On the Media

Recently, the House passed a bill that could ban TikTok from the US unless the app’s Chinese owners divest. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the bill will likely fail to live up to its promise. Plus, a pulse-check on the book-banning movement, and a look into the larger mission behind Moms for Liberty.

1. Julia Angwin [@JuliaAngwin], opinion writer for The New York Time and founder of the new outlet Proof News,on why this TikTok legislation won't do what lawmakers claim it will. Listen.

2.Adam Laats [@AdamLaats], professor of education and history at Binghamton University, on the long history leading to Moms For Liberty.Listen.

3. Jennifer Berkshire [@BisforBerkshire], lecturer at Yale’s Education Studies Department, on why Moms for Liberty election losses are not a reason to ignore the group's power.Listen.

Writer Calvin Trillin joined The New Yorker in 1963,and he continues to contribute today. Trillin’s trademark humility and humor show up in all of his writing, whether it’s a story about the invention of the buffalo chicken wing, or the civil rights movement, or an old ditty about our political woes. Brookerecently sat down with him to discuss his career and his latest book, The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press.

Writer Calvin Trillin joined The New Yorker in 1963,and he continues to contribute today. Trillin’s trademark humility and humor show up in all of his writing, whether it’s a story about the invention of the buffalo chicken wing, or the civil rights movement, or an old ditty about our political woes. Brookerecently sat down with him to discuss his career and his latest book, The Lede: Dispatches from a Life in the Press.

Donald Trump recently held a meeting with Elon Musk, the owner of the site formerly known as Twitter. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the significance of the social media platform has changed as fewer people tune into traditional right-wing media. Plus, a deep dive on terms like “colonialism” and “decolonization,” and what they mean in the context of Israel-Palestine.

1. Philip Bump [@pbump], columnist for the Washington Post, on what Donald Trump might want from an allegiance with Elon Musk.Listen.

2. Iyad el-Baghdadi [@iyad_elbaghdadi], human rights activist, writer, and co-author of “The Middle East Crisis Factory,” on why the words we use to describe the war in Gaza should be clear and precise.Listen.

3.Valerie Hopkins [@VALERIEinNYT], an international correspondent at the New York Times covering Russia, on the growing intensity of Putin's crackdown on dissent in Russia, and Mstyslav Chernov [@mstyslavchernov], on his now Oscar-nominated documentarydepicting the early days of Russia's siege on Ukraine. Listen.

Donald Trump recently held a meeting with Elon Musk, the owner of the site formerly known as Twitter. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the significance of the social media platform has changed as fewer people tune into traditional right-wing media. Plus, a deep dive on terms like “colonialism” and “decolonization,” and what they mean in the context of Israel-Palestine.

1. Philip Bump [@pbump], columnist for the Washington Post, on what Donald Trump might want from an allegiance with Elon Musk.Listen.

2. Iyad el-Baghdadi [@iyad_elbaghdadi], human rights activist, writer, and co-author of “The Middle East Crisis Factory,” on why the words we use to describe the war in Gaza should be clear and precise.Listen.

3.Valerie Hopkins [@VALERIEinNYT], an international correspondent at the New York Times covering Russia, on the growing intensity of Putin's crackdown on dissent in Russia, and Mstyslav Chernov [@mstyslavchernov], on his now Oscar-nominated documentarydepicting the early days of Russia's siege on Ukraine. Listen.

Few clichés are as well-worn, andgrounded in reality, as the dread many Americans feel towards doing their taxes and the loathing they have for the IRS. But as much as the process is despised, relatively little is known abouthowitcould be improved.ReporterJessica Husemansaid that's largely becausetax prep companies keep it that way. Brookespoke to Huseman in 2017about what an improved system might look like andhow tax prep companiesworkto thwartany such changes.

Few clichés are as well-worn, andgrounded in reality, as the dread many Americans feel towards doing their taxes and the loathing they have for the IRS. But as much as the process is despised, relatively little is known abouthowitcould be improved.ReporterJessica Husemansaid that's largely becausetax prep companies keep it that way. Brookespoke to Huseman in 2017about what an improved system might look like andhow tax prep companiesworkto thwartany such changes.

A Palestinian-American college student was shot in Vermont last fall. On this week’s On the Media, he reflects on the explosive media attention he’s received. Plus, what the data says about allegations of biased media coverage of Israel and Palestine, and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan explains his approach to covering the war.

1. Suzanne Gaber [@SuzanneGaber], producerat Notes from America, speakswithHisham Awartani, a Palestinian-American college student,about the explosive media attention he received after he was shot in Vermont last fall. Listen.

2.William Youmans [@wyoumans],professor of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, and Mona Chalabi [@MonaChalabi], data journalist and illustrator,on the allegations of biased media coverage about Israel and Palestine and what data reveals. Listen.

3. Mehdi Hasan [@mehdirhasan], former MSNBC host andCEO of the new media company Zeteo, on his approach to covering Gaza, and his goal of making his audience care about news beyond the borders of the US. Listen.

A Palestinian-American college student was shot in Vermont last fall. On this week’s On the Media, he reflects on the explosive media attention he’s received. Plus, what the data says about allegations of biased media coverage of Israel and Palestine, and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan explains his approach to covering the war.

1. Suzanne Gaber [@SuzanneGaber], producerat Notes from America, speakswithHisham Awartani, a Palestinian-American college student,about the explosive media attention he received after he was shot in Vermont last fall. Listen.

2.William Youmans [@wyoumans],professor of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, and Mona Chalabi [@MonaChalabi], data journalist and illustrator,on the allegations of biased media coverage about Israel and Palestine and what data reveals. Listen.

3. Mehdi Hasan [@mehdirhasan], former MSNBC host andCEO of the new media company Zeteo, on his approach to covering Gaza, and his goal of making his audience care about news beyond the borders of the US. Listen.

In February,Donald Trumppraised Russia for being a "war machine" and said thatRussia should “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that do not contributeenoughto the military alliance.Far-right figures like Nick Fuentes, whoreferred to Vladimir Putin as "my Czar,"have also shown support for the Russian president and his war on Ukraine. And while more mainstream Republican pundits like Tucker Carlson have walked back past praise for Putin, the American far-right's obsession with Russia goes back almost two decades.

Brooke sat down withCasey Michel, writer and investigative journalist, todiscuss whywhite nationalists like David Duke,Richard Spencer, and MatthewHeimbach have long since looked to Putin's Russia as inspiration for their far-right movementsin this country, and why Putin's attempts to create a nationalist Christian ethnostate serve as their model.

This segment originally aired on our March 4th, 2022 program,TheFog of War.