Landslide

In this discussion, media historian Matt Pressman sheds light on the evolution of journalism and its impact on polarization. He explores how modern internet dynamics trap users in personalized echo chambers, leading to emotional responses and confirmation biases. The conversation covers the decline of traditional newsrooms and the rise of investigative journalism influenced by online platforms. Pressman urges listeners to examine their media consumption habits and promotes critical engagement with diverse perspectives to combat misinformation.

Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation researcher and former member of the U.S. Disinformation Governance Board, dives deep into the fight against misinformation. She discusses the pivotal role of local messengers, like librarians, in promoting information literacy. The decline of local journalism and how it impacts public knowledge is highlighted, alongside the evolution of political campaigns that leverage emotional narratives. Jankowicz makes a case for innovative strategies to counteract misinformation and reconnect Americans in a shared reality.

Hani Farid, a professor specializing in detecting manipulated media, dives deep into the tangled web of misinformation. He discusses how early tech company decisions shaped a new media landscape prioritizing engagement over truth. The rise of conspiracy theories and the 'Sharpie Gate' incident during the 2020 election exemplify the trust crisis in democracy. Farid also addresses the outrage economy, where emotional manipulation is used by politicians, and emphasizes the need for constructive engagement to combat societal divisions.

Andy Tucker, a media historian at Columbia Journalism School, dissects the evolution of news media. He explores America's media polarization, starting with the late 1960s and the rise of trust in news anchors. The conversation delves into Spiro Agnew's accusations of media bias, sparking a shift towards alternative media and right-wing narratives. Tucker highlights how this has reshaped public discourse and facilitated the rise of disinformation, showing a troubling trajectory from a unified information landscape to today's fragmented ecosystems of conflicting truths.

If the new Supreme Court decision, Trump v. U.S., had applied back in 1974, could President Richard Nixon have been prosecuted for Watergate? Or, would this decision shield Nixon from criminal charges? In this special bonus episode of Landslide, host Ben Bradford explores the scope of the new ruling by looking back at the case against Nixon, the charges he looked likely to face without a pardon, and whether his most brazen actions could today be admitted into a court. Has history proven Nixon correct when he said, "When the president does it, that means it is not illegal?" University of Chicago law professor and legal historian Alison LaCroix joins.Show notes:The interview references this 1974 article from The New York Times, describing the evidence against Nixon that led to articles of impeachment: https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/09/archives/the-case-against-richard-nixon-a-catalogue-of-charges-and-his.htmlA draft indictment crafted by the Department of Justice in early 1974 shows criminal charges Nixon may have faced if not for the pardon issued by his successor, President Gerald Ford: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/investigations/watergate/roadmap/docid-70105876.pdf- Short Feed Episode Description: The new Supreme Court decision may have offered Nixon immunity for Watergate and his administration's most brazen actions.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After Watergate, both parties cracked down on political spending with a new, strict campaign finance law. But instead of money in politics shrinking, it exploded. In this bonus episode, historian Marc C. Johnson joins Landslide host Ben Bradford to talk about what happened, the legal saga that threw open the doors to spending by outside groups, and how it radically changed not just presidential campaigns, but every race for federal office.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Before Fox News, the grassroots conservative activists known as "the New Right" spent decades attempting — and failing — to launch their own television news channel. In this bonus episode, Purdue historian Kathryn Cramer Brownell chronicles the New Right's TV efforts, why they failed, and how it all ultimately culminated in a stunning success — the creation of today's media ecosystem. Other tidbits include Richard Nixon's news obsession, a conservative wine show, and a "fight for survival" at CBS.A production of NuanceTales, in partnership with WFAE, distributed by the NPR Network.NuanceTales: https://www.nuancetales.com/WFAE: https://www.wfae.org/landslideNPR: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510376/landslideLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Even in the years after Roe vs. Wade, the issue of abortion did not divide the political parties — or most Americans. But as Reagan, the New Right, and the Christian Right took control in the Republican Party, they saw its potential to galvanize voters. In this bonus episode, legal historian Mary Ziegler joins Landslide host Ben Bradford to trace how abortion transformed from a muted sectarian issue with blurry, sometimes bizarre battle lines into today's explosive, polarizing wedge issue.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Four years later. Jimmy Carter is now an embattled president, unpopular and facing a tough primary challenge. Meanwhile, Ronald Reagan storms to the Republican nomination, while wooing a powerful new bloc of voters into his conservative coalition — the Christian Right. Still, amid worries that Reagan is too extreme and too old, the 1980 general election remains tight until the very end. How did it lead to an ideological sea change in American politics?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bruised after the primaries, the unpopular Ford looks headed for a blowout defeat in the 1976 general election. But his campaign adopts a clever strategy, and Carter struggles in the spotlight as the frontrunner. Gaffes, attack ads, Playboy magazine, and a new institution — a series of presidential debates — build to a razor-close election. It marks a turning point for the types of candidates America will elect.Hosted by Ben Bradford. A production of NuanceTales, in partnership with WFAE, distributed by the NPR Network.NuanceTales: https://www.nuancetales.com/WFAE: https://www.wfae.org/landslideNPR: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510376/landslideLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy