Project Censored

For the first half of this week's show, Mickey brings on three guests to discuss the upcoming 2022 Whistleblower Summit and Film Festival in Washington, DC (www.whistleblowersummit.com). They also make the case for a broader public understanding of what whistleblowing is, and who is a whistleblower. Then in the second half-hour, Eleanor Goldfield and her guest look at the recent election in Colombia, which saw leftist candidate Gustavo Petro winning the presidency and Afro-Colombian environmental activist Francia Marquez the vice-presidency.   Notes: Michael McCray and Marcel Reid are the co-founders of the International Association of Whistleblowers. McCray is also General Counsel for the Federally Employed Women Legal Education Fund. Reid is a former member of the Pacifica Radio National Board. Marsha Warfield is a nationally-known comedian and actress, and will be hosting some events at the Whistleblower Summit. Gimena Sanchez is a staff member at the Washington Office on Latin America (www.wola.org).

Program Summary:   New co-host Eleanor Goldfield speaks first with Benjamin Norton, to learn how President Biden is "out-Trumping Trump" on immigration. Norton also offers an update on political conditions in Latin America. In the second half of the show, Eugene Puryear explains racism's deep roots in US history, and how it cannot be defeated by superficial actions. He also looks at the significance of Black History Month.   Benjamin Norton is an independent journalist who focuses on Latin America; he's also the founder of the news web site www.multipolarista.com.    Eugene Puryear has been a peace-and-justice organizer since his high-school days; he's the author of "Shackled and Chained: Mass Incarceration in Capitalist America," and he writes at www.breakthroughnews.org      Notes:

Program Summary: Mickey spends the hour with historian Peter Kuznick, who examines the current U.S. confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, summarizes the recent history of Ukraine, and emphasizes the urgency of settling the crisis peacefully.   Notes: Peter Kuznick is Professor of History at American University in Washington DC, and also directs the Nuclear Studies Program at that institution. He and Oliver Stone wrote the groundbreaking book The Untold History of the United States, and also produced a Showtime documentary series based on the book. More information can be found at www.untoldhistory.com.

Program Summary: After several visits as a guest, Eleanor Goldfield joins the program as co-host with Mickey Huff. In the first segment of this week's show, Kevin Gosztola delivers a brief update about Julian Assange's case. Then Jayeesha Dutta speaks with Eleanor about a possible future for the Gulf of Mexico that doesn't include hazardous offshore oil drilling. In the final segment, Alan MacLeod looks at a purported fake-news watchdog, Graphika, which actually is staffed by numerous retired military, CIA and NATO personnel, and dismisses many domestic alternative media organizations as tools of foreign "enemies."     Notes: Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of the news web site www.Shadowproof.com  He has covered the Julian Assange legal proceedings in the UK from the beginning, as well as other press-freedom and whistleblower cases. Jayeesha Dutta is co-founder of AnotherGulf.com; she also works with the Climate Justice Alliance. Alan MacLeod is a media scholar and a senior staff writer at Mint Press News.

Program Summary: Eleanor Goldfield returns to the program to address several topics in media and world events, including the ongoing scandal of Julian Assange's imprisonment, the folly of threatening Russia, and the shallowness of commercial media. Then media scholar Nolan Higdon revisits the program to explain how tech giants are infiltrating the classroom by sponsoring carefully-tailored "media-literacy" course materials.   Eleanor Goldfield is a journalist, artist, and organizer; her web site is www.artkillingapathy.com She also produced a documentary, Hard Road of Hope, about West Virginia communities confronting pollution from fracking (www.hardroadofhope.com). The Craig Murray article she mentions (about Julian Assange) can be found at  consortiumnews.com/2022/01/25/craig-murray-your-man-in-the-courtroom-is-there-an-exit  Nolan Higdon is a lecturer in education at the University of California Santa Cruz campus. He's also the author of the book "The Anatomy of Fake News." His recent article (co-written with Allison Butler) is titled "Time to Put Your Marketing Cap On." It appears in the Review of Education, Pedagogy and Cultural Studies.  

Prof. Aviva Chomsky joined Mickey for a Zoom lecture in April 2021, an event presented by Project Censored and KPFA radio. The occasion was the release of her new book, which revisits Central American history, especially the wars of the 1980s and their ongoing consequences. This week's program presents excerpts from that event.     Notes:   This is a rebroadcast of a previously-aired Project Censored Show.   Aviva Chomsky, eldest daughter of Noam Chomsky, is professor of history at Salem State University in Massachusetts; her field is Latin American studies. She's written extensively about immigration, and also has been involved in Latin American solidarity work for over a quarter-century. Her book, Central America's Forgotten History, is published by Beacon Press.         Music-break information: 1) "Marwa Blues" by George Harrison 2) "Ride Across the River" by Dire Straits 3) "Phoenix" by Wishbone Ash 

