In the first segment of today’s program Mickey talks with Laurel Krause, Emily Kunstler, and Kelley Lane 55 years after the Ohio National Guard killed four students and wounded nine others at Kent State University as they protested the illegal expansion of the disastrous Vietnam War. There are many lessons…

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This week, campus life in the crosshairs. First up, Eleanor Goldfield speaks with Kei Pritsker, the co-director of “The Encampments” and journalist with Breakthrough News. Kei talks about colleges as extensions of the national security state where, at the request of a foreign nation committing genocide, students are brutalized. Kei also shares his experiences creating the film as press and as a part of the community that the encampments built. Next up, Professor Nick Wolfinger talks about his latest book, Professors Speak Out: The Truth About Campus Investigations. Nick and Eleanor discuss the problematic way in which universities are handling complaints about faculty while also debating the difficulty in umbrella guidelines regarding a faculty member’s ability to do their job based on their opinions and prejudices. It’s a slippery slope and when academic freedom is at stake, it’s easy to let our own political leanings push us to the bottom. Can we all embrace discomfort for the sake of academic freedom?

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The Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College is honored to announce this year’s Izzy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Media. The Izzy Award is named after legendary muckraking journalist I.F. “Izzy” Stone. It’s the 17th Annual Award from the Park Center that honors the best reporting from the independent press. Today on the program, we’ll talk to some of the Izzy winners and an Izzy judge. We’ll start with Professor Victor Pickard, a long time Izzy judge, speaking about the state of our free press. Then we’ll talk to Max Alvarez of the Real News Network and Chris Albright, a resident of East Palestine, Ohio. They’ll talk about Alvarez’s coverage of the great train derailment there from 2023. Later in the program, we’re also joined by Arielle Angel of Jewish Currents to talk about their important work.

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This week we’re looking at the insidious and nefarious sides of tech – starting off, a conversation with Esra’a Al Shafei discussing her new site Surveillance Watch, an incredible trove of data formulated into an easily searchable and interactive site that exposes the vast interconnected web of global authoritarian surveillance systems. Esra’a discusses the impunity with which these corporations and financial institutions operate, with no care for borders, side-stepping sanctions, and using genocide as a marketing tool. She highlights the importance of bringing this information to light, of acting to protect ourselves and each other and never normalizing the Orwellian panopticon. Next up, cohost Mickey Huff sits down with investigative journalist Peter Byrne to unveil a new 10-part series titled Military AI Watch: the dangerous militarization of AI and the profiteering behind it. Peter and Mickey discuss the first piece in the series, One Ring to Rule them All where Peter names the cast of characters in this dark fantasy turned reality, their terrifying aims, the monopoly on murder, and more.

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In the first part of the program, author and Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund’s education director Ben Price joins the program to talk about his new book, Wouldn’t You Say, A Collection of Essays on Environment and Community. In the book and in our conversation, Ben explains that what we’re seeing today is not a perversion of the promise of America, it’s actually a proof of concept, a continuation of foundational ideologies never meant to protect we, the people, and certainly not to protect the ecosystems of which we are a part. Ben discusses rights of nature not as a legal north star but as a need to shift our thinking about relationships, between ourselves, the law, and empirical reality. Next up, Dr. Kim Wilson and Maya Schenwar join the show to discuss the book which they co-edited, We Grow the World Together: Parenting Toward Abolition. Maya and Kim discuss this multi-generational project which also combines voices from the inside and outside, highlighting the contrasts and connections between the carceral systems of literal and figurative cages, and how prisons are and have been the canaries in the coal mine for the restrictions on our basic rights. They discuss abolition as a tearing down but perhaps even more so of a building up, how kids are integral to the creative imagination necessary for building new worlds, and the emergent possibilities outside of our current death-making system.

