: reporter Sandra Gonzalez and critic Brian Lowry. Gonzalez describes what she calls the "This is Us" test. Plus, a preview of Sunday’s Emmy Awards!
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Plus... Will Bunch says the press saw Afghanistan as a chance to "pounce" on Biden; Trump's new fantasy about last year's election; new innovations in investigative reporting; and more. David Leonhardt, April Ryan, Will Bunch, Jean Guerrero, Emily Ramshaw, Evan Hill and Nadine Ajaka join Brian Stelter.
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Publishing chains like Gannett are selling off some of their smaller papers to truly local owners. Brian Stelter speaks with two beneficiaries of this trend: Jennifer Allen, the new owner of the Hot Springs Village Voice in Arkansas, and Carol Wyatt, the returning editor of two local papers in Florida, the Holmes County Times-Advertiser and the Washington County News. Wyatt talks about rebuilding the papers by returning "to covering the local issues." She says "we are the scrapbooks of our community; we are the keeper of milestones... Even something as simple as publishing the school district's honor roll plays a part in why the community looks to their local paper." She and Allen discuss the advantages, challenges and "growing pains" they've experienced in transitioning back to "hyperlocal" ownership.
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Plus... Julie Pace on her vision for the future of The Associated Press; how Rep. Nunes is using the courts to bully press; Ken Burns on Muhammad Ali's enduring legacy, and the dangers of partisan echo chambers. Ayesha Tanzeem, Leonard Pitts, Jr., Spencer Ackerman, Michael Daly, Laura Edelson, Liz Mair, David Folkenflik, Julie Pace and Ken Burns join John Avlon.
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Oliver Darcy and Kerry Flynn join Brian Stelter to debrief about the summer's biggest stories on the media beat, from BuzzFeed to Sally Buzbee, from right-wing media to Rachel Maddow. Flynn reflects on her conversations with new newsroom leaders and Darcy weighs in on the Biden White House's evolving relationship with the media. The trio also look ahead to the fall, discussing media companies' return to office plans, Big Lie lawsuits, and more.
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Plus... WSJ reporter shares his reporting about ABC News scandal; succession talk at "Jeopardy!" and MSNBC; and more. Azmat Khan, Anna Nelson, James Fallows, Eric Boehlert, Joe Flint, Claire Atkinson and Colleen McCain Nelson join Brian Stelter.
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Los Angeles Times columnist Jean Guerrero, an outspoken critic of Larry Elder, discusses the fraught media environment around the California gubernatorial recall, and why Elder is such a contentious candidate. She discusses different narratives about Gavin Newsom's time as governor and the recent increase in national news coverage of the recall effort. She says Elder's standoffs with the press hurt the public: "He's not being challenged on what he's actually proposing because he's refusing to talk to reporters who actually know what he stands for."
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Plus... MAGA media outlets are on an anti-democratic crusade; Fox's vaccine rhetoric versus corporate reality; meet the reporter who upended "Jeopardy!" and unseated Mike Richards; and more. Clarissa Ward, Saad Mohseni, Matthew Dowd, Amanda Marcotte, Oliver Darcy and Claire McNear join Brian Stelter.
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BuzzFeed reporter and Nieman fellow Joe Bernstein talks about his Harper's cover story on "Big Disinfo," the rise of a new industry dedicated to combating disinformation. "What I wanted to push back against is a kind of a dominant framing in the media... that implies or outright says that lies and propaganda on social media, specifically on Facebook, on YouTube, on Twitter, are measurably responsible for the deep issues in American society," he says. He also identifies ways forward for the study and coverage of disinformation.
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Clarissa Ward, Susan Glasser and Fareed Zakaria analyze breaking news from Afghanistan; Discovery fights to protect its Polish news network; Rachel Maddow considers leaving MSNBC; and more. Clarissa Ward, Susan Glasser, Fareed Zakaria, Stephen Shackelford, Lachlan Cartwright and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy join Brian Stelter.
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Megan Stack, a contributor to The New Yorker, discusses her recent article about the Pentagon's "de-facto press blackout" in Afghanistan, plus the threats to members of the media in the country. She describes the U.S. military's concerns about how coverage of the troop withdrawal could hurt America's image, saying "they know that any photograph that looks sort of unvictorious, that looks that looks like giving up and kind of quitting" might be useful "to foreign adversaries." Stack analyzes the Taliban's advances and says the image feared by U.S. officials -- a helicopter evacuation reminiscent of the Fall of Saigon -- could wind up being seen. Stack also reflects on two decades of Afghan war coverage and says "I found it very difficult to reconcile how little the U.S. public does seem to understand or engage with the extent of what's happened and what our government has done. I find that very jarring, especially because I gave so many years of my life and I have friends who died covering those stories, and it's sort of frustrating... I feel like people have done great coverage over the years and it just hasn't quite penetrated."
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Plus... Dr. Nisha Mehta on Covid's grim reality; Andrew Sullivan on what the media missed about Provincetown; Dana Bash on the art of the interview; and more. John Avlon, Yasmeen Serhan, David Zurawik, Casey Seiler, Dana Bash, Dr. Nisha Mehta and Andrew Sullivan join Brian Stelter.
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When is it appropriate for journalists to take a side? When is it okay for journalists to participate in a march or use a political hashtag? NPR recently addressed these questions with a revision to its ethics policy. Poynter SVP Kelly McBride, who also serves as NPR's public editor, discusses the policy changes and what they mean for the public radio outlet and the journalism industry more broadly. She says "good journalism and having an opinion about a moral position" should not be mutually exclusive," and points out, "When you talk to journalists of color who are trying to make their way in American newsrooms, they are disproportionately harmed by these conflict of interest policies."
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Plus: Why the MyPillow CEO's delusions endanger democracy; Jared Holt on a "parallel media universe;" and more. Robby Soave, Oliver Darcy, Dr. Celine Gounder, Emily Woodruff, Keisha Rowe, Leida Gore, Anne Applebaum, Jared Holt and Rep. Jackie Speier join Brian Stelter.
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Cincinnati pediatrician Dr. Nicole Baldwin, who recently asked President Biden about vaccine misinformation at a CNN town hall, talks with Brian Stelter about what she's seeing on the front lines of the vaccination effort. She describes the challenges she faces on social platforms and in her community, offering tips for tackling misinformation. She points out, "The anti-vaccine community doesn't have to prove anything... As long as they plant that seed of doubt... they've won."
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Plus... Following up with Dr. Nicole Baldwin, who questioned Biden at CNN's town hall; Ruth Ben-Ghiat on "strongman" propaganda techniques; Claire Atkinson on NBC going for gold in the "streaming Olympics;" and more. Andy Slavitt, Carl Bernstein, Oliver Darcy, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Claire Atkinson and Julie K. Brown join Brian Stelter.
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Phillip Smith is the founder and director of the Google News Initiative Startups Bootcamp, which trains journalists to launch digital news sites in eight weeks. Smith joins Brian Stelter to discuss the "skills crossover" for journalists; how they can “grow financially viable, award-winning digital newsrooms;" and what can sometimes go wrong. Smith shares takeaways from the inaugural bootcamp in 2020 and describes the application process for this year. He says this is about "a movement of people that are trying to address needs that are no longer being met" in their communities.
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Plus... The big question for reporters writing Trump books; Perry Bacon, Jr. on "core values" for newsrooms; "Culture of Fear" author Barry Glassner on Covid-19 coverage; and more. Brian Boland, Perry Bacon, Jr., Charlotte Alter, Michael Wolff, Susan Glasser and Barry Glassner join Brian Stelter.
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For several years The Atlantic staff writer David Frum cautioned against the "too-easy" use of the word "fascism" to describe Donald Trump's movement. But he now believes the word is useful for political analysis of American politics. There are different "varieties of fascism," Frum says, but some characteristics are clearly present in the reactions to the January 6 attack and the recent rhetoric from Trump. Brian Stelter asks Frum to assess how the former president should be covered by the news media.
