On the Media
WNYC Studios
On the Media is a weekly show that uses the media as a lens to understand our world. On the Media listeners say the show is an essential companion, helping them survive the firehose of media coming at them 24/7. Hosted by Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger, the show does not do ‘hot takes’, instead offering listeners context, historical parallels, media analysis and often a much appreciated deep exhale. On the Media hosts have an eye on the nuances and details regularly missed by other outlets which helps listeners understand where they should be paying attention (and what they can afford to ignore). Our media diets have untruths woven in, and inconvenient truths left out. These are the bits explored every week at On the Media.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 27, 2026 • 50min
The Pentagon Kicks the Press Out … Again
Laura Poitras, investigative filmmaker (Citizenfour) who made Cover-Up about Seymour Hersh. Cam Higby, Pentagon correspondent and social creator who accepted new access rules. They discuss shrinking press access at the Pentagon and who now staffs its briefings. Conversations cover the risks to investigative tradecraft and how new rules reshape what can be reported.
24 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 25min
Trans People are Facing a 'Dual State' in Trump's America
Alejandra Caraballo, a civil rights attorney and Harvard Law clinical instructor who analyzes LGBTQ+ and digital civil liberties, discusses the surge of laws and legal tactics targeting trans people. She explains the 'dual state' framework, describes practical harms like ID loss and privacy violations, and traces how policy and rhetoric aim to exclude trans people from public life.
7 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 50min
Trump Demands Patriotic Coverage of the War in Iran. Or Else….
Erik Slavin, Editor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes, defends independent military reporting. Minnah Arshad, journalist, analyzes early New York Times coverage and casualty representation. Mahsa Alimardani, researcher on AI disinformation, maps how fake images and verification battles are shaping the Iran conflict. They discuss media framing, casualty undercounting, and AI-fueled visual misinformation.
Mar 18, 2026 • 21min
A Win For Mr. Nobody!
Pasha Talankin, a high school teacher and co-creator/star of the documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin, filmed state-directed lessons in his Russian school. He talks about organizing student filmmaking, government curriculum scripts and monitoring, symbolic classroom acts of dissent, encounters with Wagner visitors, and the risks that led him to leave his hometown.
29 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 50min
Hegseth’s Pentagon Axed a Program Meant to Save Civilian Lives
Wes J. Bryant, retired Air Force Master Sergeant and former Pentagon policy advisor who built a civilian harm mitigation initiative. David Gilbert, WIRED reporter on disinformation and online extremism. They talk about the Pentagon canceling a program meant to protect civilians and the consequences for targeting and accountability. They also explore how various right-wing corners are processing the Epstein files and conspiratorial reinterpretations.
16 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 14min
A Good Sign For the VOA?
Nicole Hemmer, a political historian at Vanderbilt who studies U.S. political media and presidential history, traces Voice of America’s origins in WWII and its use of news and culture to project American values. She discusses VOA’s commitment to truthful reporting, its Cold War and post–Cold War roles, debates over cultural imperialism and bias, and recent political moves to reshape or dismantle the service.
22 snips
Mar 7, 2026 • 51min
The AI-Powered War Machines Are Here
Siva Vaidhyanathan, media studies professor who analyzes tech and democracy. Alan Rozenshtein, law professor who focuses on national security law. Zack Beauchamp, Vox correspondent studying democratic resilience. They discuss U.S. military use of AI for targeting, legal fights over defense access to AI firms, AI-tested battlefields like Ukraine and Gaza, and global lessons for defending democracy.
14 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 19min
A New Doc Questions The Legacy of "To Catch A Predator"
David Osit, documentary filmmaker who directed Predators, revisits To Catch a Predator’s sting-house format and its cultural pull. He explores raw versus edited footage, the tragic fallout from stings, and modern copycats repackaging humiliation for clicks. The conversation probes ethics, sympathy, and how true crime blurs justice and entertainment.
47 snips
Feb 28, 2026 • 51min
The Ellisons Prepare to Expand Their Media Empire
Craig Renaud, filmmaker who made an Oscar‑nominated film about his brother Brent, reflects on long‑form war reporting and personal loss. Jodi Ginsberg, head of the Committee to Protect Journalists, discusses 2025 as the deadliest year for press members and patterns of targeted killings. Victor Pickard, media policy professor, explains media capture, consolidation, and why reform matters for democracy.
40 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 21min
The Century-Long Capture of U.S. Media
Victor Pickard, University of Pennsylvania media policy professor and author, explores a century of media capture. He traces newspapers' turn to ad revenue, broadcast consolidation and failed regulation. He criticizes billionaire ownership, shows how public media was underfunded, and argues for treating media as a public good to counter oligarchic and authoritarian pressures.