Program Summary:   Project Censored's new annual volume will soon be available. "State of the Free Press 2022" includes the well-known 'Top 25' censored stories of the preceding year, as well as many more chapters of media analysis. Andy Lee Roth and Steve Macek of Project Censored spend the hour with Mickey to discuss the new book, and also explain Project Censored's procedures for identifying and compiling under-reported stories.   Notes:   Andy Lee Roth is associate director of Project Censored; he holds a PhD in Sociology from UCLA and has published widely on media issues. Steve Macek teaches Communications and Media Studies at North Central College in Illinois. Roth and Macek are co-coordinators of Project Censored's Campus Affiliates Program.  

Program Summary:   Author Chris Hedges also teaches college-level courses for New Jersey state prison inmates. His new book, “Our Class,” explains what happened when Hedges taught a dramatic-literature course to inmates, then helped them write a play of their own – “Caged” – based on their personal life events. As well, the inmates' stories illustrate the many cruelties of life in an American prison.  Chris Hedges spoke at a KPFA / Project Censored Zoom event on November 18; this week's program presents excerpts from that talk.   Notes:   Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist with a long career as a war correspondent around the world. He hosts the program "On Contact" for RT Television, and writes online at www.scheerpost.com. His previous books include "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning," "Death of the Liberal Class," and "America: The Farewell Tour."  

This week we present a rebroadcast of a speech delivered one year ago by journalist Chris Hedges. In a Zoom speech shortly after the 2020 election, Hedges spoke about the deeper forces of political and economic decay afflicting the US. This episode contains Hedges' complete speech, titled "The Culture of Despair."   Notes:   Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist with a long career as a foreign correspondent around the world. He hosts the program "On Contact" for RT Television, and writes online at www.scheerpost.com  His books include War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning,  Death of the Liberal Class, and most recently, America: The Farewell Tour.

Online journalist Kevin Gosztola returns to the program to deliver an update about the Julian Assange extradition case in the UK, and its disturbing impacts for press freedom. Then in the second half, Eleanor Goldfield tells about the remarkable range of issues in which Wikileaks has obtained and published secret documents.   Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of the news web site www.Shadowproof.com  He has covered the Julian Assange legal proceedings in the UK from the beginning, as well as other press-freedom and whistleblower cases. Eleanor Goldfield is a journalist, artist and organizer; her web site is www.artkillingapathy.com   She also produced a documentary, Hard Road of Hope, about West Virginia communities confronting pollution from fracking.   

Mickey's guest for the full hour is media scholar Victor Pickard of the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss Pickard's 2019 book, "Democracy Without Journalism?"  Pickard describes the dimensions of recent years' precipitous drop in the employment of reporters, and its likely consequences for society. He explains the historical roots of this new crisis, and offers remedies that center on building publicly-supported  journalism institutions that aren't coupled to commercial values.  

Program Summary: With British courts nearing a possible decision on whether to extradite Julian Assange to the U.S., Jeff Mackler speaks to Mickey about the campaign to free Assange (the founder of the Wikileaks web site). Then we hear a conversation with online journalist Kevin Gosztola about the Assange case, as well as cases of several U.S. whistleblowers.  Jeff Mackler is a member of  www.AssangeDefense.org  and a co-organizer of a Oct. 23 free-Assange demonstration in Oakland, CA. He's also on the board of the United National Antiwar Coalition.   Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of the news web site www.Shadowproof.com   He has covered the Julian Assange legal proceedings in the UK from the beginning, as well as other press-freedom and whistleblower cases. Mickey's conversation with Kevin Gosztola is a rebroadcast from a Project Censored Show of this past August

Program Summary: September 17, 2021 was the tenth anniversary of the start of Occupy Wall Street. Journalist Michael Levitin was there at its beginning, and, among other roles, edited the Occupy Wall Street Journal. His new book Generation Occupy, chronicles the history of the Occupy movement and its ongoing influence. He and Mickey Huff spoke in a Zoom event presented by Diablo Valley College on October 14.   Michael Levitin is a widely-published journalist who in 2011 started the Occupy Wall Street Journal. Prior to taking part in Occupy, he wrote for publications such as the Financial Times and Los Angeles Times. He now teaches journalism at Diablo Valley College. His web site is www.michaellevitin.com   

Program Summary: In the aftermath of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony to Congress, Mickey and his guests look at the ongoing issues of social media's social responsibility, or lack of responsibility. Were most of Haugen's disclosures already known? And what actions should be taken to reduce the harm caused by the behavior of Facebook and the other digital media giants? Alan MacLeod is a media critic, a staff writer at Mint Press News, and a contributor to many other publications. He's also the author of "Bad News From Venezuela." Nolan Higdon teaches history and media studies at California State University, East Bay. He's also the author of "The Anatomy of Fake News"  