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Nikki Usher shares insights from her new book "News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism." Usher, an associate professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, says "quality journalism" is increasingly reaching affluent and urban consumers at the expense of others. Plus, "the people who still trust American journalism are overwhelmingly liberal," she says. But the journalism itself "really perpetuates existing power structures, leaving a lot of those 'blue' readers fundamentally unsatisfied." She discusses how subscription business models exacerbate these trends and offers some "proposals," like making journalism "more inclusive."
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Plus... Running out of words to describe the climate crisis; a reporter's notebook from Kabul; will Bill Cosby speak out, and will anyone listen? Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Oliver Darcy, Sara Fischer, David Sanger, Jennifer Epstein, Anna Coren, Emily Atkin and David Wallace-Wells join Brian Stelter.
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Monica Richardson, who became the top editor of the Miami Herald six months ago, talks with Brian Stelter about the Herald’s first week of coverage of the condo collapse and why she expects "this story to go on for at least a year." Richardson describes how the newsroom initially mobilized to cover the collapse; why staffers from all across the newsroom have turned into disaster reporters; and how the organization set up a “Surfside bureau” for staffers to collaborate and recharge. She also shares the takeaways from a recent training session about grappling with trauma; talks about "sustaining our mental health" over the long haul; and touches on her priorities as executive editor.
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Plus... Adam Serwer on his new book "The Cruelty is the Point;" reinventing the Los Angeles Times; and more. Adam Serwer, Rick Hutzell, Patrick Soon-Shiong and Kevin Merida join Brian Stelter on an abbreviated episode.
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In their first joint interview, Los Angeles Times owner and executive chairman Patrick Soon-Shiong and newly-appointed executive editor Kevin Merida join Brian Stelter and answer questions about the future of the publication. "We're competing for subscriptions" and competing for peoples' time and money, Merida says. "I want to be the most exciting, innovative media company that exists, anchored out in California." He talks about expanding into new areas, from comedy to poetry, and turning the publication into a much larger media company. Soon-Shiong reaffirms his commitment to the outlet; addresses his role in Alden Global Capital's takeover of Tribune Publishing; and shares his view of what the government should do to balance the local news playing field.
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Plus... David French on 'the nationalization of outrage;' Mark Simon on the police raid at the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong and how it's having a chilling effect on the press in Hong Kong; and more. Drew Shenkman, Katelyn Polantz, David Zurawik, Jennifer Mercieca, David French, Elaine Yu and Mark Simon join Brian Stelter.
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Jay Rosen, who teaches journalism at NYU and authors the PressThink blog, discusses the devolution of Fox News; the difficulty of describing a "shifted political universe" in the United States; and the need for news outlets to be "much more explicitly and aggressively pro-democracy." He says "Fox is becoming in some way more demand-driven" because "its audience is in the driver's seat in a way that's more extreme than when Roger Ailes ran the network." For example, Rosen comments, "Do you want January 6 to be the fault of Antifa? You can have that. Do you want Trump to have won the 2020 election? You can have that." Rosen explains that "these kinds of maneuvers are attempting to sever people from reality so that you can do what you want with them... to just sort of de-anchor people from anything that they have in common with their fellow citizens so that they can be manipulated further. And that's why it's so insidious." Rosen says "journalists have to rethink and rebuild their routines" to cover this new political universe.
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Plus... Inside The AP's meeting with Israeli officials; James Murdoch versus his father Rupert; new hope for missing journalist Austin Tice? Sam Feist, Oliver Darcy, Amanda Carpenter, Ruth Eglash, Ian Phillips, Stephen Engelberg and Mike Holtzman join Brian Stelter.
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New York Times contributing op-ed writer Thomas Edsall warns about Republicans attempting to enforce "white political dominance;" anti-democratic trends in American politics; and the blind spots he sees in media coverage. "Trump and the Republican Party have created a real dilemma for the media," he tells Brian Stelter. "When you have a party that is moving in this extreme fashion, how do we in the media describe it?" Stelter also asks Edsall about bridging the academic and journalistic worlds, pointing to the staggering amount of academic research on "democratic decline," and why this is "not just an ivory tower issue."
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Plus... Why spying on journalists is an affront to the First Amendment; and a sneak peek at the new reporting in Brian Stelter's book "Hoax." Kaitlan Collins, Adam Goldman, Dan Abrams, Steven Waldman and Jen Psaki join the conversation.
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Judd Legum, the founder of the Popular Information newsletter, discusses his three years of reporting on "the delta between what corporations say" and what they do. Legum explains his early success on Substack, the power of the newsletter format, and his expertise diving into "troves of information, whether that's FEC, SEC, the Facebook ad library," or other sources.
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Plus... One-on-one with AP managing editor after social media firestorm; the link between far-right media sources and conspiracies; how One America News is boosting the bogus Arizona election audit; and more. Daniel Ziblatt, Matt Skibinski, Kyung Lah, David Leonhardt, Brian Carovillano and Rose and Buddy Fenster join Brian Stelter.
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CNN's Kyung Lah discusses her reporting on the bogus Arizona audit and the role of far-right outlet One America News in the saga. "This is not about right versus left," she says. "This is about truth and lies, and we cannot be afraid to call it a lie." Brian Stelter asks about local coverage of the GOP recount; the "pool" that takes turns observing; and the posture of local officials in Maricopa County. Lah also recounts her viral interview with the president of the Arizona state senate, who defended the credibility of conspiracy-laden OAN. Lah comments on being the proverbial canary in the coal mine, as Maricopa County is "the next page of the Big Lie playbook."
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Plus... Biden breaks from Trump and Obama on leak probes; Tribune's sale and the fragile future of local news; Chicago mayor sparks debate over diversity and media access; social media guidelines gone awry at the AP? Claire Atkinson, Nicole Hemmer, Perry Bacon Jr., Edward-Isaac Dovere, Gregory Pratt, Max Foster and John Ware join Brian Stelter.
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Dr. Joan Donovan, the research director for the Shorenstein Center at Harvard’s Kennedy School, has become a leading voice in the fight against digital disinformation. She shares her insights with Brian Stelter, exploring the links between the current media landscape and the Occupy movement ten years ago; underscoring the importance of algorithms and platform policies; and touching on important concepts for average platform "users" and lawmakers alike.
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Plus... "Mask confusion" and how the press can help model a return to normal; Sally Buzbee previews her new role running The Washington Post; Jake Tapper shares his novel-writing secrets; and more. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, Sally Buzbee, David French, Jocelyn Benson, Ari Berman, Peter Wehner, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Jake Tapper join Brian Stelter.
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Jim Campbell, radio host and author of the new book "Madoff Talks: Uncovering the Untold Story Behind the Most Notorious Ponzi Scheme in History," discusses his years of correspondence with Bernie Madoff, and how he gained unique access to report out an exhaustive insider account of Madoff's crimes. Brian Stelter asks about the timing of the book, given that it was released just two weeks after Madoff died in prison. He also asks about media coverage of Madoff over the decades. Campbell says he believes he's the last person who will "try and put the whole case together."
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Plus... How Covid-19 coverage is shifting across the media landscape; meet two Tribune reporters who are issuing last-hour pleas for local ownership; can pro-Trump media outlets change the way we remember the Capitol riot? David Zurawik, Amanda Marcotte, Susan Glasser, Dan P. McAdams, Devlin Barrett, Brad Stone, Liz Bowie and Larry McShane join Brian Stelter.
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Rana Ayyub, a journalist based in Mumbai and a Washington Post global opinions writer, describes the perilous state of the pandemic in India and the limitations on journalists who are covering the crisis. "The carnage continues unabated," she says. But "how do you also report at a time when your own family members are losing their lives?" Ayyyb also discusses the media's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She says "journalism is happening in India, but the gatekeepers are not allowing the truth to kind of get on the front pages." She asserts that "everything has been taken over by the Modi government. It's a one-man show."
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Plus... One-on-one with New York Times Opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury; Daniel Dale's data about Biden's first 100 days; the shifting tone of Covid coverage; and more. Eli J. Finkel, Daniel Dale, Nicole Hemmer, Oliver Darcy, Zeynep Tufekci, David Leonhardt, Kathleen Kingsbury and Bill Carter join Brian Stelter.