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In the first part of the program, journalist, researcher and policy director of Defending Rights and Dissent, Chip Gibbons comes back on the show to talk about attacks on journalists in Gaza, attacks on free press here at home, the links between them, and the long history of our shaky and fragile access to first amendment rights. Chip places the targeting of students like Mahmoud Khalil in a timeline of authoritarian moves to protect US political interests over basic freedoms, and how our ignorance of the past is wrecking our present and predetermining a dark future. In the second half of the show, labor activist and co-founder of the National Labor Network for Ceasefire Gene Bruskin joins the show to connect the dots on US foreign and domestic policy, on how chronic injustices here at home make us blind to the fact that we don’t have to live this way, not here, and not over there. Gene talks about the importance of bringing our demands together, of thinking globally, of tactics that work and tactics that don’t, and of reclaiming OUR radical labor history.

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In an era when algorithms are reshaping how news is gathered, produced, distributed, and consumed, every journalist, regardless of specialty, needs some degree of algorithmic literacy. We’re joined by 2024-25 RJI fellow Andy Lee Roth, who led a team to create a website about Algorithmic Literacy for Journalists. It provides a practical toolkit to help journalists and the general public better understand the functions, impacts, and ethics of algorithms, including shadowbanning and other forms of censorship. In the second half of the show, we present Frame Check, a new monthly series that will be available on social media and podcast platforms. This new segment on The Project Censored Show is hosted by Reagan Haynie, Kate Horgan, and Shealeigh Voitl. Frame Check explores pop culture, news, and feminism through a critical media literacy lens, helping audiences deconstruct dominant news frames. In the debut segment, the hosts examine how corporate media sensationalizes the manufactured spectacle of Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s relationship—amplifying their antics while failing to critically assess their influence—turning even significant political developments into junk food news.

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Coming up first on the program, we welcome back Dr. Khalil Khalidy, an orthopedic doctor in Deir al-Balah, Gaza to give us what you’ll never hear on corporate media: updates on the situation in Gaza from Gazans since the end of phase one of the so-called ceasefire. Dr. Khalidy also discusses the insidious Israeli propaganda machine, the psychological effects of colonialism, and some vital history many in the US likely don’t know, including the divide-and-conquer strategy to pull Palestinians from each other, geographically and culturally, from the West Bank to Gaza to the diaspora. Later in the program, cohosts Mickey Huff and Eleanor Goldfield dig into some of the most recent news that didn’t make the news, in particular the abduction of Columbia grad student Mahmoud Khalil, the history of who the US deems a terrorist, and the importance of critical media literacy and independent media in these – to put it mildly, turbulent times.

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This week, a special Project Censored episode: “What To Us Is International Women’s Day?,” a variation on the question asked by Frederick Douglass: What to the Slave is the 4th of July? March 8th is International Women’s Day, and while many will and do celebrate this day in revolutionary ways, the truth is that IWD like so many other holidays is often used to serve the vehemently anti-feminist goals of the architects of our oppression. So-called white feminism perpetuates the evils of white supremacy, colonialism, capitalism, patriarchy, and imperialism – but with a femme facade, pushing us to ask what to us is an international women’s day which doesn’t seek to dismantle the very systems that use, abuse & torment women across the US and the globe? Award-winning journalist Mnar Adley and organizer Afeni Evans will join Eleanor Goldfield for this special hour-long dive into the insidious machinations of white feminism, who gets violently othered and why, the internationalist demands of a revolutionary feminism, and what really to us, is – or could be – International Women’s Day?

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In the first part of the program, author and organizer Harsha Walia joins the show to talk about the convergence of racist nationalism and border imperialism, and how the attacks on migrants are inextricably linked to the attacks on Indigenous peoples. Harsha also discusses the globalization of border violence, and offers a class analysis that contextualizes the border as a spatial fix for capital accumulation. Later in the show, community organizer Kamau Franklin comes back on the show to talk about the very real fears taking hold of people in these times, how these are different from manufactured fears, and how real leftist media is needed to push through the cacophonous propaganda of empire. Kamau also discusses the importance of the build and fight, imagining and actually creating alternatives to our current system that can scale and provide in the here and now.

