Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with fellow Ithaca College journalism student Tara Lynch. They unpack the psychology and culture behind binge-watching television. In this episode, we discuss: The Grey's Anatomy Marathon: Tara shares her monumental high school accomplishment of watching 12 years of Grey's An...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In Episode 18 (recorded in May 2020), host Vedant Akhauri reunites with his Ithaca College Television (ICTV) friends, Bailey Wilkinson and Sami Lemza. After meeting on the set of the pop-culture gaming ICTV show Game Over , the trio sits down to geek out over the evolution of superhero films, the dominance of the MCU, and what the future holds for the world&#...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this special birthday episode (recorded in May 2020 to celebrate host Vedant Akhauri turning 20), Vedant is joined by his Ithaca College Television (ICTV) colleagues Olivia, Chloe, and Corey to talk all about video games. Together, they take a nostalgic and critical look back at the last two decades of gaming, crowning their personal picks for the best and...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast (recorded in May 2020), host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Dan Rogers, a politics major at Ithaca College and a friend from WICB 91.7 FM. Together, they unpack the explosive popularity of the viral Netflix docuseries, Tiger King . As they dissect the show's bizarre cast of characters, they raise important ques...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with his former high school broadcast journalism classmate and college tennis player, Katherine Jakeway. Having played on the Women's Tennis team at SMU (Southern Methodist University), Katherine shares her firsthand athletic experiences. Together, they unpack the glaring double...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode, host Vedant Akhauri welcomes back Ithaca College student and former WICB news director, Bridget Bright. Arriving just in time for Pride Month, this episode dives into the stunning French historical drama, Portrait of a Lady on Fire . Together, they unpack why this foreign film resonated so deeply with audiences and why accurate, non-exploitative...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Hannah Breisinger, a 2019 Ithaca College grad and reporter/host for the NPR affiliate WHQR in Wilmington, North Carolina. Hannah shares what it is like navigating the fast-paced news cycle during a global pandemic and historic BLM civil rights protests, proving exactly why local...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with his former Ithaca College TV Production professor, Pete Johanns. With a rich background as a television news producer, reporter, anchor, and PBS documentary filmmaker, Pete brings decades of experience to a deep dive into how consumer control over media access has completely tra...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri explores why the radio industry is far from dying, it is simply evolving. Featuring two distinct conversations, this episode dives into the creative freedom of fictional radio dramas and the critical, artistic importance of audio journalism. In this episode, we discuss: The Boundless Nature of...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode (recorded in May 2020), host Vedant Akhauri explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended the education system. Featuring 3 different perspectives: A graduating high school senior, a rising college senior, and a graduating college senior. This episode dives into the realities of remote instruction, the heartbreak of lost milestones...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes mature and potentially triggering discussions regarding assault and the othering of others based on who they are. Remember that you are beautiful and loved for who you are. Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Billy Streleckis. Together, they tackle the incredibly complex and...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis show, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Bridget Bright, his college News Director for WICB 91.7 FM at Ithaca College. Standing at exactly 6-feet tall, Bridget shares her unique perspective on the Netflix teen rom-com Tall Girl . Together, they unpack the film and why the coming-of-age genre is taking over. In this episod...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis show, host Vedant Akhauri tackles the massive reality television juggernaut that is The Bachelor . Vedant turns to two colleagues from Ithaca College's WICB 91.7 FM for help: TV and Radio Operations Manager Jeremy Manard, and writing major and college radio DJ Olivia Brown. Together, they unpack the show's massive...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri catches up with his former high school classmate Katie Logue, who is currently a junior at the University of Central Florida (UCF). This episode takes a deep dive into how movies and television portray the high school experience. From the absurdly unrealistic outfits of Pretty Little Liars to...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri reunites with his high school and Ithaca College friend, Noah Pantano. As a lifelong theater kid with an encyclopedic knowledge of musicals, Noah is the perfect guest to help unpack one of the most baffling pop-culture moments of the decade: the 2019 Cats movie. Together, they dive into the wi...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In Episode 10 of this media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with former Ithaca College peer Aaron Ohmstede, who is now heading to the University of Florida to study philosophy and political science. This episode delves into the complicated, highly influential world of celebrity endorsements. From pop stars driving voter registration to tone-de...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri reunites with high school friends Aditi Shandilya and Collin Gee to dive into the vibrant, rapidly changing world of Bollywood. Because Aditi introduced Colin to Indian cinema when they first started dating, this episode serves as the perfect beginner's guide to understanding the genre. This conver...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri tackles one of the most vital conversations in the entertainment industry: The power and evolution of representation. Featuring interviews with three peers studying film, journalism, and television, this episode explores how diversity on screen has shifted over the last decade, the historic mi...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri reunites with his longtime friend and fellow creator, Connor Dunwoodie. Having first met in their Florida high school's TV Production program, the two catch up on Connor's journey making vlogs, pranks, and short films for Amazon before diving into the massive, platform-altering policy...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode, host Vedant Akhauri connects with Anna Makris, his former supervisor on the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. Outside of the political sphere, Anna is also a Twitch affiliate who streams under the name, TheHypnoticGamer1 . This episode is a fascinating exploration of the sudden intersection of gaming, massive tech monopolies, and the...

Welcome to this episode of Let's Talk Media, recorded the week COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Host Vedant Akhauri and guests highlight the immediate and widespread impact of the pandemic on various media sectors in real-time. Vedant himself, as a newscaster for his college radio station, first reported on the coronavirus during its initial detection in a Chinese market in December 2019 and its...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri sits down with his former Ithaca College professor, Dr. Cyndy Scheibe, for a deep dive into media literacy, localization, and the hidden messages embedded in children's television. They examine how 1990s and 2000s localization companies like 4Kids Entertainment heavily edited Japanese anim...

Welcome to Let's Talk Media ! In this EXPLOSIVE, MUST-LISTEN episode , your host Vedant Akhauri and guest Matteo Velardo dive into the unseen forces shaping our media landscape and the DARK REALITY of China's human rights abuses and its global impact. 🚨 WARNING: This episode delves into mature and potentially upsetting content, including human rights abuses, persecution, and torture. List...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media ! In our second episode, host Vedant Akhauri dives into the unprecedented wave of reboots, remakes, sequels, and spin-offs that have flooded the entertainment industry. Are studios completely out of original ideas, or is there a right way to bring back a classic? Vedant breaks down his two specific criteria for determining when a revival works, and when it is u...

Welcome to the first episode of Let's Talk Media ! In our very first episode, host Vedant Akhauri takes a solo dive into one of the biggest shifts in the entertainment industry: The rapid decline of traditional cable television. Using insights from Warner Pacific University librarian Carly Lampier’s 2017 publication, The Day the Cable Box Stood Still , Vedant breaks down exactly how platforms...