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CNN entertainment and media reporters Chloe Melas, Lisa Respers France and Frank Pallotta analyze the end of awards season, the tentative reopening of movie theaters, and shifting streaming release strategies. The big question: What is the post-pandemic entertainment world going to look like? Respers France underscores the importance of "community," asserting that "Hollywood is going to have to change because we've changed."
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Plus... Analyzing the media’s coverage of Biden’s first 100 days; how anti-media rhetoric finds its way into judicial opinions; the Oscar-nominated director China doesn't want you to see; and more. Errol Louis, David Zurawik, Adrienne Broaddus, April Ryan, Ron Brownstein, Marty Golingan, Caolan Robertson, RonNell Anderson Jones and Anders Hammer.
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Kurt Repanshek is the founder and editor-in-chief of National Parks Traveler, the country's only news outlet dedicated to covering national parks and protected areas, and an early entrant to the now-growing group of nonprofit newsrooms. Repanshek joins Brian Stelter during National Parks Week to discuss his nimble operation, the significance of its nonprofit status, and the immense challenges he faces covering this broad and dynamic beat. He also touches on funding issues within the National Parks Service system, noting that "politics greatly intrude on efforts to cover the parks." Climate change is also an urgent part of the parks story, he says: From Cape Cod to the Grand Canyon, "just about everywhere you look in the national park system, there is a climate change story."
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This bonus podcast episode contains Brian Stelter's entire interview with former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. They discuss the international influence of Rupert Murdoch's media empire; the impact of Murdoch's climate denialism; the growing family divide between brothers Lachlan and James Murdoch; Fox's "imitators in the right wing media ecosystem;" and more. Turnbull says Rupert "has to take responsibility for what he has done."
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Plus... the red news-blue news divide over vaccines; lessons learned from coverage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause; a changing of the guard in America's newsrooms; and more. Kyle Pope, Oliver Darcy, Abene Clayton, Sara Sidner, Miguel Marquez, Laurel Bristow, Claire Atkinson and Malcolm Turnbull join Brian Stelter.
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“Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR” is coming out to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Author Lisa Napoli joins Brian Stelter to discuss the public radio network’s experimental beginnings, as seen through the experiences of the four "founding mothers" — Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg and Cokie Roberts. What lessons can be gleaned from NPR's origin story, especially for newsrooms looking to improve how they represent the communities they cover?
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Plus... Clarissa Ward responds to criticism of her Myanmar reporting trip; Katie Benner shares insights about the Matt Gaetz investigation; Robby Soave argues that the "60 Minutes" story on Ron DeSantis feeds distrust in the media. Jonathan Greenblatt, Philip Bump, Amanda Carpenter, Matt Gertz, Katie Benner, Robby Soave and Clarissa Ward join Brian Stelter.
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Claire McNear, author of the definitive "Jeopardy!" book, "Answers in the Form of Questions," talks with Brian Stelter about the impact of Alex Trebek's death, the search for a new host, and the views of the "contestant community." McNear says the guest hosting slots may not be "tryouts," per se, and reveals the secrecy that has surrounded the guest hosting process. She also previews some surprises that might be in store later this spring.
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Plus... Derek Thompson on "The Pandemic's Wrongest Man," Kate Bennett on the confessions in Hunter Biden's memoir, and David Zurawik on Matt Gaetz's quest for media stardom. Sara Sidner, Kethevane Gorjestani, Jim Acosta, Annie Karni, Abigail Tracy, David Zurawik and Derek Thompson join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter debriefs on the first three months of 2021 with CNN senior media editor An Phung and media reporters Kerry Flynn and Oliver Darcy. From major newsroom leader resignations, to the "personalization" of journalism, to defamation lawsuits, they identify and digest the biggest themes in the media business and share their predictions for the coming months.
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Plus... Mary Trump on her uncle's media addiction; Dr. Sanjay Gupta on media coverage of Covid-19; Jon Karl on the relative lack of leaks from the Biden White House; and a look at what happens when the "narrative" overshadows the news. Amanda Marcotte, Greg Sargent, Jonathan Karl, Stephen Shackelford, Oliver Darcy, Mary Trump and Dr. Sanjay Gupta join Brian Stelter.
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The never-ending cycle of mass killing coverage has exposed the limits of journalism and "those limits are painful," veteran journalist John Temple says. Temple talks with Brian Stelter about his experience covering the Columbine massacre in 1999 and says "there was a sense that something would change" in the aftermath. Now, however, there's "this feeling that we're just going in a loop" after every tragedy, he says. Speaking in the wake of mass murders in Atlanta and Boulder, Temple talks about storytelling methods, the line between reporting and advocacy, and the moral dimensions of news coverage. He also points out that "the human cost on the journalists is enormous because it's day after day of grief."
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Plus... BBC anchor Clive Myrie on the "toxic media environment" in the US and the UK's regulation of TV networks; Brian Stelter says "you are what you watch, and it could make you sick." Dr. Seema Yasmin, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, David French, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Connie Chung, Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Clive Myrie join Brian Stelter.
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What are the functions of climate journalism? With polarization preventing consensus, where do reporters meet their audience? John Sutter, Emily Atkin and Emily Holden share insights about covering the climate crisis in a roundtable discussion. Atkin, who writes the HEATED newsletter, says she is not preaching to the choir, she is "teaching the choir how to sing." Holden talks about her new nonprofit outlet Floodlight and the value of newsroom collaboration. Sutter, a filmmaker and CNN climate analyst, describes how climate coverage has evolves and shares his hopes for the first installment of his documentary series "Baseline."
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Plus... Media coverage of Gov. Andrew Cuomo; President Biden's press strategy; and Alec MacGillis on his new book 'Fulfillment,' exploring America, Amazon and extreme inequality. S.E. Cupp, David Zurawik, April Ryan, Erik Wemple, Jennifer Morrell, Jessica Huseman, Alec MacGillis and Trisha Goddard join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter speaks with Los Angeles Times DC bureau chief Kimbriell Kelly, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editor George Stanley, and Katie Townsend, legal director at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The trio of Freedom of Information experts preview Sunshine Week, a weeklong initiative promoting open government. "There's a lot more that needs to be done to increase transparency to government at both a federal level and at a local level," Kelly says.
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Plus... How the GOP takes its "cancel culture" cues from Fox; NYT columnist criticized for conflict of interest; the ups and downs of broadcasting from home during the pandemic. Diane Falzone, Sarah Ellison, Oliver Darcy, Maribel Perez Wadsworth, Richard Palmer and Kristin Meinzer join Brian Stelter.
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At the twelve-month mark of the pandemic in the United States, COVID Tracking Project co-founder Alexis Madrigal looks both backward and forward in a wide-ranging conversation with Brian Stelter. Madrigal says the volunteer pop-up collective "stumbled into a real gap in our pandemic preparedness and then have done our best to fill it." But it was necessary because of the federal government’s failures. “Going state by state” and gathering the data “in the way that we did really put us in touch with the realities of this country right now, and not our myths about how great we are,” he says. Madrigal also explains why it is now possible to “sunset” the daily data reporting, and what more still needs to be done.
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Plus... Rep. David Cicilline says "local news is on life support" and shares legislative plans; Jill Filipovic on left-wing critiques of Biden coverage; Farai Chideya on people who "act based on their team, not based on facts;" and more. Dave Weigel, Katie Rogers, Jill Filipovic, Farai Chideya, Rep. David Cicilline, Marty Baron and Carolyn Ryan join Brian Stelter.
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Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron joins Brian Stelter for a final interview before retiring from the Post at the end of February. They discuss his career; the Post's expansion; and the news outlet's future as well as his own retirement plans. Baron says he plans to stay "active and involved" in the news industry, just not on a full-time basis. He also talks about being an editor in the digital age; the growing importance of visual storytelling; and the transition from the Trump administration to the Biden administration.
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Plus... Power and water disasters in Texas are shining a light on local news; out-of-context headlines are clouding Covid-19 vaccine news; how Ted Cruz's trip to Cancun was exposed by Twitter sleuths; and more. Emily Ramshaw, Bill Carter, Carol Leonnig, Daniel Dale, Angie Drobnic Holan, Dr. Leana Wen, Steven Guilbeault and Jeff Jarvis join Brian Stelter.
