The Study Hall Podcast

Daniel chatted with Anna Merlan, a senior reporter at Mother Jones. Merlan shared her experience covering the far-right media ecosystem, disinformation, and RFK JR.. She discussed why she believes Trump has used a “new state media” to spread his message. Follow Anna Merlan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annamerlan.bsky.social   Find our more about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz   Music by KT The...

In a chat with host Daniel Spielberger, Katelyn Burns, a columnist at MSNBC and Xtra, discussed her coverage of President Trump’s anti-trans policies, how legacy media overlooks trans perspectives, and the expanding role of independent media. Burns is also the co-host of the podcast Cancel Me, Daddy and co-founder of The Flytrap.    Subscribe to her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/katelynburns/...

Daniel D’Addario, Variety’s chief correspondent, joined the podcast to discuss his new novel "The Talent." "The Talent" follows five competing actresses over the course of an awards season. D’Addario also discussed the evolution of awards season as a spectacle, what exactly means for a celebrity to do "media training," and entertainment journalism's place in the creator economy.  Find out more abo...

Daniel chats with journalists Alex Arriaga and kate harloe. Alex is an audience engagement editor at New York Focus, while kate is a freelance journalist who has written for Mother Jones,  Neiman Labs, and other outlets. The two discussed a community listening tour they spearheaded for New York Focus, an independent newsroom covering New York. The community listening tour surveyed New Yorkers on h...

Daniel spoke to Dane Cardiel, the founder of Good Tape, a creative studio and magazine that covers the podcasting industry. Dane discussed the importance of building a community around your podcast/magazine. He also shared some insight into the benefits and drawbacks of podcasting for journalism. To learn more about Good Tape visit: https://goodtape.com/ To learn more about Study Hall visit: https...

Nathan J. Robinson, the founder and editor in chief of Current Affairs, shared his experience running a leftist publication during the Trump administration. He also discussed how leftists can engage with right wing media and the importance of rigorous, good faith debate.  Read Current Affairs here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/ Find out more about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz . 

Matt Pearce chats with Daniel about how the recent wildfires highlighted the importance of local journalism in Los Angeles. He also shares some possible policy solutions to the media industry's crisis and his own research into the utility of AI tools during a time of crisis. Matt is a journalist and president of the Media Guild of the West, which represents newsrooms in Southern California, Arizon...

In a conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Grace Byron discusses her recent Study Hall review of a Harper's event which featured the Red Scare podcast and Dean Kissick. Byron argues that the event highlighted a reactionary movement in art criticism. Grace's writing has appeared in Bookforum, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Cut, Pitchfork and other outlets.  Read Grace's essay here: https://studyh...

Magdalene Taylor is a critic who covers sex and culture. Her writing has appeared in The Cut, The New York Times, Slate, and Mel Magazine. On this episode, she discussed how she developed her beat, the impact of smartphones on dating, her writing on incels, and the fandom surrounding Luigi Mangione.  Subscribe to Magdalene's newsletter: https://magdalene.substack.com/ Find out more about Study Hal...

In a conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Ben Goggin, deputy tech editor at NBC News, discussed Elon Musk's notion of "citizen journalism," covering celebrities from a tech angle, misinformation, and what's behind the public's lack of trust in the media.  Follow Ben Goggin on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bengoggin.bsky.social .  For more information about Study Hall visit: https://studyhall....

For the first episode of 2025, Daniel Spielberger chatted with Jake Nevins, the digital editor at Interview Magazine. Nevins discussed what's "in" for 2025, his approach to sports journalism, and the new books that he's looking forward to reading this year.    For more information about Study Hall visit Studyhall.xyz.

For this episode of the Study Hall Podcast, Daniel Spielberger interviewed independent journalist Ken Klippenstein. The reporter shared why he decided to publish the entirety of Luigi Mangione’s manifesto on his website. In addition, he discussed how mainstream media outlets tend to abide by a paternalistic approach to disclosing important information to the public and how this manifests in both e...

We spoke to 404 Media co-founder and editor Samantha Cole about the importance of worker-owned media projects, the rise of AI tools, and how the popularity of tradwife content reflects our political moment. 404 Media is a worker-owned outlet covering technology, social media platforms, and surveillance. Study Hall is a resource and community for journalists. For more information about Study Hall,...

Alyssa Mercante, the former senior editor at Kotaku, stops by The Study Hall Podcast to discuss video game journalism's significance in the political landscape and how content creators are pivoting towards Twitch.    For more information visit studyhall.xyz. 

For the first episode of the Study Hall Podcast, Daniel Spielberger chats with Taylor Lorenz about her experience leaving legacy media! The former Washington Post journalist shares her take on the right wing media ecosystem and offers advice on how journalists can launch their own independent media projects.