Fascism is on the rise in our country as Nazis parade through our streets and candidates for office issue calls to violence. Professor Ben-Ghiat, an expert on the "strongman" playbook, joins us to discuss the role journalism has to play in defending democracy against authoritarian demagogues.

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With one party becoming authoritarian and promoting dangerous lies, “both-sidesism” has become a threat to our democracy. Dan Froomkin (PressWatchers.org) joined us to discuss how the media should respond to, and cover, the current threats of MAGA extremism.

Gigi Sohn, a recent nominee of President Biden for the Federal Communication Commission, discussed how her nomination was sabotaged by Big Telecom, dark money, right wing extremist groups, and media oligarchs, as well as other issues shaping media and democracy. 

Gigi Sohn is one of the nation’s leading public advocates for open, affordable and democratic communications networks.

Robert McChesney, Professor of Communication at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign joined us for an engaging discussion and Q&A about proposed solutions to the crisis of local journalism and media diversity.

Andrea Chalupa, author / screenwriter of "Mr. Jones" and co-host of the podcast Gaslit Nation . Streamed screening of "Mr. Jones" followed by Q&A with Andrea.

Nandini Jammi, co-founder Sleeping Giants and Check-My-Ads. Pioneer activist in defunding hate-for-profit and disinformation via adtech and brand awareness.

Peter Shaplen, Journalist, AP Mark Twain Award winner, (co-hosted with Secure Elections Network).

U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, author of The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court, (co-hosted with Blue-Wave Brigade).

Katharina Gellein Viken, co-director People You May Know, an exploration into the political alliance among religious fundamentalists, oligarchs, and Cambridge Analytica's shell companies that have fundamentally shifted the balance of politics in the United States.

Anne Nelson, author of Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right.

Robert W. McChesney, co-author of Rich Media. Poor Democracy" & "Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex Is Destroying America, co-founder of Free Press.

Jen Senko, author: The Brainwashing of My Dad: How the Rise of the Right-Wing Media Changed a Father and Divided Our Nation--And How We Can Fight Back, and documentary film director.

Nora Benavides, a civil and human rights attorney.

Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World.