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Steven Waldman, the president and co-founder of Report for America, connects the dots between the local news crisis, the "financialization" of newspaper ownership, and the spread of disinformation on social media. Brian Stelter also asks Waldman about the rash of recent news about the news industry, including the international implications of the Australian proposal to have tech platforms pay publishers for news, and a hedge fund’s bid to buy Tribune Publishing. Waldman says the decline of local news coverage is "catastrophic for democracy," and proposes some solutions, including tax credits and nonprofit ownership models. "In the scale of the amount of philanthropic resources that are out there... it's actually inexpensive to fix, and yet the consequences of what's happening are so severe," he says.
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Plus... Politico's editor reacts to White House aide's resignation; BBC World Service boss reacts to China's ban of the BBC; what went wrong with The New York Times' Caliphate podcast; and more. Carrie Budoff Brown, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Tina Nguyen, Erik Wemple, Lorraine Ali, Noah Shachtman and Jamie Angus join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter's better half, NY1 host Jamie Stelter, takes over the podcast for a Valentine-themed episode. Jamie surprises Brian with questions submitted via social media, covering everything from work habits to pandemic parenting, from "love language" to local news. A special Sunny guest makes an appearance at the end of the conversation.
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Plus... Dominion spokesman Michael Steel explains the voting tech company's legal strategy; David Folkenflik discusses the latest turmoil at The New York Times; and Dannagal Young explains the twisted psychology of conspiracy theories. Lynn Oberlander, Brittany Shepherd, Michael Steel, David Folkenflik, Dannagal Young, and Zeynep Tufekci join Brian Stelter.
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Jonathan Swan shares what he has learned about President Trump's final weeks in office, including a feud with Fox News and a conspiracy-drenched shouting match in the Oval Office. Swan, a national political correspondent for Axios, has published a long-form investigative series called "Off the Rails" and a narrative podcast, "How It Happened: Trump's Last Stand," about his reporting. "This is probably the strongest compulsion I've had in my career" and "the most driven I've been to get something out quickly," he says. "I just felt this overwhelming urgency to get it out. What I was hearing was not stuff I could sit on." Swan also explains why this deep-dive was a "dramatic departure" for Axios, otherwise known for "Smart Brevity."
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Plus... Oliver Darcy says there is no real ‘civil war’ in the GOP; Brian Stelter discusses freedom of reach versus freedom of speech; what should the next era of news leadership look like? Nicholas Kristof, Tia Mitchell, Oliver Darcy, Briahna Joy Gray, Dave Weigel, Elizabeth Bruenig, Farai Chideya, and Rick Davis join Brian Stelter.
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Rick Davis is a living CNN legend. He was the executive producer of CNN Sports when the network launched in 1980; he was the vice president in charge of Washington programs like Reliable Sources and Inside Politics in the 90s; and he has been the executive VP for news standards and practices since 1998. With Davis retiring at the end of January, Brian Stelter asks him to share some highlights from his career and evaluate CNN's role in the news landscape. Davis shares his memories of CNN's launch; the power of "these three red letters;" and his plans for retirement.
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Plus... Stuart Stevens says Rupert Murdoch is "the most dangerous immigrant in America;" Zeke Miller says the White House's new Covid protocols make the workplace "safer" for journalists; Biden-bashing has been turned up to 11 on right-wing TV. and a tribute to Larry King. Dr. Seema Yasmin, Karen Attiah, Zeke Miller, Stuart Stevens, Jay Carney, Joe Lockhart, Scot McClellan and Jim Acosta join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter asks Ron Brownstein about how to process the years of history that have happened in just a few short weeks. Brownstein, the CNN senior political analyst and senior editor at The Atlantic, says the "big structural factor driving the politics of our era" is demographic eclipse. America is going through an "enormous demographic change that will produce a majority minority society," and as a result "the fundamental dividing line in American politics is between those who welcome and those who fear the way America is changing." Brownstein says right-wing outlets like Fox play on fear, "feeding that sense that you are under threat, that elites disdain you, and immigrants and minorities are coming to kill you... That is the drug that they offer their audience, and it's increasingly become the message of the Republican party over time."
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Plus... Why a top cybersecurity expert thinks groups like Proud Boys need to be treated like ISIS online; how to cover the information crisis; and a Fox News schedule shakeup rewards opinion over news. Maggie Haberman, Alex Stamos, Christopher Krebs, Dan Shelley, Nicole Carroll, Nicole Hemmer, David Folkenflik, Eugene Daniels and Sara Sidner join Brian Stelter.
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CNN's Sara Sidner says she felt "exposed and embarrassed" when she was overcome with emotion during a live report about the dire situation in southern California. It is what "we're taught not to do," she says. But her human reaction helped draw attention to the Covid-19 crisis, and she now says, "If it did something to help, then I'll embarrass myself every single day, all day long." Sidner and Brian Stelter discuss coverage of the pandemic; the state of emergency in and around Los Angeles; and the ways that journalists process trauma. "If it does anything to make someone think twice about walking out without a mask or not self-distancing, then then maybe it was the right moment," she says.
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Plus... Congressional reporters share what they witnessed during the attack; editorial boards call for Trump and GOP senators to resign; where do we go from here? Jeffrey Goldberg, Susan Glasser, Adam Sharp, Julie Roginsky, Oliver Darcy, Alex Marquardt, Phil Mattingly, Manu Raju and Lauren Fox join Brian Stelter.
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CNN correspondent Elle Reeve tells Brian Stelter what she witnessed in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, January 6, from the Save America March near the White House to the riot at the Capitol. She examines the process of MAGA media radicalization that led up to the insurrection and the links to the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in August 2017. Reeve explains how her team members were able to move nimbly through the mob and says the people were not all "Internet basement dwellers." She says "I don't think, as a culture, we've grappled with the way social media is a brainwashing machine."
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Plus...Timothy Snyder on Trump's authoritarian aims; growing numbness to the Covid-19 death toll; how news outlets are exposing vaccine distribution delays; a 2021 forecast from CNN's media reporters. Timothy Snyder, Rana Cash, Astead Herndon, Emma Hurt, Dan Abrams, Dr. James Hamblin and Juliette Kayyem join Brian Stelter.
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Plus... Trump declared 'war' with the media, but did he win?; 'blood sport' aspect of Trump's anti-media attacks; how Trump's unhealthy TV addiction affected all of us; Dale says, 'coverage of Biden is going to be equally rigorous'; Tapper says some reporters 'bought into' Trump's narrative; Stelter says the press works for the people, not politicians. Abby Phillip, Jeremy Diamond, Kaitlan Collins, Jim Acosta, Daniel Dale and Jake Tapper join Brian Stelter.
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How will news outlets adapt to covering Biden after four years of Trump? Will there be major mergers in digital media in 2021? Who will prevail in the streaming Olympics? Oliver Darcy, Donie O'Sullivan, Kerry Flynn, Frank Pallotta and Chloe Melas join Brian Stelter to share predictions about the year ahead, from a right-wing media recalibration to a return to movie theaters.
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Plus... White House sources are sounding the alarm about Trump; Rupert Murdoch gets vaccine as his network fans flames of vaccine skepticism; what went wrong with the NYT's 'Caliphate' podcast. Elizabeth Neumann, Rosie Gray, Oliver Darcy, Margaret Sullivan, David Folkenflik and Marty Baron join Brian Stelter.
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CNN reporters Oliver Darcy, Donie O'Sullivan, Kerry Flynn, Frank Pallotta and Chloe Melas join Brian Stelter for a bird's-eye view of a strange and surprising 2020. They discuss some of the biggest storylines of the year, from disinformation to Disney+, and identify some bright spots in a generally dark year.
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Plus... Local TV anchor helps thousands fighting for unemployment benefits; the story behind Jane Mayer's story about Dianne Feinstein; when right-wing "fan fiction" replaces journalism; Trump's favorite media outlets are ignoring the pandemic; why political reporters pay attention to voters' media diets; and more... Marc Elias, Matt Lewis, S.E. Cupp, Astead Herndon, Charlotte Alter, Jane Mayer and Anne McCloy join Brian Stelter.