Program Summary: On the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Code Pink, Massachusetts Peace Action, Project Censored and other organizations held an online seminar on the worldwide toll of the US "War On Terror," and strategies for resisting militarism in the years to come. This week's Project Censored Show presents excerpts from some of the speeches at that event. This is the second half of a two-part series; the first was aired in the Project Censored Show of 9-20-21.   Notes: Some of the participants' presentations have been edited due to time constraints or audio quality issues. The original webinar is over three hours long, and can be viewed in its entirety at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwa2c2txI0A  

Program Summary: This week is Banned-Books Week 2021, an annual affirmation of Americans' right to read. In the first half of the program, Mickey and his guests look at some recent efforts to restrict students' choice of books in Ohio and Texas. September 2021 is also the tenth anniversary of the start of Occupy Wall Street. Author Michael Levitin joins Mickey to look at Occupy's origins and its ongoing influence.     Nora Pelizzari is Director of Communications at the National Coalition Against Censorship (www.ncac.org). Jackie Farmer is Senior Program Officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (www.thefire.org). Michael Levitin is a widely-published journalist who in 2011 started the Occupy Wall Street Journal. His new book is Generation Occupy: Reawakening American Democracy. His web site is www.michaellevitin.com Other web sites mentioned on this program: www.bannedbooksweek.org www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif

Program Summary: On the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Code Pink, Massachusetts Peace Action, Project Censored and other organizations held an online seminar on the worldwide toll of the US "War On Terror," and strategies for resisting militarism in the years to come. This week's Project Censored Show presents excerpts from some of the speeches at that event.     Notes: The original webinar is over three hours long, and can be viewed in its entirety at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwa2c2txI0A  

Program Summary:   For the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Mickey and his guests examine some still-unanswered questions about the attacks and the events that preceded them, notably why several already-identified terror suspects were not taken into custody by US authorities.     Peter Dale Scott is the author of dozens of books of poetry and prose, including Coming to Jakarta, The Road to 9/11, and American War Machine. Aaron Good is Covert Action Magazine's Editor-at-Large, and author of the forthcoming book American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. Ben Howard is an independent researcher based in Boston. The three have written a forthcoming article for Covert Action Magazine for the Sept. 11 anniversary.  

Program Summary: As the nation marks 20 years since the Sept 11 attacks, Mickey interviews Ray McGinnis, the author of a new book that looks at numerous questions that remain unanswered by official authorities, and were not even asked by the 9/11 Commission. Then long-time 9/11 researcher Ken Jenkins explains why activists must be on the lookout for logical fallacies in their own thinking, especially on controversial issues such as 9/11.   Ray McGinnis is the author of the new book "Unanswered Questions: What the September Eleventh Families Asked and the 9/11 Commission Ignored." He is a freelance writer and writing instructor. Ken Jenkins is an independent video producer and long-time Sept 11 researcher. He holds a degree in electrical engineering, and has also studied psychology.

Program Summary:   In the first segment, journalist Dave Lindorff shares the little-known story of Ted Hall (1925-1999), a teenage science prodigy who worked on the WWII Manhattan Project, then shared his atomic secrets with the USSR, to ensure that the US wouldn't be the world's only possessor of nuclear weapons. Then Dan O'Connell and Scott Peters speak about their new book, a collection of writings by scholars who helped fight for the betterment of California farmworkers and farming communities.    Notes:   Dave Lindorff is a veteran journalist and has written four books. His recent article about Ted Hall can be found at www.counterpunch.org/2019/08/09/remembering-ted-hall-and-klaus-fuchs Dan O'Connell is executive director of the Central Valley Partnership. Scott Peters teaches at Cornell University. Their new book is "In the Struggle: Scholars and the Fight against Industrial Agribusiness in California."    

Former Congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is Mickey's first guest; he's written a new book (The Division of Light and Power) about a lonely battle he waged to preserve public power in Cleveland during his term as mayor. In the second half of the show, poet Lisa Wells speaks about her new book Believers: Making a Life at the End of the World. It's a collection of biographies of a wide range of individuals who've remained dedicated to preserving and enhancing pieces of land, despite the spectre of catastrophic climate change.     Notes:   Dennis Kucinich served eight terms in the US House of Representatives, and twice ran for President. But his greatest battle may have been in his one term as mayor of Cleveland in the late 1970s, when he fought off an attempt to privatize the city's municipally-owned electric system. His new book, The Division of Light and Power, tells the story of that struggle.   Lisa Wells is a poet and author based in Portland, Oregon. Her conversation with Mickey Huff took place as a Zoom event sponsored by KPFA-FM (Berkeley, CA) and Project Censored.