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This week, Mickey speaks with filmmaker Allyson Rice and researcher Dorri C. Scott about the growing number of books challenged and banned in US schools and libraries, something the Trump administration has called a hoax. We hear about the soon-to-be-released documentary, Banned Together, that looks at efforts by local school boards and state-level politicians to restrict student access to books while highlighting the very students who are protesting and fighting back for the right to read. Then, Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Lauren Harper, the first Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy there, warn that the Trump Administration is engaged in unprecedented, and possibly illegal, efforts to reshuffle how federal agencies’ records are kept. They also survey Trump’s multiple attacks on journalists and press in his first month back in office and caution that more assaults on the First Amendment and the public’s right to know will be forthcoming, which, they argue, should be vigorously resisted.

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In the first part of the program this week, Palestinian legal expert Hassan Ben Imran comes back on the show to talk about the recent formation of the Hague Group, the ongoing cases against Israel and the limitations of, and hope in international law. Later in the show, cohosts Mickey Huff and Eleanor Goldfield banter about the sad state of the 4th estate vis a vis coverage of the genocide in Gaza, and how legacy media couldn’t even be bothered to truthfully report on the carnage meted out by US tax dollars. In a new segment that we’ll come back to in many arenas of life, Mickey and Eleanor ask if this is the best we can do — be it these so-called journalists, or the latest cabinet picks.

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In the first part of the program, economist Dr. Richard Wolff joins co-host Eleanor Goldfield to set the record straight on what tariffs really are, and how bizarrely hypocritical it is that the famously anti-tax republican party is now the party that wants a lot of taxes – taxes aimed at you and me. Professor Wolff also explains the wrong-headed thinking about immigration – that in fact, steady immigration into the US is and has been a sign of a healthy economy, so the fact that the nation can’t and won’t embrace immigration today is actually a big red flag that our economy is weak – as further evidenced by how well the BRICS nations are doing compared to the G7. In the second half of the show, co-host Mickey Huff speaks with journalists Maya Schenwar and Negin Owliaei about how media must NOT back down to Trump’s threats against press freedom. Maya and Negin outline the multi pronged attacks that journalists and media organizations are facing, remarking that none of us alone can surmount these problems but that real active solidarity and community building is key – along with contextualizing our today in the struggles of yesterday, and NEVER complying in advance.

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In the first half of the program, co-host Eleanor Goldfield speaks with Leyna Quinn-Davidson, the Fire Network Director for the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources about the confluence of issues that are quite literally fueling the fires in LA County. Leyna highlights how we have to shift our thinking about not only how fires burn but their historic and vital role in bolstering healthy ecosystems. She also pinpoints some simple actions people in the area can take to protect their homes and perhaps more importantly their communities, since what your neighbor does or doesn’t do in these situations will directly affect you. In the second half of the show, experienced conflict correspondent Theia Chatelle joins the program to talk about suing Yale PD, a frustrating but enlightening process that uncovered a vast and deep web of surveillance and repressive tactics aimed at students engaging in constitutionally protected speech and protest. Theia discusses the frightening levels of coordination between campus police, local and federal law enforcement, Zionist organizations and even counter-terrorism agencies. She connects this to a larger pattern of repression across US colleges, universities, and towns and cities beyond campus borders, where the panopticon-style surveillance follows anyone and everyone who could be deemed a threat to the status quo.

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In the first half of the program Eleanonr Goldfield speaks with Shrouq Aila, an investigative journalist, producer and researcher in Gaza. Shrouq describes the situation on the ground in Gaza, the target on her back as a journalist, what she asks of her fellow journalists in these times, and the layered struggles of being the story that you are covering.

