Signal Fire

Hosts Lisa and Jon speak with Ken Harbaugh, a former U.S. naval aviator who flew intelligence missions off North Korea, about the Iran war, the drone warfare gap that is already costing American lives, and what Pete Hegseth's first moves at the Pentagon reveal about where this administration is headed. The conversation examines why America is fighting the wrong war with the wrong strategy, why Ukr...

Hosts Lisa and Jon speak with Napp Nazworth about the growing divide within American evangelicalism and how political identity has reshaped religious belief. The conversation examines how partisanship, media ecosystems, and cultural shifts have influenced faith communities over the past decade. It also looks at the emotional and social consequences, from fractured churches to divided families. The...

Lisa Senecal sits down with Professor of communication, Jennifer Mercieca,to examine how modern media shapes our understanding of truth. They explore how normalization, propaganda, and algorithm-driven information systems have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a shared sense of reality. Drawing on ideas from Plato’s Cave to the concept of the Overton Window, the conversation connects hist...

Lisa and Jon examine how recent U.S. foreign policy decisions are reshaping global alliances and shifting the balance of power. They explore the implications of weakening NATO commitments, escalating tensions in Iran, and lifting sanctions that may benefit geopolitical rivals. Their conversation examines how these moves ripple through global energy markets, military strategy, and international tru...

Jon and Lisa reflect on the meaning of protest and argue that speaking out against the government is one of the most patriotic acts in a democracy. They unpack the idea behind the “No Kings” movement, contrasting the role of a president with the dangers of power being treated like personal authority. Drawing on history, they compare modern leadership behavior to the values set by figures like Wash...

The collapse of local news and the rise of social media have reshaped how people consume information. Tara McGowan explains how Courier Newsroom is building a new model by meeting audiences where they are and delivering news in formats people actually engage with. The conversation digs into the power of platforms, the risks of relying on them, and why owning your audience matters more than ever. I...

How do people process misinformation and why do certain types of language feel persuasive even when they lack meaning? Cognitive psychologist Gordon Pennycook explains the difference between lying and what he calls “bullshitting,” where the speaker is indifferent to whether something is true. The conversation examines why people often share false information online, and why content is focused on e...

Lisa and John speak with political strategist and author Stuart Stevens, joining from Kyiv after several trips supporting Ukraine since the full-scale invasion. Stevens describes what daily life looks like inside a city at war and reflects on how Ukrainians view shifting American support. The conversation also examines the broader geopolitical moment, from the risks of expanding conflict in Iran t...

In this episode of Signal Fire, Journalist and Author, James Fallows, joins the conversation to examine the collapse of local news and what it means for democracy. The discussion explores how storytelling shapes national identity, why the State of the Union has transformed into political spectacle, and how media institutions are struggling to adapt in an era of polarization and performance. Fallow...

Lisa Senecal and Jon Zieger sit down with Liz Minnella, founder of Connect Forward, to examine how influencers, algorithms, and culture are reshaping political power. Drawing on her background in marketing and organizing, Liz explains how trusted messengers and lifestyle creators have become central to modern persuasion, often succeeding where traditional institutions fail. The conversation explor...

Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the carnage has not stopped. What has faded is the world’s attention. In this episode of Signal Fire, investigative journalist and founder of The Counteroffensive, Tim Mak, joins Jon and Lisa to discuss what happens when algorithms move on, when infrastructure becomes a weapon, and when empathy itself becomes a threat to authoritarian power....

The American justice system is being reshaped by power, money, and political loyalty. Former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence, Frank Figliuzzi, draws on decades inside the Bureau to explain how white collar crime enforcement has been weakened while pardons increasingly shield the well connected. The conversation explores what happens when accountability erodes inside institutions mea...

This episode of Signal Fire examines how modern elections are undermined long before a single vote is cast. Author and politician David Pepper joins the conversation to unpack how ballot seizures, voter roll manipulation, and manufactured investigations create doubt without ever formally overturning results. The discussion connects recent state-level actions to a broader national strategy that rel...

In this episode of Signal Fire, Jon and Lisa examine how modern authoritarianism no longer relies on ideology but on systems designed to exhaust, confuse, and undermine trust. Journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev traces how propaganda has evolved from persuading audiences to eroding their sense of reality and agency. The conversation connects historical examples with present-day media dynamics...

Former political strategist Matthew Dowd reflects on what has changed inside American politics, journalism, and public trust, and why traditional ideas of balance no longer hold. The discussion moves beyond partisan framing to ask what democracy requires when shared reality itself is under threat.

In this episode of Signal Fire, veteran editor and reporter, Mark Jacob, examines how journalism is struggling to hold power to account in an era of intimidation, consolidation, and political pressure. Jon, Lisa and Mark unpack how official narratives are too often repeated without scrutiny, allowing false balance and euphemistic language to shape public understanding. The conversation explores wh...

America’s public lands have long enjoyed bipartisan support, yet they are now facing unprecedented political pressure. In this episode 8 of Signal Fire, Jon & Lisa speak with journalist Chris Keyes, Executive Director, RE:PUBLIC Lands Media, about the policies, power dynamics, and economic forces reshaping how these lands are managed. We explore why decisions affecting places that belong to everyo...

In this episode of Signal Fire, Jon and Lisa examine what happens when major news organizations pull back from stories that challenge power.  They discuss the growing role of self-censorship in media, how corporate and political pressure shape editorial decisions, and why silence can be just as consequential as misinformation. The conversation also explores the real-world impact of weakened local...

In episode 6 of Signal Fire, our hosts step back from the news cycle to examine how they actually consume news and what that says about the state of modern media. They discuss the overwhelming volume of information, the blurred line between reporting and commentary, and how misinformation and speculation often crowd out fact-based journalism. Drawing on personal experience, they explore why many p...

On episode 5 of Signal Fire we speak with independent journalist, Aaron Parnas, about the growing influence of corporate power, political pressure, and wealthy stakeholders on editorial decision-making inside major news organizations. We speak with Aaron about his process that led to him becoming a leading independent journalist and discuss how once-independent institutions have become more vulner...

Veteran journalist John Harwood explores how modern media reached its current breaking point. He reflects on the shift from legacy newsrooms to independent platforms and the pressures created by political influence, corporate ownership, and the race for audience attention. Together we look at why trust in journalism has declined and what it would take to rebuild it. Harwood also shares personal ex...

This episode of Signal Fire explores how social media has reshaped the way people discover, trust, and share news. Jon and Lisa sit down with journalist and News Not Noise founder Jessica Yellin to discuss the rise of evidence based creators and the challenges they face in an online environment built for speed and outrage. Together they unpack the role of algorithms, the erosion of trust, and the...

The second episode of Signal Fire examines how algorithmic feeds are reshaping identity, belonging, and belief. Jon Zieger and Lisa Senecal speak with Cynthia Miller-Idriss about the growth of online misogyny, the isolation of young men, and the systems that accelerate radicalization. The conversation traces the influence of cultural signals, influencer content, and gaming spaces on emerging world...

In the premiere of Signal Fire, hosts Jon Zieger and Lisa Senecal explore how a fragmented information ecosystem has eroded shared reality. They examine the rise of the attention economy, the power of creator-driven media, and the emotional vulnerabilities exploited by digital platforms. The discussion highlights growing distrust, polarization, and apathy, especially among younger audiences. The e...

What happens when a free society loses its grip on shared truth? The old system is breaking. Legacy media is struggling. Social platforms are the main source of news for millions—but they're designed for engagement, not accuracy. On Signal Fire, hosts Jon Zieger, who helped lead some of America’s most successful technology companies,  and Lisa Senecal, a media strategist, narrative expert, and pro...