Hot Media with Bob Mann

Hot Media episode 405 features Bob Mann's monologue about the top five TV moments from the week of September 25th through October 1st. His commentary includes the 60 Minutes Antony Blinken interview, Michael Kay's call of Aaron Judge's 61st home run, the SNL premiere and the Simpsons premiere satirizing conspiracy theorists. 

Not every nation enjoys the free press rights provided in the U.S. Constitution. Russia is one of many nations dominated by state-run media. Putin's propaganda machine is sending the Russian people and the world a a misleading view of the war in Ukraine. Doctor Paul Levinson, Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University, is my guest on episode 404. Paul and I discuss state-ru...

Hot Media episode 403 "Reporters In Peril" features Bob Mann's conversation with veteran journalist Rem Rieder. The episode focuses on the recent murder of investigative reporter Jeff German. The alleged killer is an elected official who was a subject of German's reporting. German's murder is part of the bigger issue of growing threats to journalists in our nation. 

Award shows may be losing their popularity, but they are not losing their clout. This week's Emmy Award contenders say a lot about the state of television. On this episode of Hot Media, TV writer Len Klatt talks with host Bob Mann about the rise of streaming and the powerful adult themes of today's TV dramas and comedies. 

Derek Jeter was more than a gifted ballplayer. He was a master of media management. In his second appearance, Gabe Honig, producer of "The Captain" talks with host Bob Mann about Jeter's approach to dealing with the media.

Derek Jeter was a gifted baseball player. He was also a master of media management. Jeter's relationship with the media is the topic of the first episode of the new Fall season of Hot Media with Bob Mann. Gabe Honig, producer of  ESPN's documentary series The Captain, returns to the podcast to discuss Jeter's strategies for dealing with constant public scrutiny. 

ESPN's new documentary "The Captain" is about more than just baseball. This seven-part series looks at the life of Yankee star and Hall of Fame inductee Derek Jeter. Host Bob Mann, a lifelong Yanks fan, talks about all aspects of the series with its producer Gabe Honig. 

The Emmy Award nominations have been announced. There are some very deserving choices and a few snubs. Hot Media host Bob Mann talks about the nominated shows and the state of the  television industry with producer and media executive Len Klatt. 

America has been plagued with mass shootings this year. Is there a link between these killers and their consumption of toxic social media content? Host Bob Mann and guest, Professor Paul Levinson, discuss this aspect of an alarming trend. 

Two great TV series recently ended their runs with sobering story lines about aging. On Hot Media episode 333, host Bob Mann and his wife/co-host Cathy Lundquist discuss how Grace and Frankie and This Is Us handled the portrayal of caring for aging parents and partners. Please listen and subscribe. 

Reporting about war is very different from fighting in one. Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Matsarsky has done both. When Russia invaded his country, Matsarsky made a choice to no longer be an observer and to become a soldier. Hot Media host Bob Mann talks with Matsarsky about his experiences in the fight for Ukrainian freedom and independence. 

It's easy to identify the villain in the war against Ukraine. Media coverage of war is not always that clear. Since World War 2, the media has gone through many phases when covering U.S. military engagements. In Vietnam, trusted TV anchor Walter Cronkite changed his stance on the war and turned the tide of American opinion. Some critics have accused the media of not asking the tough questions duri...

Watching television isn't what it used to be. That's a good thing. Instead of staring at the "boob tube" we have a conversation salon based on truly great drama and comedy programs. On Hot Media episode 330, host Bob Mann and his wife Cathy Lundquist talk about what they're watching right now. 

There's a big difference between Watergate and Wikileaks. The Supreme Court leak raises questions about journalism shield law protection. Reporters rely on unnamed sources for a variety of reasons. Some states have shield laws to protect journalists but there is no national shield law. Professor and journalism veteran Rem Rieder and I discuss when reliable but anonymous sources should be used and...

The abortion controversy unleashed by a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion has many media-related angles. Different news networks provide different spins. The ability of journalists to protect sources may be challenged. Why are Supreme Court activities less transparent than those of Congress? I discuss these and more with Dr. Dan Cassino, Professor of Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson...

Vinyl records have made a comeback. Despite that development, the music industry of today is very different from what Baby Boomers knew when we were spinning our albums on turntables in the 70s. Vinnie Peri is Bob Mann's guest. Vinnie and Bob discuss the return of vinyl as well as the impact of YouTube and Tik Tok on the business. Vinnie Peri is creator and adjunct lecturer of Caldwell University'...

Elon Musk says he is an absolutist when it comes to free speech. Does that include misinformation and incitement to violence? On Hot Media episode 326, Host Bob Mann and Dr. Paul Levinson discuss what Twitter could be like should Musk take control. Bob and Paul also talk about the crisis in streaming. Netflix is making changes and CNN+ has shut down just weeks after it launched. 

"Hot Media with Bob Mann" celebrates the start of the 2022 baseball season with a special episode. Bob shares his thoughts about the best baseball broadcasters and the best calls in the history of radio and TV. Mann also talks about the biggest characters and the best announcing teams to hit the airwaves. It's a monologue about media that baseball fans should love. Bob invites listeners to share t...

TV has allegedly been killing theatrical movies since 1946. It has yet to finish the job. This year's Oscars justifiably praised films from TV streaming services such as Apple TV+ and Netflix. Has one medium finally eclipsed the other? On Hot Media episode 324, I discuss this with film editor Ryan Rolandelli and Chris Mann-Nelson, host of The Movie Quiz. 

Vladimir Putin has managed to mislead Russia's citizens about his murderous war against the people of Ukraine. That's what happens when a dictator threatens and muzzles the news media. Western nations can see and hear the truth thanks to journalists who risk their lives everyday.  Veteran journalist, editor and professor Rem Rieder discusses the importance of courageous reporting with "Hot Media"...

Latina/o viewers comprise nearly twenty percent of the US television audience, yet they are rarely represented on screen. More importantly, the medium needs more Latinx producers and show runners to create new programs. Mary Beltran, Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, has written a great new book on the subject. Host Bob Mann and Professor Beltran discuss La...

Truth is the first casualty of war. That statement has been attributed to a U.S. Senator, a Greek playwright and others. It is certainly true in Vladimir Putin's Russia. He is crushing free press in Russia while actively spreading lies to his people about the unprovoked war in Ukraine. On "Hot Media" episode 321, host Bob Mann talks with Professor Paul Levinson about Putin's propaganda, the effort...

Putin's war in Ukraine dominates this week's news coverage. It raises moral, political, military and media issues. We are in awe of the courageous reporting and in shock over the comments of hosts who fail to call out Putin for what he is. Host Bob Mann discusses these and other war-related topics with Dr. Dan Cassino, Professor or Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University. 

NBC charged seven million dollars for 30-second spots on the Super Bowl. That's just one example of the power and reach of sports media. A website called "Sports Media Watch" covers this key aspect of the communication industry. Host Bob Mann talks with the site's founder and editor, Jon Lewis, about the site, its related podcast, Super Bowl ratings and "Manning casts." 

Facebook and its parent company Meta took a historic beating on Wall Street this week. What does this mean for social media, the Metaverse, privacy and investors? Dr. Anthony Annan, Assistant Professor of Finance at Caldwell University talks with Bob about the causes and the meaning of the multi-billion dollar loss.