In the second half of the program, Marine corps veteran Matthew Hoh comes back on the show to talk about his recent trip to occupied Palestine / Israel. Matt describes the parallel phases of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Israeli culture that makes entertainment out of genocide while simultaneously denying that genocide

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What happens when wealthy investors buy up local news outlets? Well, in addition to gradually shutting them down and restricting what they report, ironically creating news deserts, they can also memory hole online news archives. For the first part of the program, Mickey Huff is joined by investigative reporter Peter Byrne. Byrne talks about unplugging the news and history in San Francisco, navigating the existential fragility of online news archives.

Later in the program, you’ll hear excerpts from an event held at Ithaca College in November, cosponsored by the Park Center for Independent Media, Project Looksharp, and Project Censored. Mickey Huff hosted co-editor of State of the Free Press 2025 Shaeleigh Voitl, and contributors Robin Andersen, and Steve Macek. You’ll get an overview of Project Censored’s State of the Free Press 2025, hear some of the top underreported news stories of the year, and much more.

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Today in the first segment of the show, Mickey Huff speaks with associate director of Project Censored, Andy Lee Roth, and the Project’s digital and print editor, Shealeigh Voitl. They talk about Project Censored’s new book State of the Free Press 2025 that looks at the top underreported or censored news stories from the past year that corporate media censored, otherwise distorted or ignored altogether. Later in the conversation, Andy and Shealeigh talk about moving beyond fact-checking and their educator resource guide on the power of news frames, and how news framing helps shape public opinion. Later in the program, cohosts Mickey Huff and Eleanor Goldfield talk about a recent piece she wrote on news literacy for activists and organizers: Critical Media Literacy provides grassroots movements with practical tools for pursuing their goals. Eleanor and Mickey also discuss the troublesome bill, HR 9495 that passed through the House recently. It is a draconian bill that would allow the Treasury Secretary to unilaterally strip a nonprofit of their status if they’re deemed a terrorist-supporting organization. This is incredibly dangerous given the political motivations of a potential Treasury Secretary to silence particular nonprofits on the basis of the focus of their message.

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What does the genocide in Gaza have to do with the working class here at home? Well, quite a lot. Imperialism is a home game and the same corporations and international interests that make bank off of blood oppress the US workforce for that same bottom line. This week in a special hour interview episode, three guest experts join the Project Censored Radio show to discuss the US supply chain and war: labor educator Gifford Hartman, researcher and CGPU-UAW union member Abdullah Farooq, and 40 year rail and marine transportation veteran Fritz Edler.
Together they outline not only the current actions and efforts of workers to connect the dots between oppression here at home and abroad, but also the silenced and buried history of workplace organizing against war, including direct action and strikes. Our guests also dive into the importance of public ownership of transportation such as rail, the nefarious ways in which automation fuels both the war machine and destitution here in the US, and what a just transition away from war could mean not only for workers here but indeed around the whole world.

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In this episode of the Project Censored Show, guest host Mischa Geracoulis, Project Censored’s curriculum development coordinator, speaks with two of the contributors to the “Media Democracy in Action” chapter from Project Censored’s State of the Free Press 2024. 

In the first segment, Mischa talks with Maria Armoudian—senior lecturer at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and co-director of the Center for Climate Biodiversity and Society—about the need to rethink traditional news values in the 21st century. Focusing on issues around the climate crisis, Armoudian argues that because the media too often report climate issues as news items, they fail to communicate the urgency of these issues while normalizing a perpetual economic growth-expansion model that exacerbates these challenges.

In the second segment, media critic, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and author Jen Senko joins the program. Senko is best known for her film The Brainwashing of My Dad. Senko’s work tracks the history of media in the United States, particularly the rise of hyper-partisan media, and its ongoing effects on society. Highlighting some of that history, she illuminates the calculated moves made by politicians and billionaires that have brought us to where we are today.

