From “Talk Easy”: Sam Fragoso Interviews David Remnick
Jan 10, 2024
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David Remnick, host of The New Yorker Radio Hour, discusses his reporting from Israel during the Gaza war, challenges of reporting on conflicts, navigating anti-Semitism, childhood musical influences, ambition and challenges, and the impact of Trump's election.
Public distrust in mainstream media is at record levels due to factors such as technology and political attacks on the press.
Technology has enabled the spread of conspiracy theories and alternate universes of information, contributing to the decline of public trust in mainstream media.
The speaker's love for music, sparked by Bob Dylan's 'I Want You', expanded their cultural world and introduced them to other artists like T.S. Eliot.
Deep dives
The Importance of Journalism's Role in Putting Pressure on Power
One of the primary functions of journalism is to put pressure on power, whether through investigative reporting or intellectual pressure on the ideas propagated by those in power.
The Decline of Public Trust in Mainstream Media
Public distrust in mainstream media, including publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times, is at record levels. This can be attributed to various factors, including the rise of technology, the manipulation of information, and the politics surrounding certain media outlets.
The Impact of Technology and Politics on Journalism
Technology has played a significant role in the decline of public trust in mainstream media. It has enabled the creation of alternate universes of information and the spread of conspiracy theories. Additionally, the politics surrounding journalism, specifically the attacks on the media by certain political figures, have further eroded trust in the press.
Discovering the Power of Music
The podcast episode explores the speaker's childhood experiences with music and how it shaped their life. From buying albums as a child, one song in particular, 'I Want You' by Bob Dylan, transported them to another universe and sparked a fanaticism for Bob Dylan. This love for music expanded their cultural world and introduced them to other artists such as T.S. Eliot.
Dealing with Family Health Issues
The podcast delves into how the speaker's family was affected by health issues, specifically their mother's multiple sclerosis and their father's Parkinson's disease. The speaker reflects on the challenges of growing up with parents who were disabled and the guilt they have felt for not being able to make their parents' conditions better. Despite the difficulties, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not giving into despair and taking care of one's loved ones.
As host of The New Yorker Radio Hour, David Remnick asks a lot of questions, and recently he had to answer quite a few himself, sitting for a long interview with Sam Fragoso, who hosts the podcast “Talk Easy.” They spoke in December about David’s reporting from Israel at the start of the current war in Gaza; his recent collection of writing about musicians, “Holding the Note”; and more. We’re sharing this episode of “Talk Easy” as a bonus for New Yorker Radio Hour listeners.
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