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Shorenstein Center Media and Politics Podcast

The Shorenstein Center Media and Politics Podcast features insight and expertise from leading voices at the intersection of media, politics and public policy. Prominent journalists, editors and academics address topics such as the media industry, campaigns and politics, foreign policy, race and gender, and technology.
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Shorenstein Center Media and Politics Podcast
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Now displaying: 2016
Nov 29, 2016

A panel discussion about the 2016 election and news coverage featuring: Bob Schieffer, Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow, political contributor to CBS News, and former moderator of “Face the Nation”; Nancy Kaffer, columnist for Detroit Free Press and winner of the 2016 David Nyhan Prize for Political Journalism; Derrick Z. Jackson, Joan Shorenstein Fellow and Boston Globe essayist; and Michael Tomasky, special correspondent for The Daily Beast. Moderated by Nicco Mele, director, Shorenstein Center, and recorded on November 16, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Nov 16, 2016

The 2016 Theodore H. White Lecture on Press and Politics was delivered by Larry Wilmore, comedian, producer and writer, and former host of Comedy Central's "The Nightly Show". He discussed the aftermath of the 2016 election, the role of comedy in politics and much more in a hilarious self-interview recorded at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at Harvard Kennedy School on November 15, 2016. 

Nov 2, 2016

Sissela Bok, writer, philosopher, and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, provided a nuanced view on how lies and secrets in politics have impacted public trust and the 2016 election. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on November 1, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Oct 26, 2016

Tim Wu, author of The Master Switch and professor at Columbia Law School, discussed his new book, The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads, during a conversation at the Shorenstein Center with Erie Meyer, Joan Shorenstein Fellow. Wu, whose past work also includes the FTC, Google, and Free Press, discussed the historical origins of the attention economy, how people are fighting back against the encroachment of advertising, and considerations for media and technology companies. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on October 25, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Oct 21, 2016

Jeffrey Rosen, President & CEO of the National Constitution Center, Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law School, and a Contributing Editor of The Atlantic, delivered the ninth annual Salant Lecture on Freedom of the Press at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on October 13, 2016. Rosen argues that Twitter, Facebook, and Google are facing increased pressure to moderate content in a way that is inconsistent with First Amendment protections—in the name of promoting civility rather than democracy. He discusses the controversy around Facebook’s removal of a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of a naked child from the Vietnam War, problems regarding transparency in content moderation, the EU’s right to be forgotten ruling, and the challenges of online mobs and hate speech, among other topics.

Oct 19, 2016

Peter D. Hart, chairman of Hart Research Associates, a public opinion research firm that provides polls for NBC News and The Wall Street Journal, discussed the driving forces behind the 2016 presidential election, and the influence of voter demographics and public opinion on the race. Hart also discussed down-ballot races, polling, and what to expect after Election Day, among other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on October 19, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Oct 19, 2016

Amy Walter, national editor of The Cook Political Report, discussed possible outcomes of the 2016 presidential and down-ballot races, and what may lie ahead after Election Day. Walter, who appears on NBC’s "Meet the Press" and "PBS NewsHour," also discussed the role of voter turnout, Senate races in Missouri and North Carolina, her approach to political analysis, and what to expect during the lame-duck session of Congress, among many other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on October 18, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School.

Oct 12, 2016

Joy-Ann Reid, host of MSNBC’s "AM Joy" discussed the role of race within the Republican and Democratic parties, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the need for the U.S. to reckon with its history, in a discussion with Shorenstein Center Director Nicco Mele. Reid, who is the author of the 2015 book, Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons, and the Racial Divide, and former managing editor of theGrio.com, also discussed why demographics favor a Clinton win and what to expect from a Clinton presidency, the generational divide among African Americans, and conflicts within both parties, among many other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on October 11, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School.

 

 

Oct 5, 2016

Zeynep Tufekci, a New York Times opinion writer who focuses on the social impact of technology, discussed the advantages and shortcomings of the use of technology in protest movements. Tufekci, who is also an associate professor in the School of Information and Library Science at UNC, and a faculty associate at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, has studied protests and social movements around the world to observe their culture, decision-making processes, and the role of the internet and social media. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded October 4, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Oct 5, 2016

Cathy O’Neil, data scientist and author of the new book Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, discussed how some algorithms can have an invisible, but important and destructive impact on people’s lives. Decisions about employment, criminal sentencing, and many other areas are now influenced by algorithms and big data. This is a serious problem, argues O’Neil, as there is little transparency about how these systems are constructed or used. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded October 4, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Sep 28, 2016

Patrick Ruffini, co-founder and partner of Echelon Insights, a political research and analytics firm, discussed the September 26 presidential debate and the challenges facing the Republican Party in a conversation with Shorenstein Center director Nicco Mele. Ruffini, who was a digital strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign and the RNC in 2006, also discussed polling, the resiliency of the Republican Party in other races, voter expectations of Donald Trump, the effect of grassroots movements on political parties, and many other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on September 27, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Sep 21, 2016

A conversation on the state of the 2016 presidential campaign and its coverage in the media, with Bob Schieffer, former CBS News anchor and host of “Face the Nation,” and current Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow; and Ann Compton, former ABC News White House correspondent and current fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics. They discuss the upcoming presidential debates, the role of social media in the 2016 election, and share stories from the campaign trail. Moderated by Nicco Mele, director of the Shorenstein Center. Recorded on September 20, 2016, in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Sep 15, 2016

Molly Ball, political writer for The Atlantic, discussed the 2016 presidential race, the role of the media, and the prospects for both parties in a conversation with Shorenstein Center director Nicco Mele. She also discusses her new article about political consulting and her journalism career. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on September 13, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Aug 30, 2016

Johanna Dunaway, Joan Shorenstein Fellow (spring 2016) and associate professor of communication at Texas A&M University, examines how mobile technology – despite expanding internet access – is also contributing to a digital divide in news consumption. You can read Johanna Dunaway's full research paper on the topic by visiting shorensteincenter.org and clicking on 'Research'. 

