On the Media

Conservative Bloggers Vindicated, Advice for Leakers, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Some vindication for conservative bloggers in the IRS scandal, advice for sources after the AP call-record seizure, the Bloomberg Terminal scandal, and what the people thought the newspaper industry would look like in the future.

Who’s gonna pay for this stuff?

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

This week, a special hour on the incredible volume of media available to consumers, and the incredible difficulty of making money for creators.

Jason Collins Comes Out, Patenting Genes And More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A look at the media fallout around NBA center Jason Collins' announcement that he is gay, how one company is defending its patent of two genes linked to breast cancer, and how filing a Freedom of Information Act request just got a lot more complicated.

Surveillance After The Marathon Bombing, The Kill Team and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Bob looks at the risks and promise of surveillance after the Boston marathon bombing, a new documentary looks at war crimes and whistleblowing in the theater of war and an Onion-like satire site tries to bring military humor to the civilian masses.

Coverage Of The Boston Bombing, Undercover Reporting, and MORE

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Brooke examines the twists and turns of the marathon bombing coverage, listeners tell OTM what they want to hear from the media when there's no new information during a crisis, and what it's like to tweet the news cycle in the wee small hours of the morning.

Gun Anecdotes, What To Know about the Avian Flu, and Grindr.

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Since the Sandy Hook shootings, gun violence anecdotes have been the centerpiece of much of the reporting about guns. OTM asks if there's a better way. Also, who to listen to about the new avian flu and everything you need to know about Grindr.

The Future Of Egyptian Media, the Bitcoin Bubble, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

After the arrest (and release) of Bassem Youssef, OTM looks back on a trip on a 2011 trip to Egypt and forward to the future of independent Egyptian media. Also: the song remains the same in North Korea coverage and innovative TV ads from Old Milwaukee.

Culture and the Courts, The Legacy of Rand Paul's Filibuster, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

How Popular Culture Influences SCOTUS Decisions, How Rand Paul's Drone Filibuster May Have Changed Minds, and Brooke talks with the great Walt "Clyde" Frazier about sports and the media.

Rape coverage after Steubenville, the false promise of the personal finance industry and more.

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

How the media is covering yet another high school rape case after Steubenville, how personal finance luminaries lead the public astray, and an infamous hacker threatens to tarnish the public image of all hackers.

10 Years After The Iraq War and Big Threat to Whistleblowers

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

This week On the Media examines the ‘aiding the enemy’ charge the government has brought against Bradley Manning, the man who gave hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks. Also, 10 years after the Iraq War began Brooke finds out what’s happened to three Iraqi journalists profiled on the show in 2006.

The Past, Present, and Future of Ownership

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

A special hour on our changing understanding of ownership and how it is affected by the law. An author and professor who encourages creative writing through plagiarism, 3D printing, fan fiction & fair use, and the strange tale of who owns "The Happy Birthday Song"

Frustration in the White House Press Corps and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Why White House reporters are fed up, getting the president's attention through online petitions, and a conversation with The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi.

The Latest Federal Budget Crisis, Predicting the Oscars, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Why federal budget crises seem to happen every month, covering the Vatican from a world away, and using election prediction models to forecast the winners of the 85th Academy Awards.

Truman Capote's Lies, Cybersecurity and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

How Truman Capote mixed fact and fiction in In Cold Blood, the true threat of cyberwar, and software that fact-checks political speeches in real time.

The First Viral Video, New Drone Disclosures, and Reclaiming the Word Jihad.

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

New disclosures begin to put the drone program into focus, a social-media campaign to reclaim the word jihad from extremists, and the story of the very first viral video.

Hacking the New York Times, Tweeting Revolutions, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

How The New York Times fell victim to Chinese hackers, a survey of our digital file sharing habits, and a conversation with NPR senior strategist Andy Carvin on tweeting revolutions.

The Church of Scientology, Facebook Goes Searching, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

On this week’s On the Media, Lawrence Wright on his in-depth investigation into the Church of Scientology, The Autism Channel, and Facebook's new search feature.

Violent Video Games, Lying Athletes, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The history of studies on video games and aggression, a reporter's coverage of every underage gun death in New York City, Lance Armstrong, Manti Te'o, and remembering Aaron Swartz.

Mapping Gun Owners, International Journalists Fight Censorship, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The ATF's desire for a central database of gun transactions, journalists fight for the right to report on India's rape trial, an interview with 56 Up director Michael Apted, and Chinese journalists strike after the government censored an Op-Ed.

The Privacy Show

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

A special hour on privacy - license plate readers, national security letters, surveilling yourself so the government doesn't have to, and OTM producer Sarah Abdurrahman on just how much we misunderstand our privacy online.

The Television Show!

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

An update to On the Media's look at the world of television, originally aired in May, including how the industry is coping with changing consumer habits, the future of the communal viewing experience, and reality TV's reality problem.

The Surprising History of Gun Control, School Shooting Myths, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The surprising history of the gun control narrative, the media myths of past school shootings, and the problem when the media speculate on the mental health of shooters.

Depictions of Torture in "Zero Dark Thirty," John McAfee's Media Manipulations, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Criticism over "Zero Dark Thirty"'s portrayal of torture, John McAfee's ability to exploit the press' fascination with him, and the media errors of the past year.

Photographing Tragedy, the Risk of Killer Robots, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The ethics of photographing human tragedy, studying the risk of a robot uprising, and one man's attempt to be the trendiest guy in New York.

A Stolen Face, The Leveson Report, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A tragic case of mistaken identity, the conclusion of the Leveson Inquiry, and whistleblowers rejoice!

Publishing: Adapt or Die

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

An update of On the Media's annual look at the publishing industry that originally aired in April, including fears of Amazon becoming a monopoly and the little publishing house standing up to it, a Pulitzer snub for fiction, and the problem of knock-off books.

Seduced by Petraeus, Israel's Twitter Offensive, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

How journalists were seduced by Petraeus, ten years of sunshine laws in Mexico, and the Israel Defense Forces blogging their assault on Gaza in real time.

Assessing Obama's First Term, Covering China's 'Election,' and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The absurd exercise of covering China's election, redefining what it means to be 'online,' and an OTM report card on Obama's first four years.

Misinformation Around Sandy, Calling the Election, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Separating fact from fiction during Sandy, calling the presidential election in the final days of the campaign, and why Clark Kent is leaving The Daily Planet.

The Facebook Show

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

An Austrian man who got Facebook to give him everything they had on him, a writer whose rapist friended her on Facebook, the value of a "Like."

The Taliban's Media Problem, Ending Newspaper Political Endorsements, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Taliban's new war on journalists, ending political endorsements in newspapers, and the potential for the Red Bull Stratos jump to be more than a marketing stunt.

All About Elections

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

This week On the Media focuses on elections, including why voters make the decisions they do, and how campaigns try to influence them.

Anatomy of a Publicity Stunt, The Problem with 'Muslim Rage', and more

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Breaking down David Blaine's latest publicity stunt, Nate Silver on predictions, and how the media got the "Muslim Rage" story all wrong.

Russia's Broadening Definition of Treason, Manipulating Science Journalists, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Russia tries to broaden its definition of high treason, one journalist's quest to get the media to stop referring to immigrants as "illegal," and the upcoming presidential debates.

Just The Facts, Please

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

This week's show is dedicated to the search for truth. Or, in journalism terms, fact-checking.

Does NPR Have a Liberal Bias?

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

This week, a full hour of highlights from our exploration of liberal bias and public media, which we conducted in March of 2011. Brooke talks to NPR listeners, pollsters, media watchers, and This American Life's Ira Glass in search of an answer to the question: does NPR have a liberal bias?

Covering Conventions, the Legacy of Sun Myung Moon, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Covering the totally predictable conventions, why political journalists are tired of this campaign season, and a service that gauges the hostility of your emails.

Fact-Checkers in the Spotlight, Why Nigerian Prince Scams Work, And More.

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Fact-checkers, and facts, become the targets of criticism, the reason why scammers tell you they're from Nigeria, and Florida's weirdness explained.

No More Tailoring Political Messages, Communicating the Libyan Revolution, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The end of politicians tailoring their messages based on audience, license plate tracking nationwide, and following up with the people communicating the Libyan revolution one year later.

Ayn Rand's Political Influence, Presidential Political Ad Season, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Talking about Ayn Rand's influence on Paul Ryan and the political landscape at large, half-truths and outright lies in this season's political advertising, remembering Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown, and a website that tracks all the homicides in Washington D.C.

Losing Everything to Hackers, the Pussy Riot Trial and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

How one journalist lost his digital life to hackers, how worried you should be about Cyberwar, and the fascinating trial of punk band Pussy Riot in Russia.

NBC's Olympics Woes, Posthumous Outing, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Criticism for how NBC is broadcasting the Olympics, the difference between venture capital and private equity, and revealing a public person's sexual orientation after death.

Olympic Branding Police, Confessions of a Media Manipulator, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Syrian rebels appealing to donors through videos online, extreme measures to protect Olympic sponsorships, and a self proclaimed media manipulator tells all.

Richard Nixon: Transparency Champion, Endangered Sounds, and more

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The death of the Disclose Act in the Senate, journalists getting quote approval from presidential campaigns before publication, an app that identifies the organizations behind political ads using sound alone, and an online museum that preserves endangered sounds.

Romney's Bain Departure Date, E-books That Read You, And More...

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400

A website that lets you argue with a complete stranger about politics over the phone, how online books sellers can monitor you reading a book WHILE you read it, and Bob examines his practice of binge-watching TV shows.

CNN's Big Mistake, Buzzfeed's Big Success and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Bob looks at why some news organizations find it more important to be first than to be right, the benefits and risks of storing information in the 'cloud,' and the secret to Buzzfeed's success. Also, the history of the TV pitchman.

The Data Show

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Data. We’re awash in it, we make it, we save it, computers crunch it at an unprecedented rate. Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad talks with Brooke about how data inform us and can lead us astray.

Mexican Media: Es Muy Complicado

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

This week, Brooke is joined by WNYC reporter Marianne McCune as OTM reports from Mexico! This hour features stories on the relationship between media and politics—and the youth-led movement that's fed up with it; the difficulties for journalists reporting in areas run by the drug cartels; and the image problem Mexico faces on the international stage. As we heard time and again while in Mexico: when it comes to the Mexican media, "it's very complicated."

Public Relations for Dictators, Photographing Death, and More

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The PR firms that work for dictators, a reporter decides whether to put the camera down, and a Lexicon Valley installment about an algorithm that detects anachronisms in Mad Men and Downton Abbey.

Drone 'Secrets,' The Right To Petition, and Ray Bradbury

WNYC, New York Public Radio — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The importance of your right to petition your leaders in person, the 'secret' classified drone strike program and Ray Bradbury passes away.