The first guest on this week's program is Kevin Gosztola of www.Shadowproof.com  . He and Mickey speak about notable whistleblowers who've been in the news recently, including Julian Assange, Daniel Hale, and Reality Winner.   In the second half of the show, a look at the fallout from a 2020 Congressional election, when Shahid Buttar ran again House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her San Francisco district. Although Pelosi was easily re-elected, Buttar says elements of the local Democratic Party retaliated against him for challenging Pelosi, by spreading groundless allegations of personal misconduct. And, he says, multiple local media outlets covered the allegations despite the absence of credible evidence. Buttar joins the program, along with Gloria Berry, a member of the party's Central Committee ("DCCC") for San Francisco.   Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of the news web site www.Shadowproof.com  He has covered the Julian Assange legal proceedings in the UK from the beginning, as well as other press-freedom and whistleblower cases.   Shahid Buttar is a civil-rights lawyer, and has worked at the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In the 2020 election, he challenged long-time incumbent Nancy Pelosi for her seat in California's 12th District (San Francisco). Gloria Berry is a Navy veteran, and the founder of a womens' mentoring organization.    

Mickey's guests for the hour are Susan Zakin and Steve Erickson. Zakin created the online journal www.JournalOfThePlagueYears.ink as a place for new literature and new kinds of literature, especially work examining life in the pandemic. Novelist Steve Erickson is a contributing editor to the site.    Susan Zakin is an environmental journalist, and the founder of Journal of the Plague Years. Her previous works include "Coyotes and Town Dogs." Steve Erickson is a prolific novelist, and teaches at the University of California's Riverside campus. His latest work, "American Stutter," is published at Journal of the Plague Years.    

Mickey's first guest is long-time media activist and "culture jammer" Kalle Lasn, the founder of Adbusters magazine. He summarizes the history of Adbusters, and explains some recent developments, including the decision by Canada's dominant drug-store chain to cease selling the magazine. In the second half, Chase Palmieri returns to the program to explain the project he founded, www.credder.com, the web site that gives news readers a place to evaluate the quality of news articles.   Kalle Lasn lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he founded Adbusters magazine in 1989; he remains its editor-in-chief. He is also the author of three books, Culture Jam, Design Anarchy, and Meme Wars. Chase Palmieri's work in the restaurant business inspired his idea that news consumers should have a review site for journalism analogous to Yelp's role for restaurants; to provide this opportunity, and create an incentive for news outlets to improve their product, he created www.credder.com    the Project Censored Show:   Host: Mickey Huff    Producer: Anthony Fest

Mickey's guest for the hour is political scientist Aaron Good. Good recently completed writing a critique of the latest BBC documentary from Adam Curtis ("Can't Get You Out of My Head"), ultimately concluding that the work is intended to distract and hide rather than reveal. His conversation with Mickey covers issues from the JFK assassination to changes in the world financial system in the 1970s.   Aaron Good holds a doctorate in political science from Temple University. His three-part critique of Adam Curtis can be found online at www.kennedysandking.com    He has a book, American Exception: Empire and the Deep State, scheduled for release in 2022.   Host: Mickey Huff    Producer: Anthony Fest

This week's program presents edited audio of a July 13, 2021 Zoom conversation in which Mickey hosted author Dan Kovalik. Kovalik spoke about his latest work, "Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture." Kovalik warns of the dangers of 'cancel culture' on the left, and advocates instead for dialogue and tolerance of differing opinions.   Dan Kovalik is a law professor and a prolific author; some of his recent books include "No More War," and "The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela."   Host: Mickey Huff    Producer: Anthony Fest  

How did the dominant corporate media cover Joe Biden's first 100 days as President? And how has media coverage of Biden differed from that given to Donald Trump?  Mickey is joined by Emil Marmol and Nolan Higdon to discuss a forthcoming article the three of them wrote on these topics. Then Jennifer Lyons speaks about her new academic study of left-populist podcasts, and how their perspectives differ from those of legacy media such as cable TV.       Notes: Nolan Higdon teaches at California State University, East Bay. He and Emil Marmot are frequent contributors to Project Censored. Their forthcoming article will be titled, "Returning to Neoliberal Normalcy." Jennifer Lyons teaches History at Diablo Valley College; her forthcoming article on left-populist media was coauthored with Nolan Higdon.