Jul 20, 2016

Joanna Jolly, Joan Shorenstein Fellow (spring 2016) and BBC South Asia editor, introduces her new research paper examining the increased coverage of rape in India’s English-language newspapers following the infamous 2012 gang rape in Delhi, and whether this coverage led to policy changes.

* Listeners are advised this podcast contains discussion of sexual assault. 

Jul 5, 2016

Paul Wood, Fall 2015 Joan Shorenstein Fellow and BBC world affairs correspondent, discusses his new research paper, "The Pen and the Sword: Reporting ISIS". The paper, which can be read in full at shorensteincenter.org, tells the harrowing story of a journalist held hostage by ISIS, and examines the ethical dilemmas that arise when reporting on terrorist organizations. 

Jun 9, 2016

Dan Kennedy, Joan Shorenstein Fellow (spring 2016) and associate professor in the School of Journalism at Northeastern University, discusses his new research paper providing insight into The Washington Post’s digital strategy and business model following its acquisition by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. 

May 26, 2016

Marilyn Thompson, a Spring 2016 Joan Shorenstein Fellow and former deputy editor at POLITICO, discusses her new research paper exploring the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, and whether the fund could still provide a viable way to address citizen frustration with the campaign finance system.

Apr 20, 2016

Bob Schieffer, Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow, veteran CBS reporter, and former moderator of “Face the Nation,” discussed the media’s performance in covering the 2016 election and Donald Trump’s campaign, and looked ahead to the general election. Schieffer also discussed money in politics, the divide in the Republican Party between its leaders and base, the possibility of an indictment for Hillary Clinton, Obama’s legacy, and more. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on April 20, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Apr 19, 2016

The Shorenstein Center hosted a conversation with its Spring 2016 Joan Shorenstein Fellows:Johanna Dunaway, associate professor of communication, Texas A&M University; Joanna Jolly, South Asia editor and feature writer, BBC; Dan Kennedy, associate professor of journalism, Northeastern University; and Marilyn Thompson, deputy editor, Politico. Each fellow gave a preview of the work they conducted at the Shorenstein Center, and answered audience questions. Also featuring contributions from Bob Schieffer, the Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow. This Speaker Series event was recorded on April 19, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

 

Apr 12, 2016

Shira T. Center, political editor for The Boston Globe, discussed media coverage of Donald Trump, as well as the relationship between Trump supporters and the press. Center described several factors that contributed to the media’s paradoxical coverage of Trump – characterized by an initial reluctance to view him as a serious candidate, while still providing seemingly constant coverage of him. Center also discussed The Boston Globe’s New Hampshire primary coverage, public reaction to the Globe’s fake front page about President Trump, the inner workings of Trump’s campaign and more.

 

 

Apr 5, 2016

Jo Becker, a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter for The New York Times, discussed Hillary Clinton’s role in the U.S. intervention in Libya, which she argues, ultimately contributed to destabilization in the region. Becker spoke about her recent New York Times series, focusing on Clinton’s decision-making process regarding intervention in Libya, an issue where her influence was "pivotal." Evaluating Clinton’s role as secretary of state is important since “it can tell you a little bit about how she would act as president,” said Becker. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on April 5, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School.  

 
 
Mar 29, 2016

Sarah Kliff, deputy managing editor for visuals at Vox, discussed media coverage of the Affordable Care Act, what’s next for health care policy, and Vox’s approach to covering policy. Kliff, whose work has included coverage for Vox, The Washington Post, Politico, and Newsweek, also discussed access to women’s health care and contraception at the state level, the challenges of implementing a single-payer system, improving the efficiency and outcomes of health care spending, and her tips for aspiring policy reporters, among other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on March 29, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Mar 22, 2016

Linda Greenhouse, columnist and former Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times, and lecturer at Yale Law School, discussed the current polarization of the court, the nomination of Merrick Garland, and the legacy of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Greenhouse also discussed the process of deciding cases, the purpose and effect of oral arguments, gender balance and diversity on the court, the court’s decision in the 2000 presidential election, and Citizens United, among other topics. This Shorenstein Center Speaker Series event was recorded on March 22, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

Mar 15, 2016

In this keynote address from the 2016 Goldsmith Awards in Political Journalism ceremony, Walter Isaacson, former chairman of CNN, former editor of TIME, and president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, spoke about the relationship between technology and journalism, and the potential business models for news media organizations in the future. To watch video of the full Goldsmith Awards ceremony, including the presentation of the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, visit shorensteincenter.org. This Shorenstein Center lecture was recorded on March 3, 2016, at Harvard Kennedy School. 

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