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Iconic consumer and civil rights activist/author Ralph Nader returns to the program to discuss his latest two books with Mickey. They unpack Nader’s analysis from Out of Darkness and Let’s Start the Revolution, which includes commentary on the need to dismantle the corporate state, boost civic engagement from the grassroots level up, and demand that dark money and billionaires be driven of the political system. Next, Mickey talks with former Project Censored director, political sociologist Peter Phillips about his new book Titans of Capital: How Concentrated Wealth Threatens Humanity.

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Mickey’s first guest this week is Project Censored’s Associate Director, Andy Lee Roth. Roth is a 2024-35 Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow where he is developing an “algorithmic literacy” toolkit for journalists. He explains why today’s journalists need a basic understanding of the algorithms used by internet and social media tech giants to better serve the public. Issues around horse race poll coverage, shadow banning, and algorithmic gatekeeping are discussed. Then in the second half of the show, Maya Schenwar of Truthout and Lara Witt of Prism introduce the organization they co-founded, the Movement Media Alliance; they explain why social-justice-oriented media outlets should work together, both to enhance their impact and to better the working conditions for journalists in independent media.

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Now that the cameras have long since left Hurricane Helene’s trail of devastation, what is the situation on the ground? And what was it about Appalachia that made the devastation so great, and the mutualist response so powerful?
In the first half of the show Eleanor Goldfield speaks with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief coordinator and street medic Jena about her work in Western North Carolina and elsewhere, how bad the destruction really is, the dearth of government support, and how communities are using their own cultural roots to get what they need. Jena outlines the vast and varied mutual aid web, current needs on the ground, and creative and beautiful ways in which we can all engage in solidarity rather than charity. In the second half of the program, Eleanor speaks with Chelsea White-Hoglen, a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina with a vast background in community organizing. Chelsea explains the scale of the impact on such a rural, poor and geologically complex area as Appalachia, how disaster relief blossomed out of existing community structures, how this next phase of the crisis is an economic one, and how this could be a turning point for a region historically misunderstood, cast aside and disenfranchised.

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With the 2024 US elections drawing near, host Mickey Huff moderates an expert panel discussion with three media scholars and educators about how critical-media-literacy education can enhance civic engagement. They outline the many challenges posed by social media, hyper-partisanship, and fake news, but also explore what educators can do to engage today’s students and equip them with critical tools necessary to deconstruct media messaging and bridge communication barriers, both inside and outside the classroom. This program is also a special broadcast that is part of the Big Rhetorical Podcast Carnival. See here for more details.

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It’s the 10th annual US Media Literacy Week sponsored by NAMLE, the National Association for Media Literacy Education. We at Project Censored also celebrate Media Literacy Week, critically. On the program today, co-host Mickey Huff welcomes Dr. Nolan Higdon, media scholar and author of many books including The Anatomy of Fake News. Today we’ll talk to Nolan about a brief resource guide to fake news in the 2024 election with helpful hints for the voting public. We’ll talk about the history of fake news, mis- and disinformation and its impacts on the public, and what we can do about it that doesn’t involve censorship. In the second half of the show, co-host Eleanor Goldfield sits down with photojournalist Orin Langelle to talk about his new photography book release, Portraits of Struggle, a small but powerful selection of photographs and stories from a 50-year career. Orin talks about what he’s learned from the frontlines, how he was shunned by corporate media for telling the truth, the importance of documenting a history that is constantly stolen from us, and more.

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In the first half of the program, Mickey Huff speaks with independent journalist and author Kevin Gosztola, author of Guilty of Journalism about the cast of Julian Assange. Gosztola joins the show to talk about the Council of Europe Parliamentarians vote that agreed that Julian Assange was in fact a political prisoner. Assange recently spoke to the Parliament and urged them to oppose the US government’s transnational repression and assaults on journalists and press freedoms around the world. Later in the program, Mickey speaks with media scholar Steve Macek about foreign spending to influence US elections and how it goes well beyond Russian covert operations, and in fact involves many other countries and even other entities. But are the corporate media paying attention? Steve Macek explains how they’re not, and what you need to know about the influence of dark money in advance of Election 2024.

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