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Juliette Kayyem, a Harvard lecturer and CNN national security analyst, talks about the balancing act of Covid-19 and how the coming months should be covered by the news media. She tells Brian Stelter that "the media can drive appropriate behavior" and combat pandemic fatigue. She also says the distribution of vaccines will be a “split screen” story and says responsible reporting can help with “vaccine hesitancy.” She says Fox News stars should do a public service by being vaccinated on camera. Kayyem and Stelter also discuss the role of the media more broadly during disasters, and how public trust may evolve during the Biden administration.
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Plus... Tom Friedman says "I pray to God" I don't have to write more Trump columns; how the AP is handling Trump's election denialism; meet a radio host who intervenes with callers who dismiss Covid-19 dangers. Evan Osnos, Thomas Friedman, Julie Pace, David Kessler, Dr. Esther Choo, Jeff Deminski and Andrew Neil join Brian Stelter.
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"There's this sort of co-creation of disinformation" about the 2020 election, resulting in a "really powerful false narrative of voter fraud that's going to be very hard to correct," Kate Starbird says. Starbird, an associate professor at the University of Washington and a co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public, calls this "participatory disinformation" and says propaganda is most effective "when it's coming from people you trust." Brian Stelter also asks about Starbird's work studying "crisis informatics" and online rumors.
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Plus... Washington Post reporter Jacqueline Alemany shares her Covid-19 experience to counter deniers; press freedom experts on recovering from the ‘fake news’ era; Oliver Darcy on Fox’s ‘propaganda’ in service of Trump. Amanda Carpenter, Jonathan Rauch, Carrie Budoff Brown, Suzanne Nossel, Joel Simon, Oliver Darcy, Jacqueline Alemany and Amanda Marcotte join Brian Stelter.
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What is the allure of misinformation? What are the reasons why people believe lies, and what does it take to change their minds? Brian Stelter speaks with Briony Swire-Thompson, cognitive psychologist and senior research scientist at Northeastern University's Network Science Institute, for answers. Swire-Thompson shares what her research has shown about lies, trust, and belief, and how Trumpism has changed the field of study. When it comes to conspiracy theories, Swire-Thompson says election denialism "has all the makings of a long-lasting conspiracy theory."
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Plus... Brian Stelter says Trump officials dodging questions is a sign of weakness; what election denialism and Covid skepticism have in common; how Newsmax TV is pressuring Fox from the right; and more. Kaitlan Collins, Brendan Nyhan, Errol Louis, Jane Lytvynenko, Jim VandeHei, Kent Bush, Dave Bundy and Sarah Seifert join Brian Stelter.
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Patrice Peck, multimedia journalist and author of the Coronavirus News for Black Folks newsletter, talks with Brian Stelter about how her newsletter highlighted health disparities that have been aggravated by the pandemic. Peck reflects on the role of Black journalists and storytellers historically, and how the media business is transforming now. Peck also touches on her use of the newsletter platform Substack and the "opportunity" it has to better spotlight new content creators.
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Plus... Brian Stelter says Fox is facing competition like never before; Carl Bernstein says there is a 'civil war of untruth' in America; reporters want Biden to be more accessible; is Trump trying to turn his voters into subscribers? Julie Roginsky, Carl Bernstein, Sam Donaldson, Dr. Seema Yasmin, Molly Ball and Michael Kruse join Brian Stelter.
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A podcast about Trump-related podcasts! "Trump, Inc." co-host Andrea Bernstein, "Pod Save America" co-host Dan Pfeiffer, and "Trumpcast" host Virginia Heffernan join Brian Stelter to discuss the election results, the media’s responsibility, and the future of their shows. Heffernan describes having "coup-xiety" around Trump's refusal to concede or commit to a smooth transition. Bernstein explains how the story of "Trump, Inc." will continue after he leaves the White House. Pfeiffer says Trumpism will outlast the Trump presidency: "The threats, the problems in our political system, the miasma of misinformation that allowed someone like Trump to be elected still exists."
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Plus... Abby Phillip reflects on Election Week; Jeffrey Goldberg recommends a post-Trump pivot; Jon Karl talks about the Trump show’s ‘series finale;’ Oliver Darcy says Fox is enabling Trump's election denialism; Ann Selzer answers questions about 2020 election polls. TJ Ducklo, Jeffrey Goldberg, Abby Phillip, Jonathan Karl, Oliver Darcy, Evan Osnos, Chris Ruddy and Ann Selzer join Brian Stelter.
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Plus... What reporters are saying about the election in private; Susan Glasser says damage to election credibility "has already been done"; how will TV networks handle bogus Trump claims on election night?; CNN reporters on responding to Trump era technique to "flood the zone with sh*t..." Susan Glasser, Philip Bump, Olivia Nuzzi, Sam Feist, Oliver Darcy and Donie O'Sullivan join Brian Stelter.
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BuzzFeed News media editor Craig Silverman joins Brian Stelter to analyze the evolution of "fake news," a term he began using in 2014 to describe the very real phenomenon of misinformation on social media. With the 2020 election nearing an end, he reflects on Trump's weaponization of the term and the impact of four years of anti-media rhetoric. "What happened to the term 'fake news' is a great little case study in how our information environment works," he says. He also discusses the digital disinformation beat, sites like Facebook, and what the platforms are still failing to do.
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Plus... The Murdoch media machine's anti-Biden narrative; priorities for the press between now and election day; local papers are losing physical newsrooms; how emotions drive our news diet and our votes. Kirsten Powers, John Harris, Larry Wilmore, Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, Sally Buzbee and Drew Westen join Brian Stelter.
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New York Times chief TV critic James Poniewozik argues that President Trump's reality TV tendencies, and his reliance on "button-pushing, shocking stuff" to sustain attention from viewers or voters, has contributed to a feeling of "burnout" over time. Trump is so immersed in conservative media narratives, Poniewozik says, "that he can sort of only speak its language, and has a hard time speaking outside it." Poniewozik also suggests that Americans have become more adept at spotting reality and drama TV tropes through Trump, and he likens Joe Biden to an episode of “Antiques Roadshow,” in this conversation with Brian Stelter.
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Plus... Charlotte Alter on swing state voters gripped by 'unlogic;' Yochai Benkler on a looming test for American democracy; are Murdoch outlets positioning themselves for a Trump loss? Anne Applebaum, Yochai Benkler, Noah Shachtman, Charlotte Alter and Andrew Sullivan join Brian Stelter.
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Why are political polls trustworthy? What are TV networks doing to prepare for Election Night? Brian Stelter asks Jennifer Agiesta, the director of polling and election analytics for CNN. Agiesta talks about the impact of millions of early votes; the role of the decision desk; and the process for making projections. She also addresses common misconceptions about polling and the findings from CNN’s new polling project called The Breakthrough.
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Plus... Dan Rather on coverage of Trump's physical and mental health; Tom Friedman calls out 'voter suppression enterprise;' is there 'reticence' to report on Biden's big lead in the polls? Dan Rather, Tom Friedman, Jennifer Mercieca, Oliver Darcy, Brandon Borrman, Ryan Lizza and Clare Malone join Brian Stelter.
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Carlos Lozada's new book "What Were We Thinking: A Brief Intellectual History of the Trump Era" is about his exploration of Trump-related tomes, from insider tell-alls to works on race, gender and identity. He tells Brian Stelter that some of the most revelatory books about this era are barely about Trump at all. Among his many findings: "Accepting Trump's lies is not really about belief, it's about allegiance." Also: "We've made this era all about Trump... He is constantly the man at the middle of the story, and that may not be the wisest way to think about it." For example, Lozada says "we obsess over the border because Donald Trump obsesses over the border," but "a lot of the most significant stories about immigration are happening far from the border."
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Plus... Masha Gessen on comparisons between the Trump White House and the Soviet Union; how Ronald Reagan's White House handled his health crisis; WHCA president on press corps precautions. Masha Gessen, Carl Cameron, Margaret Sullivan, Susan Glasser, Zeke Miller, David Gergen and Mark Weinberg join Brian Stelter.
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In a wide-ranging interview with Brian Stelter, Dr. Anthony Fauci opens up about his media approach and the "critical" importance of communication during a public health crisis. Fauci addresses "outlandish" reporting from Fox News and other right-wing outlets; describes how he handles his relationship with President Trump; and discusses his recommended news sources. This conversation was held in conjunction with World News Day.