This week's program presents excerpts from a live online discussion co-produced by Project Censored and the Real News Network. The first in a series of three programs examining life and media in the modern age of pervasive digital communication, it examines the question "Is Freedom Possible in the Digital Era?" The panelists were Andy Lee Roth, Allison Butler and John K. Wilson; moderators were Maximillian Alvarez and Mickey Huff.   Notes: Andy Lee Roth is Associate Director of Project Censored, and co-editor of the annual Project Censored books. Alison Butler teaches in the Department of Communications at the University of Massachusetts. John K. Wilson is Contributing Editor to Academeblog.org, a project of the American Association of University Professors. Maximillian Alvarez is Editor-in-Chief at the Real News Network A video of the entire program can be see at www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jht-StlI8     Music-Break information: 1) "Long Red" by Mountain 2) "Pipeline" by the Alan Parsons Project

Mickey's first guest is Shahid Buttar, who in 2020 ran against Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her seat in the House of Representatives; he speaks about prospects for progressive change in 2021. Then author Dan Kovalik returns to the program to discuss his latest work, "Cancel This Book," which warns of the dangers of 'cancel culture.'   Notes:   Shahid Buttar is a civil-rights lawyer; he's worked at public-interest organizations including the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In the 2020 election, he challenged long-time incumbent Nancy Pelosi for her seat in California's 12th District (San Francisco). Dan Kovalik is a law professor and a prolific author; some of his recent books include "No More War," and "The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela."       The Project Censored Show:   Host: Mickey Huff    Producer: Anthony Fest   Music-break information: 1) "What About Me?" by Quicksilver Messenger Service 2) "Let's Work Together" by Canned Heat 3) "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield

Mickey's guest for the first half of this week's show is Jordan Elgrably, editor of a new publication: the Markaz Review www.themarkaz.org They explore some of the topics covered in this month's issue, "Why Truth?" In the second half of the show, Andy Lee Roth explains how nonhuman censors -- algorithms -- are exerting tremendous, yet unseen, control over which stories users of online media are able to see.   Notes:   Jordan Elgrably, editor of the Markaz Review, is a widely-published writer. He was also the cofounder of the Levantine Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Andy Lee Roth is Associate Director of Project Censored, and coeditor of the Project's annual volume of censored stories and other media analysis. His article on algorithms as media gatekeepers can be found at themarkaz.org/magazine/the-new-gatekeepers-andy-lee-roth     the Project Censored Show:   Host: Mickey Huff    Producer: Anthony Fest   Music-break information: 1) "What is Truth?" by Johnny Cash 2) "Gimme Some Truth" by John Lennon 3) "Welcome to the Machine" by Pink Floyd Archives at  www.projectcensored.org/category/radio

In the first half of the program, peace organizer Medea Benjamin looks at the Biden Administration's foreign policy, and finds it mainly a disappointment. Then Rebecca Grace and John Gray introduce the Complete Picture Project, an organization that assembles videos of nonviolent offenders facing sentencing, so that a sentencing judge will learn more about an offender's entire life, including family and community connections, rather than only the criminal record.     Notes:   Medea Benjamin is co-founder of the women's peace organization Code Pink; she's also written eight books, including "Inside Iran" and "Kingdom of the Unjust." Her recent article on Biden's foreign policy can be found at progressive.org/dispatches/biden-foreign-policy-ten-problems-davies-benjamin-210313    Rebecca Grace and John Gray are the founders of the Complete Picture Project. Gray himself served a prison term for crimes related to an old drug habit. The organization's web site is www.completepicture.org 

Aaron Good teaches at a Quaker high school in Pennsylvania. He invited Daniel Ellsberg to speak to his class via Zoom, and also secretly invited several of Ellsberg's fellow authors or whistleblowers, making the event a surprise tribute to Ellsberg, and a panel discussion of both historic and recent events in the peace movement.   Notes:   Daniel Ellsberg is best-known as the whistleblower who leaked the “Pentagon Papers” to the press, but has also written on the threat posed by nuclear weapons, and on other issues of war and peace.  Peter Kuznick is Professor of History at American University in Washington, DC, and co-author of “The Untold History of the United States.”  Katherine Gun is a British whistleblower who exposed U-S efforts to browbeat other nations into supporting George W. Bush's 2003 invasion of Iraq.  Peter Dale Scott is a retired professor, a former Canadian diplomat, and a prolific author on the 'deep state.'  James Galbraith is Professor of Government at the University of Texas, and a son of the late author John Kenneth Galbraith.  Aaron Good teaches at a Quaker high school in Pennsylvania, holds a doctorate from Temple University, and is a frequent contributor to Project Censored.

Today's guests say that the National Park Service is betraying its mission at California's Point Reyes National Seashore by favoring legacy cattle ranches and dairies over preservation of the land and the survival of the native Tule Elk. Peter Byrne and Will Carruthers also present examples of the local ranch and dairy businesses wielding undue influence in the region's  politics, and corrupting a local land-preservation nonprofit. They add that only the presence of an independent weekly newspaper has enabled the public to be aware of these problems.   Notes:   Peter Byrne is an investigative journalist who has written on a wide array of topics, from science and medicine to public finance. His article “Apocalypse Cow” can be read at www.pacificsun.com. All of Byrne's work can be found at www.PeterByrne.info Will Carruthers is the staff reporter for the Pacific Sun and North Bay Bohemian weekly newspapers, serving California's Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties.

Mickey's guest for the hour is John K. Wilson, author of a recent report about freedom of the press on US college campuses. They speak about the findings of Wilson's report, as well as the multiple threats to journalism and freedom of speech on campuses. Wilson also revisits some of the landmark events of the past generation's media history, including the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine and the rise of right-wing talk radio. Notes:   John K. Wilson writes for the Academe Blog, a web page of the American Association of University Professors. His report on press freedom on campus can be found at freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/fellows-19-20/wilson-research   Wilson has also written eight books, including "The Most Dangerous Man In America: Rush Limbaugh's Assault on Reason."   Music-break information: 1) “Chord Change” by Camel 2) “Salamander” by Jethro Tull 3) “Arriving Somewhere But Not Here” by Porcupine Tree

Although a new administration has taken office in Washington, the administrators of the world's wealth have not changed. Project Censored presents a rebroadcast of "Giants: The Global Power Elite." Project Censored Show cofounder Peter Phillips returned to the show as a guest in August 2018 to discuss his book about the 'transnational corporate class.' The product of years of research, "Giants" identifies the institutions and individuals who manage trillions of dollars of assets, and wield the political might that such riches confer. As the Biden administration takes charge, observers of politics might watch for representatives of the 'Giants' on the Biden team. Notes:   Peter Phillips is Professor of Sociology at Sonoma State University in California. He's also the retired director of Project Censored, and cofounder of the Project Censored radio show. "Giants" is his 18th book, and is published by Seven Stories Press.   Music-break information:1) "Lucifer" by the Alan Parsons Project2) "Lunar Sea" by Camel3) "The Watcher" by Dave Holland  

On January 6, 2021, mobs of violent right-wingers invaded the U.S. Capitol building, some of them threatening the lives of members of Congress. On January 13, Mickey Huff hosted an online panel discussion "Coup d'Trump," about the attack on the Capitol and its implications, as well as a critique of how corporate and corporate-sponsored media framed the events of January 6. This week's Project Censored Show presents the panelists' remarks, as well as their responses to questions posed by members of a Zoom audience.   Notes: The panelists were Mnar Muhawish Adley of Mint Press News, Robin Andersen of Fordham University, Nicholas Baham III and Nolan Higdon of California State University, East Bay, and Allison Butler of the University of Massachusetts. The complete discussion of over 90 minutes can be viewed at www.ProjectCensored.org    Music-break music: "Underture" by the Who

Mickey's first guest is veteran technology entrepreneur John Marshall. In his new book "Free is Bad," he contends that internet users' expectation that everything online should be provided free has been a disservice to themselves  and to society, because it makes advertisers, not internet users, the real customers of the tech firms. In the second half of the show, History and Media Studies lecturer Nolan Higdon returns to the program for a discussion about what the January 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol means for the media and for the country.  Notes: John Marshall has 40 years' experience in the high-technology industry, including starting several companies; his specialty is advertising technology. The web site for his new book is www.freeisbad.com. Nolan Higdon teaches at California State University, East Bay and is a frequent contributor to Project Censored. His latest book, “The Anatomy of Fake News,” is published by the University of California Press.   Music-Break information: 1) "Underture" by the Who   2) "Long Red" by Mountain   3) "Wot Gorilla?" by Genesis

This week's program begins with Kevin Gosztola's analysis of the recent UK court rulings about Julian Assange; although the judge refused to allow Assange's extradition to the U.S., Gosztola says press freedom suffered severe setbacks in the case. In the second half-hour, Michael D. Knox explains the activities of the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation, and its efforts to confront the militaristic nature of U.S. culture.     Notes: Kevin Gosztola is the managing editor of the news web site www.Shadowproof.com .  He has covered the Julian Assange legal proceedings in the UK from the beginning, as well as other press-freedom and whistleblower cases. Michael D. Knox is a retired psychologist, and the founder and chair of the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation, www.USPeaceMemorial.org 

In the first half of the program, Aaron Good summarizes an article he co-wrote about the September 9, 2001 murder of Afghan militia leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, and its connection to the subsequent September 11th attacks and the US occupation of Afghanistan. Then English professor Adam Bessie examines the implications of the massive change from in-person to remote instruction at community colleges, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.     Notes: Aaron Good is a history instructor in the Philadelphia area. His article with Peter Dale Scott, "Was the Now-Forgotten Murder of One Man on September 9, 2001 a Crucial Pre-condition for 9/11?" can be found at www.covertactionmagazine.com      Adam Bessie teaches English at Diablo Valley College, and writes about education and social justice.His article, "Going Remote: Flattening the Curriculum" appears in Project Censored's 2021 book.     Music-Break information: 1) "Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring   2) "Wall Street Shuffle" by 10cc   3) "The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby and the Range

In the first half of the show, Sharyl Attkisson shares ideas from her new book “Slanted. “ She contends that in recent years corporate and government forces have dramatically expanded their intervention into the conduct of journalism, to the extent that some types of investigative stories can no longer be reported.   Then British reporter Rachael Jolley joins the show to explain how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the work of reporters – in Europe and elsewhere. She notes that even while the pandemic has squeezed media outlets' revenue, communities are searching for reliable local news more than they previously did.   Notes:   Sharyl Attkisson has reported for CBS News, CNN and PBS. She now hosts her own Sunday program “Full Measure” on Sinclair Broadcasting. Her web site is www.sharylattkisson.com    Rachael Jolley wrote for several British newspapers, and also was editor-in-chief of the Index on Censorship magazine. She is now an editor at Eurozine, and also teaches at Sheffield University.   Music-Break information: 1) “Phoenix” by Wishbone Ash 2) “The Resistance” by 2 Cellos 3) “Pipeline” by the Alan Parsons Project

In an online speech delivered one week after the election, journalist Chris Hedges spoke about the much deeper forces of political and economic decay afflicting the US. This week's Project Censored Show contains Hedges' complete speech, titled "The Culture of Despair."   Notes:   Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist with a long career as a foreign correspondent around the world. He hosts the program "On Contact" for RT Television, and writes online at www.scheerpost.com  His books include War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, Death of the Liberal Class, and most recently, America: The Farewell Tour.   Music-Break information:    “The Truth Won't Fade Away” by Procol Harum

Project Censored's new annual volume is now available. "State of the Free Press 2021" includes the well-known 'Top 25' censored stories, as well as many additional chapters of media analysis. Mickey Huff and Andy Lee Roth are the co-editors of this volume; today on the Project Censored Show they discuss the new book, and also explain Project Censored's analytical approach.   Notes:   Andy Lee Roth is associate director of Project Censored, and coordinator of its Campus Affiliates Program. He holds a PhD in Sociology from UCLA and has published widely on media issues.   Music-Break information: 1) “Johnny Left Home Without It” by Wishbone Ash 2) “Son of Mr. Green Genes” by Frank Zappa 3) “Topaz” by Journey   the Project Censored Show:   Host: Mickey Huff Producer: Anthony Fest

Technology companies are enthusiastically promoting the consumer "benefits" of fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology. But today's guests say 5G will also deliver an array of dangers -- to human health and the world environment. They explain some of the hazards of 5G, and suggest courses of action, both individual and political, to confront the problems. Guests: Kate Kheel, Phoebe Sorgen, Amber Yang, and Kenn Burrows.      Notes:   Web sites mentioned on this program: www.stop5ginternational.org www.ehtrust.org www.5gcrisis.com www.mdsafetech.org www.emfportal.org www.gowired.org   Music-break information: 1) "Digital Haircut" by Lord Echo 2) "Pipeline" by the Alan Parsons Project 3) "Blasting Cap" by Preston Reed

Nico Perrino is the first guest on this week's program; the topic is "Mighty Ira," Perrino's new documentary on the life and times of Ira Glasser.  Glasser led the American Civil Liberties Union from 1978 to 2001, and helped build it into the influential organization it is today.  Then Mickey welcomes philosophy professor John K. Roth, who has dedicated most of his scholarly career to studying the Holocaust.  He explains the conditions that gave rise to fascism and the genocide of Jews, and suggests what lessons modern societies should remember  to avoid taking similar paths.           Notes:   Nico Perrino was co-director of "Mighty Ira." (www.mightyira.com). He is also a staff member at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (www.thefire.org).  John K. Roth is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Claremont-McKenna College in southern California.  He has written extensively about the Holocaust, including materials for educators. His latest publication is "Sources of Holocaust Insight," from Cascade Books.   Music-break information:1) "Pipeline" by the Alan Parsons Project  2) "Elegia" by Carlo Balzaretti3) "Dance of the Forgotten" by Hal Freedman

Historian Peter Kuznick is the first guest; he makes the case for Americans to 'hold their noses' and vote for Joe Biden, but also expresses pessimism about the directions a Biden administration is likely to take. Then media scholar Victor Pickard returns to the program to examine commercial media's superficial coverage of the election, as well as its failures on other issues.     Notes:   This program was recorded on November 4 and 5 -- after the presidential election, but before news services projected the winner. Peter Kuznick is Professor of History at American University in Washington DC, and also directs AU's Nuclear Studies Program (edspace.american.edu/nsi). He and Oliver Stone wrote the "The Untold History of the United States." Victor Pickard is Professor of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-director of the Media, Inequality and Change Center (mic.asc.upenn.edu). His most recent book is "Democracy Without Journalism?" Music-break information:1) "Wall Street Shuffle" by 10cc.2) "Water Song" by Hot Tuna 3) "The Resistance" by 2 Cellos

