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In covering political violence and homicides, the media keeps missing one of its most important responsibilities. Today, Josh explains how an obsession with politics has been poisoning not only the coverage of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing, but also the killing of a young woman on light rail in North Carolina.

It boils down to a key question of whether we’re going to move forward as a society or not. To help you understand this, Josh looks at the attempted assassination of author Salman Rushdie, the assassination of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., and a problematic line journalists use when discussing violence and mental health.

Also, an American news network fired an analyst following Kirk’s death. In context, his remarks seem different from what made the rounds on social media. But the incident raises a larger question about how the news handles early reports of gunfire.

Plus the BBC runs cover for a student leader who celebrated Kirk’s assassination, stars preach hatred at the Emmys, and the leading study on political violence in America shows how antisemitism fuels it on both ends of the political spectrum.

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As the media “blows it” in coverage of the war between Israel and terrorists, another story is getting buried: the incomparably huger death toll in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Today, Josh takes you inside that reporting to show how the media can follow basic editorial standards when it wants to. You’ll also hear how journalists remind audiences of the war’s origins and describe Putin.

The media assails “propaganda” from certain countries, especially on Twitter, while simultaneously reporting propaganda as fact. Josh tells you about an international organization for journalists, beloved by the media, that recently organized a propaganda campaign of its own. Some big news agencies took part — and none called out the hypocrisy.

Also, Josh ties up a couple of loose ends from previous episodes, involving jury selection and a survey of Americans during wartime.

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When horrific school shootings and other mass shootings happen, the media swarms onto the scene. This leads to problems and controversies. One is the propensity to give perpetrators the attention they crave, which fuels further attacks. Today, Josh explains that while the media has made some improvements on this, it has done very little about another issue: the use of photos and videos, particularly of children, in the aftermath. 

The law does not offer the protections that many parents believe. Today you’ll hear someone who survived an elementary school shooting explain how the media reawakens trauma for decades to come. And the father of a young man killed in a mass shooting says what it takes to get news agencies to listen.

Then, Josh tells you about a big shift taking place among three of the nation’s biggest newspapers. They’re moving in opposite directions, signaling a change at the heart of U.S. media. One owned by Rupert Murdoch is standing up to Trump, while two traditionally liberal papers are pulling punches. In preparing for this episode, Josh discovered something about one of these papers that he’s never seen before.

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Listeners asked for it: a fact check of some claims by the New York Times’ Ezra Klein. Today, Josh explores how Klein misrepresents data, mischaracterizes large groups of people, and ignores truths that disprove his assertions. You’ll hear how Klein even invoked Nazi-era Germans in an act of “privilege” that maligned the vast majority of Israeli Jews.

Also, more on the battle between Ronan Farrow and Matt Lauer. You’ll hear what Farrow’s failures mean for The New Yorker, and why his defenders engage in a form of bigotry called “youngism.” Also, how journalists at some big news agencies “put their cards on the table” by openly assigning victimhood.

Plus, why the Pulitzers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And an important message to those who want to believe everything Klein says.

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A public battle between two former NBC employees serves as a window into the toxic mess of big media. Today, Josh pries that window open for you.

When Ronan Farrow’s book “Catch and Kill” came out, it contained explosive allegations against Matt Lauer, former host of Today (known as “The Today Show”). A woman was accusing Lauer of rape. While much of the media treated the book as gospel, a writer at a website was willing to take a critical look. Soon, working with Lauer, he helped uncover gaping holes in Farrow’s “reporting.” Finally, one person at a major newspaper wrote a story about just some of those failings.

This is a story of how victim narratives have supplanted a search for truth. It’s about a crucial rule of fact checking, particularly in cases like this. It’s about the media’s need to accept that even someone it wants to like can be wrong. And it’s about perhaps the biggest fact-checking failure of all in today’s media ecosystem: books that are supposed to be nonfiction.

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Liars are using the media to overwhelm people’s minds — and not just consciously. To understand how deep this problem runs, we need to learn how the news impacts the unconscious mind. Today, Josh speaks with a woman who has exceptional insight, and has coined the term “Brand Connectome.” You’ll learn how people manipulate our brains, and what we can do about it.