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Plus... Maria Ressa's warning about Facebook and misinformation; Brian Karem's astonishment at his exchange with Trump. Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., Mark Lukasiewicz, Molly Jong-Fast, Brian Karem, Sam Feist and Maria Ressa join Brian Stelter.
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Oliver Darcy, Donie O'Sullivan, Kerry Flynn, Frank Pallotta and Chloe Melas join Brian Stelter for a once-a-quarter conversation about the media industry, misinformation and more. Darcy and O'Sullivan discuss "echo chambers" that radicalize voters. Flynn and Melas analyze the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on newsrooms and Hollywood. Pallotta looks at how the media business is faring during the pandemic.
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Plus... Len Downie's tips for covering for the coming election chaos; David Zurawik on Supreme Court coverage; how C-SPAN helped us hear the pandemic pain. Luke Harding, Rana Ayyub, John-Allan Namu, Julie Cohen, David Zurawik, Nikole Hannah-Jones and Leonard Downie, Jr. join Brian Stelter.
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The Atlantic staff writer Megan Garber says "we sometimes don't have satisfying languages" for talking about Fox News. Garber talks with Brian Stelter about his new book "Hoax" and her essay titled "Do You Speak Fox?" She says the network employs the "rhetoric of warfare" and "us" versus "them" themes that have "infiltrated the way that we approach the world in a really basic level."
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Plus... Reed Hastings on Netflix's culture and competitive set; Clarissa Ward's messages for young journalists; and Jon Karl on the moment he asked Trump 'Why did you lie?' Sam Donaldson, Dr. Seema Yasmin, Bill Carter, Mary Trump, Jonathan Karl, Clarissa Ward and Reed Hastings join Brian Stelter.
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Will Saletan compiled a comprehensive timeline of "what Trump knew and when he knew it" about the coronavirus pandemic. He says the chronology proves that Trump is responsible for many deaths. Brian Stelter asks Saletan about his conclusions. Plus: What do Bob Woodward's taped interviews with Trump add to the timeline? Saletan says Trump exposed one of the news media's vulnerabilities: "We're not really prepared as a press corps for an authoritarian. We're not prepared for someone who just lies... And it turns out that we're not as effective as we would like to believe we are at stopping politicians from lying if they're willing to simply ignore us."
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Plus... This is why political campaigns feel free to lie in TV ads; a Facebook exec explains the company's US election actions; what's next for Stars and Stripes? Jeffrey Goldberg, S.V. Date, SE Cupp, Nick Clegg, Nicole Hemmer, Carl Bernstein and Ernie Gates join Brian Stelter.
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Daniel Thompson talks about his decision to resign from The Kenosha News in protest of a "grossly negligent and inappropriate" headline on a story about a rally in support of Jacob Blake. He says "I don't think the old ways of covering things, particularly protests, works anymore." He also tells Brian Stelter about his plan to work as an independent journalist and eventually "develop a network" of local news outlets.
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Plus... Kevin Roose on how algorithms are distorting American politics; Daniel Dale on his fast-paced fact-checking; Carolyn DeWitt on voter groups suing Trump over his social media executive order. Susan Glasser, Kevin Roose, Ayesha Rascoe, Jason Stanley, Daniel Dale, Radhika Jones and Carolyn DeWitt join Brian Stelter.
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Host Brian Stelter becomes the guest as CNN senior media reporter Oliver Darcy asks him about his new book "Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth." Stelter discusses his reasons for writing the book; how he convinced sources to cooperate; the "lie-laundering" trends he identified; and the potential for change at Fox News in the future. Stelter and Darcy debate the divide between Fox's news and opinion departments, the influence of the Murdoch family, and more.
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Plus... Why Trump's use of the word 'hoax' is poisonous; what Brian Stelter learned by writing a book about Fox News and Trump; how newsrooms should handle GOP convention disinformation. Peter Hamby, Amanda Carpenter, Sara Fischer, Alisyn Camerota, Peter Pomerantsev, Ricky Kirshner and Bill Plaschke join the discussion.
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Vann Newkirk is the host of "Floodlines," The Atlantic's documentary podcast examining "mythmaking" and misinformation during and after Hurricane Katrina. Brian Stelter asks Newkirk about parallels between the U.S. response to the hurricane and the coronavirus pandemic; the role of the press; and the lessons that should be learned from both crises. He describes "the lag between the reality, the disaster dawning on us, and people actually moving to confront it," saying "we had that same kind of lag from every level of government" in response to the pandemic "that really cost us a whole lot in the long run."
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Plus... Carl Bernstein on covering Trump's election threats; how the pandemic has changed 2020 campaign coverage; Trump lies to reporters while Biden avoids the press; the origins of the latest bogus "birther lie"; "excess death" data shows the true toll from Covid-19; Rolling Stone reporter says Fox "escaped accountability" for Seth Rich hoax. Carl Bernstein, Asma Khalid, John Harris, Olivia Nuzzi, Oliver Darcy, Rep. Adam Kinzinger and Andy Kroll join Brian Stelter.
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Jim Sciutto's new book, "The Madman Theory: Trump Takes on the World," contains on-the-record interviews with an array of Trump administration foreign policy officials. The CNN anchor shares his reporting process and his observations about the Trump years with Brian Stelter. “It amazes me, the threshold for outrage or controversy” these days, Sciutto says. He points out that warnings about Trump from people previously in his inner circle are “dismissed as kind of partisan hectoring, even though it comes from inside his own administration.” He also discusses the disturbing impacts of Trump’s anti-media rhetoric around the world.
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Plus... local reporters work overtime to honor the dead during the pandemic; "We Have Her Back" group will call out sexist VP coverage; were Trump's executive orders merely a media stunt? David Zurawik, Nicole Hemmer, Errin Haines, Hilary Rosen, Claire McNeill and Jeffrey Toobin join Brian Stelter.
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The 19th* is a nonprofit news startup "at the intersection of gender, politics and policy." Co-founder and CEO Emily Ramshaw talks with Brian Stelter about this month's launch and plans for the future. Ramshaw discusses the media's glaring weaknesses when it comes to gender. In the 2020 election season, "we're seeing those same conversations over and over," she says. "We are not making strides. And so that's what inspired us to say, you know what? I just want to blow it all up and start over." She also talks about the news outlet's business model and the impacts of the pandemic.
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Plus... Many Fox viewers changed the channel during John Lewis funeral; pandemic disinformation is wasting precious time; how the AP is prepping to cover 'election week' in 2020; 'Election Meltdown' author on Trump's threat to democracy; why was Homeland Security collecting 'intel' on journalists?; James Murdoch breaks with family's media empire; how news outlets can empower voters in 2020. Susan Glasser, Erin Geiger Smith, Richard Hasen, Sally Buzbee, TJ Ducklo and Errol Louis join Brian Stelter.
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Netflix "bent the world to the Netflix model," Peter Kafka says, and its competitors are now many laps behind. Kafka, the co-host the current season of Recode’s "Land of the Giants" podcast, talks with Brian Stelter about the streaming service’s growth and worldwide reach. He describes Netflix’s "frenemy relationship" with media companies that both supply programming and compete with the service. Kafka also comments on Netflix's "astonishing" 160 Emmy wins and the impact of challengers like HBO Max, Disney+ and Peacock.
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Yale University professor Jason Stanley, author of "How Fascism Works," says he sees a fascist social and political movement taking hold in America's democracy. In this conversation with Brian Stelter, Stanley says the Trump administration is "manufacturing dissent" by sending federal forces to Portland, Oregon and other cities. Stanley calls this tactic "lawlessness in the name of 'law and order,'" and says Fox News functions as a "propaganda station" for Trump. Stanley also discusses Trump's mishandling of the pandemic and explains the "ten pillars of fascist politics" outlined in his book.
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Plus... Trump's reality distortion field extends to "fake polls;" Dr. Anthony Fauci returns to TV; is there growing intolerance in American newsrooms? Peter Nicholas, Ed Yong, April Ryan, David Zurawik, Amanda Carpenter, Jill Filipovic, Tim O'Brien and Anne Applebaum join Brian Stelter.
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John Barry, author of "The Great Influenza," reflects on what can be learned from history, now that his 2004 book has been thrust back onto best-seller lists. "Fortunately this virus is not nearly as virulent, as deadly as the 1918 virus, so we're not in that situation," he says. "But the trivialization of it for the first several months by the administration, the politicization of the mask issue -- it's costing lives. There is no question." Barry says the communications problem is paramount: "It all depends on convincing people to comply with the recommendations." He also discusses his recent New York Times op-ed and the influence of right-wing media.
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Plus... Keeping up with the 'firehose' of news about Covid-19; What Mary Trump's tell-all says about Trump's psyche; Margaret Sullivan's new book offers six partial solutions to the crisis in local news. Oliver Darcy, Nicole Hemmer, Helen Branswell, Jonathan Karl, Tony Schwartz and Margaret Sullivan join Brian Stelter.
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Disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz talks with Brian Stelter about her new book, "How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict." Recounting her travels throughout Ukraine and her briefings for lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Jankowicz describes the disturbing impacts of both domestic and foreign information operations. She says the U.S. is "abdicating leadership" and warns about a potential "fact-free version of Democracy-lite" in the future. She also proposes a "disinformation museum," where users can see content that has since been removed from the internet.
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Plus... Dr. Anthony Fauci's disappearances from national TV shows; Dr. Seema Yasmin on the press as the 'immune system of a democracy;' behind the 'Tucker Carlson 2024' chatter. Mindy Marques Gonzalez, Kathy Tulumello, Steve Riley, Dr. Seema Yasmin, Douglas Brinkley, Ted Boutrous and Alex Thompson join Brian Stelter.
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The Atlantic's James Fallows talks with Brian Stelter about his recent article that imagines a National Transportation Safety Board probe into the U.S. pandemic response. Fallows shares his reporting about critical leadership failures that occurred in January and February. Stelter points out that the president's missteps line up with a timeline of Fox News coverage. Fallows says Fox is an "outside distorting pressure which has changed everything about decisions inside the administration, and how they think their part of the public base will respond."
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Plus... Susan Glasser on the view from Trump's 'Hannity bunker,' Bill Moyers on Facebook's 'garbage,' and Jake Tapper on the origins of new movie 'The Outpost.' Joan Lunden, Kristen Powers, David Zurawik, Susan Glasser, Jake Tapper, Nick Clegg, and Bill Moyers join Brian Stelter.
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"Believe-whatever-you-want fantasy is deeply embedded in our DNA," journalist Kurt Andersen wrote in his 2017 book "Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire." Brian Stelter asks him to apply the lessons of "Fantasyland" to the Covid-19 crisis. Andersen also discusses the American affinity for "ultra-individualism," Trump's disconnect from "reality-based" Americans, and the impact of the QAnon conspiracy theory.
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Plus... Astead Herndon's reporters notebook from Tulsa; Carl Bernstein on Trump's mood swings; inside the mass firings at the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Mary Jo Laupp, Astead Herndon, Jasmine El-Gamal, Guy Snodgrass, Karen Kornbluh, Sarah Ellison, Anthony Scaramucci and Carl Bernstein join Brian Stelter.
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Public health science and communication "are inextricably linked," says Dr. Richard Besser, former CDC acting director, ABC News medical expert, and president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He and Brian Stelter discuss the "unmet need" for clear and cohesive messaging from federal officials about Covid-19. "It's practically radio silence at the federal level from political leaders as well as public health leaders in terms of where we are and what needs to be done," he says. Dr. Besser also talks about strengths and weaknesses in the media coverage of the pandemic.
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A racism reckoning for the media industry? Plus... Why the press should be careful when forecasting "waves;" an interview with journalist Linda Tirado, who was blinded at a protest and is now suing police. Dr. James Hamblin, Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, Dan Diamond, Jenna Ellis, Sara Sidner, Linda Tirado, Tai-Heng Cheng and Farai Chideya join Brian Stelter.
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"Who exactly does objectivity serve? And is there a difference between objectivity and fairness?" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Alexis Johnson joins Brian Stelter to discuss turmoil at the paper, which stems from management’s decision to stop Johnson from covering Black Lives Matter protests because she posted a satirical tweet about riots. Executive editor Keith Burris said she showed "bias." Johnson says, "To think that no reporter has bias, and to think that no newsroom has bias... is just absolutely ridiculous." Johnson says "I don't know how much longer the Post-Gazette can thrive" under current leadership.
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Plus... Brian Stelter on the president telling you not to believe your eyes; Alexi McCammond on White House coverage; Karen Attiah on the need for newsroom integration; and a message from CNN's master control operations team. Karen Attiah, Jemele Hill, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Oliver Darcy, Alexi McCammond and Masha Gessen join Brian Stelter.
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Brian Stelter speaks with six journalists covering the anti-racism protests across America during a Society of Professional Journalists webinar titled "stories from the frontlines: journalists and protests." The panel addresses the troubling spate of attacks on journalists; offers tips to stay safe; and reflects on the "extraordinary moment" for journalists of color and the state of newsroom diversity.
This week's guests:
Dorothy Tucker, CBS-Chicago investigative reporter and president of the National Association of Black Journalists
Errin Haines, editor-at-large of The 19th News
Mike Trautmann, Louisville Courier-Journal news director and director of investigations
Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio reporter
Haisten Willis, freelance journalist for the Washington Post and other outlets
Jesse J. Holland, author, scholar and former AP journalist
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Plus... Reporters in Minneapolis describe dodging tear gas and rubber bullets; Errin Haines says news outlets should "center" the stories of peaceful protestors; is Facebook like a chemical factory polluter? Omar Jimenez, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Jane Coaston, Errin Haines, David Zurawik, David Frum, Roger McNamee and Yael Eisenstat join Brian Stelter.
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Oliver Darcy, Kerry Flynn, Donie O'Sullivan, Frank Pallotta and Chloe Melas talk with Brian Stelter about all the ways the pandemic has upended the worlds of media, tech, and entertainment. "Even the media companies that I thought were the strongest and would be able to survive without making any cuts -- they've been forced" to make changes, Flynn says. Darcy and O'Sullivan call out the shortcomings of social media platforms. Pallotta and Melas discuss the movie, music and live event industries.
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Plus... Garry Kasparov says Trump lowering the moral bar for us all; the significance of Trump's hostility toward VOA; The Atlantic's Ed Yong on America's 'patchwork pandemic'; NYT's Jennifer Senior: Trump doesn't believe what he can't see... Garry Kasparov, Ed Yong, Jennifer Senior, Ben Smith, Dan Abrams, Sunlen Serfaty and Matt Armstrong join Brian Stelter.
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Nancy Barnes, NPR's senior VP of news and editorial director, talks with Brian Stelter about the recent $4.7 million gift from Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The funds will bolster reporting hubs in California and the Midwest. The gift is "specifically geared towards our efforts to grow local journalism," Barnes says. She also discusses NPR's pandemic coverage, and how the public radio network is faring financially. "The budget hit is significant," she says. "It's almost exclusively related to Covid-19."
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Plus... A tale of two presidents; Trump's pattern of firing government watchdogs on Friday nights; and Garrett Graff on 'the storm we can't see.' Margaret Carlson, April Ryan, Peter Wehner, Garrett Graff, Kevin Rudd and Lawrence Wright join Brian Stelter.
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Nate Silver, editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight, talks with Brian Stelter about Covid-19 data and media coverage of the pandemic. From the death rate to the daily number of tests, "any one indicator is going to have its flaws," Silver says. He addresses flaws in the conversation about "reopening" and the predictions of new waves of infections. While Silver says there is a relationship between social distancing efforts and rates of transmission, he warns that "trying to pick up a clear signal amidst noisy data when there are marginal changes being made" is very complicated.