October 26 through 30 was Media Literacy Week. Media scholar Nolan Higdon joined Mickey to explain why critical media literacy is an essential component of media education.     Notes:   This program was recorded prior to the presidential election.   Nolan Higdon teaches teaches history and media studies at California State University, East Bay, and is a frequent contributor to the annual Project Censored books. He and Mickey Huff are the coauthors of "United States of Distraction." Higdon's new book is "The Anatomy of Fake News." Music-break information:1) "Games People Play" by the Alan Parsons Project2) "Mann's Fate" by Hot Tuna 3) "Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman   the Project Censored Show:   Host: Mickey Huff  Producer: Anthony Fest

How does the constant presence of smart phones and other digital devices affect the developing brains of young children? Media scholar Mary Rothschild has investigated this question, and offers her surprising conclusions, as well as suggested strategies for parents and teachers to manage children's use of these devices.Mary Rothschild has taught at Fordham and Adelphi Universities, and now offers consultations for parents and educators on managing children's media usage. Notes:This is a rebroadcast of a previously-aired Project Censored program. Web site mentioned on this program:www.maryrothschild.com  Music-break Information: 1) "Pipeline" by the Alan Parsons Project2) "L'Enfant" by Vangelis3) "Simmer" by Lisa Hilton

Abby Martin returns to the program, to list the many ways Trump and Biden agree about foreign policy.She also explains her battle against a Georgia law under which she was prevented from speaking at a public university there.In the second half-hour, Eleanor Goldfield revisits the program and shares her observations about the US elections,and what social justice advocates must do to foster genuine progress. Notes: Abby Martin is an independent journalist, and the creator of "The Empire Files."Previously, she hosted "Breaking the Set" on RT Television. Her web site iswww.theempirefiles.tv    Eleanor Goldfield is a journalist, artist and organizer; she recently produced "Hard Road of Hope,"an award-winning documentary about peoples' resistance in West Virginia coal country.Her web site is www.artkillingapathy.com

On this week's program, we hear a speech by the legendary political activist and consumer-rights advocateRalph Nader. Nader outlines some of the most critical problems facing Americans, including exorbitant military spending,out-of-control corporations, and thousands of annual deaths in the workplace, or from lack of health care coverage.But then he names some individuals who've made a difference in recent U.S. history, explains what studentscan accomplish on campus, and how voters can hold legislators accountable. Nader spoke on March 5, 2018 atSonoma State University in northern California, as part of the campus's annual Social Justice Week Lecture Series.Notes: This is a rebroadcast of a previously-aired Project Censored Show.Web site mentioned on this program:www.nader.orgthe Project Censored Show: Host: Mickey Huff Producers: Anthony Fest and Dennis MurphyArchives at www.projectcensored.org/category/radio

With the November election drawing near, media analyst Nolan Higdon returns to the Project Censored Show to explain how fake news and biased media undermine democracy, and why individuals should be "media citizens" rather than "media consumers."   Then in the second half-hour, Nico Perrino joins the program to explain the results of a new study of freedom-of-speech on US college campuses, based on a survey of 20,000 students at 55 schools. At which schools is freedom of speech most respected, and what policies should every college follow to protect it?     Notes:   Nolan Higdon teaches history and media studies at California State University, East Bay, and writes extensively for Project Censored. He is the author of "The Anatomy of Fake News" from the University of California Press. Nico Perrino is vice-president for communications at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (www.thefire.org). He also helped produce a forthcoming documentary "Mighty Ira," on the accomplishments of Ira Glasser at the American Civil Liberties Union (www.mightyira.com).   Music-break information: “L'Enfant” by Vangelis “Blasting Cap” by Preston Reed “Wasn't Born To Follow” by the Byrds

As well as being the director of Project Censored, Mickey Huff is a faculty member at California's Diablo Valley College. This past April, he was invited to deliver the annual Faculty Lecture (via Zoom); he spoke on the topic “Make America Think Again.” Drawing on his years of teaching and research, his talk explored both distant and recent media history, and offered ideas for both individual and societal action. His speech, excerpted for this week's program, was the 56th annual Faculty Lecture at DVC.   Notes: Mickey Huff is co-chair of History at Diablo Valley College in Contra Costa County, where he has taught for 20 years. He is also the director of Project Censored, and the co-editor of Project Censored's annual collection of censored or underreported stories.