Lamestream

As Israel executes its plan to conquer Gaza, drawing condemnation and sanctions from even if its closest allies, Os and Scott look at the role the media has played in paving the way for this moment. From abandoning fundamental journalistic principles in favour of propaganda, to blacklisting journalists who spoke up, and targeting artists, actors, academics and more who opposed genocide, they chart...

Scott takes Os on a deep dive into the world of commercial radio, focusing on the mammoth $200m deal Kyle and Jackie O signed to help take their show national. Where do media companies get this kind of money? Why are they spending it on shock-jocks? Is the future of radio as grim as it looks? They also cover the media reporting of the new Liberal party leader Sussan Ley and discuss whether she is...

Os and Scott discuss how the Australian media is covering the Israeli government's announcement it will "conquer" Gaza and and forcibly relocate the Palestinian population. They talk about why the local outlets like the ABC seem to be doing a worse job at telling the truth compared to mainstream outlets in the US and Europe, and who influences reporting of the issue here in Australia. Then they lo...

A Labor landslide! Peter Dutton lost his seat! The Greens are in trouble! Sky News hosts lose their minds! In this special, post-election episode of Lamestream Scott and Os talk through the topline the results of the federal election and how they compare to the media's predictions (including their own). They discuss the emerging post-election narratives, examine whether this election is confirmati...

In this pre-election episode of Lamestream Os and Scott share their tips for watching the results, highlight what contests they're keeping a close eye on and even boldly make a few predictions. They dive into the latest crisis engulfing the ABC with fresh allegations the broadcaster's chair, Kim Williams, inappropriately interfered to help promote a controversial comedian. Plus, they examine the g...

On the first episode of Lamestream, Os and and Scott explain why they created the show and what they're hoping to achieve by launching a new, independent media outlet. They unpack the idea of the "podcast election" and the significance of politicians ditching traditional media interviews in favour of conversations with social media influencers and podcasters like Abbie Chatfield and The Betoota Ad...

Trust in media and politics has collapsed, and the world feels more fractured than ever. It's never been more important understand what's shaping our society and our culture, but it's also never been harder. That's why we're creating Lamestream. It's a new, fully independent, weekly podcast and newsletter that tackles the crisis in media. Hosted by award-winning journalists Osman Faruqi and Scott...