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Plus... an interview with NYT CEO Mark Thompson; Trump versus Voice of America; and a Mother's Day visit with the mom and daughters behind "The Quarantine Times." Maggie Haberman, Catherine Rampell, Oliver Darcy, Renee DiResta, Brendan Nyhan, Mark Thompson, Lisa Napoli, and Laura, Claire and Rachel Lundgren join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
In the new book "Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN and the Birth of 24-Hour News," reporter Lisa Napoli recounts how Ted Turner's vision sparked a media revolution. Napoli speaks with Brian Stelter ahead of CNN's 40th birthday on June 1. She recalls her own internship at the fledging channel in 1981; the forgotten figures who made the channel into what it is today; and the international reach of CNN.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... Brian Stelter's essay on the need for hard truths at a very hard time; how America's handling of the Covid-19 crisis is viewed abroad; and a thank you message to members of the media who cannot work from home. Carl Bernstein, Beth Blauer, Jennifer Nuzzo, Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, Katharine Viner and Jake Tapper join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
What is driving President Trump's recent barbs at the federally-funded news outlet Voice of America? David Ensor, former director of VOA, speaks with Brian Stelter about the president's attacks and the news organization's mission. Contrary to the White House's claims, VOA has "done a thorough job of covering and uncovering Chinese misinformation," he says. "It is a truthful news organization that really tries to get to the bottom of things and that represents all views on issues."To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus, Why do reporters put up with Trump's attacks? Can local news outlets survive the pandemic's blow? How much longer will the pandemic stress test last? Dr. Seema Yasmin, Oliver Darcy, Jonathan Karl, Brooke Baldwin, Mary Spicuzza, Amy Brothers, Nikki Vargas and Carson Daly join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Dr. Vikek Murthy, who was Surgeon General during Barack Obama's second term, joins Brian Stelter to explain how his new book, "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World," applies to this period of "physical distancing." Dr. Murthy discusses "the mental health impact of Covid-19," the danger of a "social recession," and more. Stelter also asks him to evaluate news coverage of the pandemic and describe what he expects the coming months to be like.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... A new generation of White House reporters holding power to account; when TV shows become hazardous to public health; and Brian Stelter's message that "it's okay to not be okay." Piers Morgan, Juliette Kayyem, Philip Bump, Kaitlan Collins, Francesca Chambers, Adam Mosseri and Susan Wojcicki join Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
In her first interview since much of the world went on "pause" due to the coronavirus crisis, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki talks with Brian Stelter about the platform's policies and strategies relating to the pandemic. Wojcicki describes the steps YouTube is taking to amplify accurate public health information, while also identifying and removing false content. Wojcicki and Stelter also discuss an uptick in news viewership; the "acceleration of our digital lives" brought on by the pandemic; and the kid-friendly parts of YouTube.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Leonard Downie Jr., former executive editor of the Washington Post, shares his conclusions after writing a report for the Committee to Protect Journalists on the Trump administration and the media. Downie synthesizes three years of research and commentary about "the unprecedented hostility that President Trump has with the press, and the way in which he's trying to destroy the credibility of the news media's reporting about him." Downie says this is especially dangerous now, during a pandemic.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... Senators urge stimulus funding for local newspapers and David Zurawik says "this isn't reality TV anymore." Sen. Angus King, Dean Baquet, Nicholas Kristof, Elaina Plott and David Zurawik join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
What's a local sports editor to do when there are no sports? What's a classical music critic to do when there are no performances? What's a food writer to do when restaurants are closed? Three writers and editors join Brian Stelter for a dialogue about how their jobs and coverage priorities have changed due to the coronavirus crisis.
Louisville Courier-Journal sports editor Rana Cash talks about how her newsroom is taking an "all hands on deck approach" to cover the crisis. Cash says, "Three of my sports reporters are currently on furlough this week. And so it's more pressure and it's harder to get things done. But this is such a unique story, such an important story that I feel like people are kind of willing to kind of go the extra mile because of the weight of it. And that's from our features reporters... to all of our sports writers."
New York Magazine classical music and architecture critic Justin Davidson describes New York City "on pause." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution food and dining editor Ligaya Figueras explains how her section has adjusted dramatically to the sudden shutdown. Figueras says the paper has suspended restaurant reviews and added a new "guide to ordering takeout" feature, for example.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... When Covid-19 reporting becomes a first-person story; Washington Post editor on the White House's crippled response to pandemic; Fox's fingerprints all over Trump's pandemic response; Sharing stories from front-line health care workers; and more. Gregg Gonsalves, Susan Glasser, Nisha Mehta, Marty Baron and Eric Yuan join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens and the job market collapses, Washington Post opinion columnist Catherine Rampell talks about the "deficit in economic, business, quantitative fluency within the media" and identifies some tips to ensure journalists "are sufficiently informed to be able to push back when they're being spun" by political leaders. Rampell also dismisses the claims about a "trade-off between what we need to do to save lives, and what we need to do to salvage the economy... That's just not true."To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... Amazon's Jay Carney on helping people stay connected... The New Yorker's David Remnick on federal leadership failures... and the Fox News presidency takes a dangerous turn. Maggie Haberman, Esther Choo, S.E. Cupp, Jay Carney, Stephen King, Hasan Minhaj and David Remnick join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
"We are living through a united, national moment," Garrett Graff says, likening the pandemic to WWII and 9/11. Despite the "paucity of national inspirational leadership," Graff highlights how "much of the nation's response has been driven by individuals at the local level." Graff also tells Brian Stelter about his decision to compile an "oral history" about the coronavirus crisis. He says the project is vital because "we're all losing track of time... We're all stuck in a weird 'Groundhog Day' loop that is causing us to really lose sight of the momentousness of the changes in our lives."To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos on Hollywood's production halt; Julie Roginsky and Max Boot on Fox's U-turn; and much more. Jeffrey Goldberg, Sally Buzbee, Matt Murray, Dan Rather, Carl Bernstein, Julie Roginsky, Max Boot, Ted Sarandos and Randall Stephenson join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Brian Stelter, executive producer of "After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News," shares a preview of the film and speaks with director Andrew Rossi about the real-world consequences of disinformation. Stelter and Rossi dissect "several case studies from 2015 to 2018" in the film, from the Jade Helm conspiracy theory to "Pizzagate." They discuss their decision to focus on the "victims" and "perpetrators" of false news. Rossi explains, "You have people who are pushing the false stories, and then you have people who are the subject of them and are actually victims, and they are suffering a cost."To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... Brian Stelter's message about "social distancing;" Juliette Kayyem on covering an unprecedented "50-state disaster;" James Hamblin on what we're missing to fight the virus; Susan Glasser on misinformation coming from the most powerful; and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on the pandemic's future. Oliver Darcy, Dr. James Hamblin, Juliette Kayyem, Michele Matassa Flores, Audrey Cooper, Susan Glasser, Dr. Vivek Murthy and Andrew Rossi join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
New York Media EIC David Haskell joins Brian Stelter to discuss how media companies are reacting to the coronavirus pandemic, how reporters are working remotely, and more. Haskell also reflects on his one-year anniversary as editor, what it was like to succeed Adam Moss, and the state of publishing.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... How Bernie Sanders' critiques of the media differ from Trump's; one full year without a W.H. press secretary briefing; why the Trump campaign is suing CNN, the NYT, and WaPo. Elisabeth Rosenthal, Dr. Seema Yasmin, Kathleen Sebelius, TJ Ducklo, David Sirota, Errin Haines, Joe Lockhart and Sara Fischer join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
BuzzFeed News reporter Katherine Miller and CNN senior writer and analyst Harry Enten debrief about the past week of Democratic politics and how the stunning developments have been framed by the news media. Joe Biden's victories were due "in part because people really wanted clarity in the field," Miller says: "People have found the news cycles very chaotic and the primary overall pretty chaotic." Miller, Enten and Brian Stelter discuss Biden's "earned media tsunami;" the limited power of fast-moving primary polling; and a sudden "sense of loss" over what had to this point been a historically diverse pool of candidates.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Plus... The 'inside story' about Facebook's rise; interviews with officials from the Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg campaigns; and the difference between fact-checking Democratic candidates and Trump. Catherine Rampell, Dannagal Young, Daniel Dale, Aleksandra Kuzmanovic, Dr. Seema Yasmin, Bernie 2020 senior advisor Chuck Rocha, Bloomberg 2020 senior national spokesperson Sabrina Singh, and Steven Levy join Brian Stelter.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy