The Study Hall Podcast

Sam Adler-Bell’s writing has appeared in New York Magazine and The New Republic. He’s also the co-host of the “Know Your Enemy” podcast. In this conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Sam chats about researching conservative figures, writing about the internal ideological divide amongst Democrats, and presenting leftist populism to a broader audience.  Listen to the Know Your Enemy podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-your-enemy/id1462703434 More about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz Music by KT The Terrible

Zach Zimmerman, a celebrated comedian and writer known for his work in The New Yorker and his essay collection, reflects on the tumultuous journey of finding humor in rejection. He shares insights on navigating love and heartbreak, emphasizing the cathartic role of comedy. Zimmerman humorously discusses family dynamics amidst differing beliefs, his upcoming train adventure, and the authenticity crisis in corporate Pride. With wit, he unpacks self-talk and resilience in comedy, turning personal anecdotes into lessons on growth and vulnerability.

Alex Thompson is a national political correspondent at Axios. Along with CNN’s Jake Tapper, he co-authored the New York Times Bestselling book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Alex shares why he was interested in covering Biden, what Democrats can take away from the book, political information bubbles, the current state of Washington D.C. journalism, and restoring trust in media institutions. For more information about Original Sin: https://sites.prh.com/originalsin/ For more information about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz  Music by KT The Terrible 

  Mike Isaac is a technology correspondent for The New York Times who has been covering Meta and Silicon Valley. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Mike discusses his experience covering the FTC vs. Meta trial, deepfakes, and the rise of AI. In addition, Mike offers some tips on how reporters can find overlooked stories. Keep up with Mike’s work: https://www.nytimes.com/by/mike-isaac More information about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz  Music by KT The Terrible

  Kat Tenbarge is an independent reporter who writes at Spitfire News. Before Spitfire News, Kat was a reporter at NBC News and Insider.  In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Kat chats about her experience pivoting to independent multimedia reporting, the significance of the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case, and her coverage of Disney Adults. Find out more about Spitfire News:https://spitfirenews.com/   Find out more about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz    Music by KT The Terrible

Marisa Kabas is an independent journalist behind the politics-focused newsletter The Handbasket, known for her coverage of the Trump administration's federal cuts and deportations. In this engaging discussion, she reveals the hurdles independent journalists face in a landscape swamped by mainstream media. Marisa shares her journey of building credibility, the challenges of receiving proper attribution, and the emotional toll of maintaining journalistic integrity. She also addresses safety concerns for progressive journalists and the critical need for community support.

Karen Hao is an award-winning journalist whose work has been published in MIT Technology Review, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Hao discusses her new book,“Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI,” which traces how the company went from idealism to relentless expansion. Hao discusses the environmental and ethical implications of OpenAI’s empire. In addition, drawing from her role as the head of the Pulitzer Center’s The AI Spotlight series, she shares insight into how journalists should approach this technology as both a tool and a subject of reporting.  For more information about The AI Spotlight Series: https://pulitzercenter.org/focus-areas/information-and-artificial-intelligence/ai-spotlight-series More information about “Empire of AI”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/ Find out more about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz Music by KT The Terrible  

CONTENT WARNING: VIOLENCE Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, an award-winning journalist, discusses her article for The Guardian about the murder of Fiona Holm. In her article, Brinkhurst-Cuff explores why Fiona’s murder didn’t gain that much attention in the British media and contextualizes it within the phenomenon of “missing white woman syndrome.”  For the Reuters Institute, Brinkhurst-Cuff researched how the media often fails to accurately cover missing people. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, she shares the findings of her research, discusses reporting The Guardian article, and offers tips for journalists who want to report on missing people while avoiding true crime tropes and sensationalism.  Charlie’s article: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/16/the-killing-of-fiona-holm-why-was-the-life-and-death-of-this-much-loved-mother-so-overlooked   Learn more about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz   Music by KT The Terrible 

Ej Dickson, a senior writer at The Cut, chats about the necessity of bringing empathy to reporting.  In a conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, she discusses her profile of Candace Owens, what’s behind RFK Jr.’s rise, and how mom content became so divisive.     Keep up with her work: https://www.thecut.com/author/e.j.-dickson/   Find out more about Study Hall: https://studyhall.xyz/ Music by KT The Terrible

Harron Walker chats about her book “Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman.”  In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Harron discusses what it was like to work in digital media during the late 2010s, her “Devil Wears Prada” fan fiction, the figure of the girlboss, and her reporting on trans people trying to access family planning care. In addition, Harron shares tips on cultivating a writing community during the siloed era of Substack.  More info about Aggregated Discontent: https://bookshop.org/p/books/aggregated-discontent-confessions-of-the-last-normal-woman-harron-walker/21762120 More info about Study Hall: https://studyhall.xyz/ Music by KT The Terrible