Listening to the rebroadcast of a past year’s segment about hurricane coverage - I thought I was media-savvy and weather-savvy but not so, this episode is a public service.
This show has taken a strong stand that Wikileaks is not journalism. IMHO that makes On the Media a propaganda outlet and destroys all trust I had in them
And finds self innocent!
Was looking for thorough breakdown of media spin but just more circling of wagons... reinforcing the same narratives.
This is the sort of podcast that can survive under the Trump admin but will evaporate when he leaves office.
This is my weekly dose of progressive guiltmongering, my counterpoint to Ben Shapiro. I spent decades in metro journalism so I like to keep up with media issues. As media analysis goes Gladstone & Garfield don’t make an effort to be reasoned or balanced so it’s entirely too predictable to be very interesting. I keep unsubscribing and coming back hoping for a little more political nuance and texture, but I’m always disappointed. Get out of your bubbles, Bob and Brooke.
On the Media is brilliantly produced, well researched and delivered by tough as nails journalists who work diligently to make sure that all Americans (as well as the rest of the world) have access to “informed reporting”.
This show is world class journalism that works very hard, and succeeds, in providing all sides of issues. They will call themselves out when a mistake is made, and the passion to make sure information is accurate and current is evident in every show.
Show used to be a good review of the issues with today's media but has devolved into another left narrative since Trump's election. Don't let your hatred of Trump turn you into exactly what he says the media is. Be honest, report the media's mistakes even when it's to the benefit of Trump, and have some respect for actual journalism. Get the show back to it's roots.
If the show was hosted solely by Brooke it would be one of the best out there. She is a national treasure, who is adept at doing interviews and producing original haunting material like 'Busted.' BUT there is Bob, who shrilly trots out the democratic party line and heaps scorn on the left, thinking it's wit. Bob is perpetually stuck in 2016, the type of 'journalist' who would support Hillary's idea of murdering Assange by drone and will never let go of the Mueller Report. Glorious words when the show begins with Brooke saying Bob is away.
Despite Julian Assange clearly acting as a publisher of news, having revealed to the world the most important stories of shady, corrupt, and downright criminal government abuses of power, and never having been contradicted on any factual claims, OTM defends state power abuses of Assange and Chelsea Manning. OTM has defended his capture by British authorities and has maligned his work and life as a state-actor or nefarious hacker, despite the fact that every false narrative about Assange and the Trump-Russia collusion or methods the state claims the Podesta leaker and Manning acquired their respective documents has their origins in PR firm press releases or debunked stories from the WP and NYT or other known outlets for pentagon stovepiping propaganda and liars about every war. Gleefully cheering the death of real journalism...this might as well be state-media, just another left-sounding propaganda faucet that kowtows to US protofascism. Don't fall for those soft and reasonable-sounding public radio voices, it's an act, and I bought it for too long myself.
I appreciate their perspective on the news of the day. It's good to consider things through the lense of media and how the media can help with or contribute to societies problems.
Love your ability not to shy away from the tough subjects. This is what we need, especially in the current climate. We need the media name things for what they are. This is important journalism. Thank you.
If you listen to this one, you have to listen to Ben Shapiro or some other super-conservative to get balance. I don’t understand how they can’t see how biased they are. Zero stars.
The End of Magical Thinking episode was so beautiful. I adore your reverent critiques of America. This episode has inspired me during a week when I’d given up on inspiration.
I’ve been listening for years, haven’t missed a single podcast. Not just the Friday full podcast but the midweek extras. Its supposed to be “on the media”. How in the world do you keep pushing the ball on the Russia story without addressing the media’s complicity in the bogus narrative? Straight to a new narrative about how mueller and Barr are to blame for finding no conspiracy based on an conspiracy theory. In what world do you immediately continue questioning our institutions? You people should be ashamed of yourselves. You claim the president is diminishing our institutions. What do you think your relentless conspiracy theories and constant badgering of the president has done? Now you’re going after the attorney general. For several years, you have been destroying the United States reputation by calling the president a Russian asset without proof. Leave it alone, you’ve done enough damage. Start reporting, this is nonsense.
I am extremely disappointed: I’m a long time listener/contributor to this show and NPR. And so have listened to the breathless, self righteous coverage of DJT and Mueller and the anticipated downfall of the President (which would be good for everyone imo)
That OTM does not immediately have at least a quick pod addressing the egregious nature of the left leaning media’s obsession contradicts the very mission of the show. To not address this undercuts the legitimacy of the show itself.
Just like the Miller/NYT’s WMD debacle, so now The Media needs to have some sort of self-aware self-critique. Right in the sweet spot of the the mission statement of the show.
Bob, time to eat just a little crow...
...
The OTM crew has been a weekly part of my life since 2005 after I saw Bob on Douglas Rushkoff's "The Persuaders." Especially in these current times, how can you possibly understand the true multi-media environment without the guidance and insight of Brooke and Bob?
Used to love listening to Brooke’s interviews, but since Trump was elected, she really is asking different questions that show she is cowered by the thought that she might offend his base’s sensibilities.
Bob and Brooke are the voices in my head after many hours of OTM over the years. Some of the best analysis of the media available. Truely thought provoking and thorough.
My eyes light up when I see On The Media in my podcast feed. Current affairs are covered from unexpected angles and with rare insight...and Brook's editing turns each episode into a work of art. Thank you Brook and Bob.
I’ve been listening to On the Media for as long as I can remember, and it never fails to illuminate current events and media coverage thereof in ways that are smart, useful, and completely different than what I hear anywhere else. They are unflinching in examining the role of the media in news/current events, and going behind the story to get at the premise, presumptions, and context that sets every story. The best hour on air!
Are you the type of person who prides themselves on being the most informed of all your friends? Do you listen to On the Media? If not, you are likely the most informed of all your misinformed friends.
Remedy this immediately and include On the Media into your routine with showering and breathing.
Do you like sanctimonious hosts who take heavy breaths to show how frustrated they are? How about ones that use phrases no one actually uses in real life (like "he who pays the piper picks the tune")? Then this is for you! It's fine if you work in the media and want to know what people are saying about our industry, but otherwise definitely skip this. Also the music is... ugh.
This is, in my opinion, the most relevant and important conversation that is happening right now. I listen to this and shout out loud and talk to myself and always come away with a better understanding of the world around me.
I love this show. I think it some of the highest quality journalism within a podcast that I listen to. However, because it’s a podcast, and because it involves interviews, the richness is in the spontaneity you hear in the voices. If within an interview I can hear that someone is reading their responses, it’s a real let down.
Keep up the good work, On the Media. But I hope you go for a little more authenticity.
Highly recommend. They dig into topics and challenge the media’s usual tropes. A little disappointed they decided to pull back on Trump coverage but I understand them not wanting to get into the Trump wack-a-mole coverage most media do.
There are a couple of things Donald Trump gets right, mostly despite his instincts, and fake news is one of them. I’m angered by much of what is sold to us as “legitimate” news broadcasting because it has contributed in very significant ways to our public discourse and to the government we have created these last several decades. FOXNews? Sure, but don’t discount CNN, MSNBC or the New York Times (Iraq cheerleading anyone?) and many other so-called “real” news outlets. I’m genuinely surprised at the integrity I find in the On the Media show and I do not mean this disrespectfully. I would not listen if I thought it wasn’t reliable, honest and willing to look past accepted narratives for truth. That is what is missing in much of what is available. Accepted narratives must be analyzed before any news outlet can hope to be seen as legitimate in my view. It is the core problem with most of what I see. Thank you for making that a central theme here. - Neal Fitzgerald, Los Osos CA
I used to love On the Media, but in the past year or so it has simply turned into the anti-Trump podcast. During the election OTM went so far as to say that Trump was so bad a candidate that journalists should not give him equal time with Clinton. Coverage should be unfair.
Since the election virtually every story continues to attack the President and undermine his administration. A recent one basically told people how they can leak classified information without getting caught.
A recent episode was simply an attack on the Supreme Court nominee. It had nothing to do with media coverage, but a commentary against him. Sadly, I have officially deleted On the Media from my podcasts.
I can’t live without this pod esp in these times. This pod sets the record straight and reminds us where the bar should be bc many - voters as well as those holding the highest offices - have forgotten or more likely just steamrolled over standards of truth, fairness, decency and justice. Thank you.
On the Media helps is a counterbalance to disinformation age in which we live. It targets are often the originators of lies, hyperbole, spin, half-truths, and convenient memory lapses and their enablers. It takes on those in the media who will not say truth to power or engage in reasoned debate.
It is sometime funny, but it is never just for fun.
None of these so called journalist did any real reporting on Obama. But now with Trump they are all experts on America!
Pathetic. Just admit y’all let Obamacare yea away with anything/everything!
IRS
Clinton’s runway meeting
On and on and on.
And we will admit Trump is a fool. At least he is honest about his intentions.
Your shiny story should have been about Obama.
You know this!!!!!!!!!!
Used to love this podcast and would listen to it all the time, great production value, updates regularly. Recently though it’s become more and more of an opiate: slow music, intellectual voices droning on, and its developed an enemy: people who care.
Finally had to unsubscribe after an episode on the Overton Window where their antagonist was described as the media with “their hair on fire.” It’s absolutely insane to think that outrageous things couldn’t and shouldn’t be called out.
Until the hosts can realize that people that care about politics aren’t the problem, it’s off my list.
This program gives me hope in the midst of the current crisis of unreason. Each episode is thoughtful, fact-based, and delivered in a civilized tone. No snark, no banter, no talking over one another. Just informed people digging deep into a topic. Refreshing!