Along the way, you’ll hear about new data on violent crimes that fly in the face of Trump’s claims; a type of crime that has reached historic levels; a photographer who stages images; and an interviewer who does nothing when a lying terror supporter justifies atrocities. Plus, Josh answers a listener’s question about presidents and the national debt.

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The recent uproar over comedian Stephen Colbert left Americans with a false impression. Today, Josh explains what the cancellation of The Late Show and CBS’ payout to settle a Trump lawsuit really say about legacy media, the power of corporations, and the news and commentary Americans receive. Also, how the coverage ended up whitewashing the failures of CBS News.

Plus, a huge number of Americans now get news from comedians. Hear Patton Oswald explain why he hates the idea that his profession now has this role. And while few fact checkers take on comedians, someone did take on John Oliver, after an episode he did about trans people.

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A New York Times column took quotes out of context to construct one of the most incendiary accusations possible. Today, Josh digs into this “journalistic trickery.” He shows how the original context was ignored, creating a false impression.

This could happen to you, or anyone. In this case, an Ivy League professor was given a “holy grail” platform to accuse Israeli leaders of wanting to carry out a “genocide.” But the Times wasn’t done there. It went on to use a doctored photo to create the false impression that Israel is inflicting a famine on Gaza. Josh runs the numbers showing how the Times gives relatively little or not attention to the raging famines around the world. This isn’t journalism, he explains; it’s what propagandists do.

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Profound media failures and AI are making a global misinformation crisis even worse. But there’s a place working to hold onto proof of what’s real. It has 11 floors, takes up half a million square feet, and includes a huge underground section that keeps out oxygen, so robots do the work. Today, Josh takes you there. 

You’ll hear from a team working to document the truth about a crucial story — and a very difficult one to grapple with. They discuss ethical questions, and what it takes to also document false propaganda.

This place shows what could be built in any society that values truth. One of the women Josh interviews is a global leader in making that happen. 

You’ll also hear from civil rights leader Mamie Till. Plus, a surprise audio “conversation” that an AI tool presented Josh with — and what his kids said about it.

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Americans worry about the national debt. A majority say they’re “very” concerned about it. So it’s no surprise that the media has been talking about what the “One Big Beautiful Act” will do to the debt. But the reports conflict with each other. Today, Josh looks into what’s true, and probes the track records of places that make predictions. He also explains what the media should be making clear right now, including Trump’s track record and the votes of so-called “deficit hawks.”

Then, a guest joins Josh to explain how and why U.S. culture has shifted so dramatically. How did people become so radicalized that they celebrate terrorists and believe lies pushed by Iran? Jason Korman discusses how memetics spur culture change without people realizing it.

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A man seeking the highest office in a government says he would carry out an illegal arrest — something dictators are known for. In this case, the man making that threat is a Democrat. 

Today, Josh highlights this big story the mainstream media is ignoring. Zohran Mamdani, who won a New York City mayoral primary, is making the threat even as he goes after Trump for extrajudicial arrests. It shows not only hypocrisy, but a growing appetite for antidemocratic actions on both ends of the political spectrum. 

Mamdani described what he would do an act of “courage,” and drew a false comparison to same-sex marriage. To help you understand all this, Josh dispels myths about “international law” and discusses how in a democracy, the rules must apply to everyone no matter how people feel about them — in this case, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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When healthcare workers get false information from the news, people’s lives can be in danger. That has happened recently, as big media misreported a step the Trump administration took involving women who need emergency abortions to save their lives. Today, emergency physician Dara Kass joins Josh to explain.

Meanwhile, big news agencies have suddenly been paying attention to a source on Iran that they were ignoring before. Worse, they’ve been playing up a leaked preliminary report while ignoring reporting that the agency stands behind. Josh explains how this affects your safety. 

Plus, Josh welcomes people from numerous countries. And for Americans, some new patriotic music for July 4th!