Media Confidential Trump, Maduro and the Washington Post
Jan 8, 2026
The podcast dives into the controversial abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, analyzing varied media reactions and highlighting YouTube and Substack's alternative insights. Alan and Lionel discuss contrasting editorials from the New York Times and the Washington Post, examining the latter’s shifting political stance under Bezos. They also celebrate investigative journalism through a documentary on Seymour Hersh, while Alan shares a valuable life hack for accessing diverse readings to escape digital echo chambers.
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Piers Morgan Party Produces Gossip And Consequence
- Lionel Barber described feeling violently sick after attending Piers Morgan's crowded Christmas party in West London.
- He also said the party produced lively gossip about Keir Starmer and media ownership changes.
YouTube As A Primary News Source
- The YouTube livestream of Trump's press conference provided fuller primary-source coverage of the Venezuela abduction story.
- Lionel Barber argued YouTube offered riveting detail that mainstream broadcasters struggled to match.
Substack Filling Gaps In Foreign Coverage
- Substack is emerging as a key platform for expert and diaspora commentary on complex foreign stories.
- Lionel Barber said Venezuelan exiles and regime-adjacent writers on Substack offered useful alternative analysis to mainstream outlets.