Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we create, consume, and trust information. In this special crossover episode of News Over Noise, Cory Barker and guest co-host Jenna Spinelli explore AI’s impact on news, education, and democracy with Sean Marcus of the Poynter Institute, Pamela Brunskill of the News Literacy Project, and Jenna Meleedy of the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Together, they unpack the rise of deepfakes, the “liar’s dividend,” and how educators are helping students mind the gap between breaking news and verified information. They also share strategies for navigating misinformation, using AI ethically in the newsroom, and maintaining trust in an era when technology can fabricate anything.

When student journalists at Indiana University published routine accountability reporting, they did not expect rising pressure from the institution they were covering. Behind closed doors, university leaders began to question editorial decisions, push advisers to intervene, and restrict the independence that had long defined the newsroom. In this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Jim Rodenbush, former director of student media at Indiana University, about the events that led to his removal, the political climate surrounding universities, and the growing divide between public relations priorities and independent reporting. The story in Indiana reflects a larger national trend that affects press freedom, the future of student media, and the communities that rely on young reporters to fill widening gaps in local news coverage.

Billionaires aren’t just buying newspapers—they’re investing in bylines. In this episode of News Over Noise, Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with journalist Eoin Higgins about how right-wing donors and think tanks are funding respected journalists and media outlets to promote elite-friendly, anti-democratic narratives. It’s not always obvious, and that’s the point. We dig into how this influence campaign works, why it matters, and what it means for the future of journalism.

Even in an age of fact-checking, misinformation keeps winning hearts and headlines. In this episode, Matt Jordan and Cory Barker with Dr. Michelle Amazeen about why corrections don’t always change minds, how people perceive fact-checking, and what that means for trust in media. It’s a deep dive into the psychology, politics, and power dynamics behind what we choose to believe.

Universities are under attack—not by students or faculty, but by a wave of misinformation framing higher education as a threat to free speech. On this episode of News Over Noise, Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Dr. Bradford Vivian, author of Campus Misinformation, about how these distorted narratives take shape, why they spread, and what’s really at stake for democracy when public trust in higher ed erodes.

PBS and NPR are facing renewed political pressure, with calls to cut federal funding resurfacing under the Trump administration. Media scholar Victor Pickard joins Matt Jordan and Cory Barker to unpack what these challenges mean for the future of public broadcasting—and why a healthy democracy may depend on what happens next.

From the decline of Google search to the hidden economics of surveillance and algorithmic coercion, science fiction author and activist Cory Doctorow talks with Matt Jordan and guest host Jenna Spinelli about how monopolies distort our information ecosystem, erode public trust, and supercharge disinformation. But it’s not all doom and gloom: we also explore real-world strategies for reclaiming digital space—from antitrust reform to coalition building to radical imagination.

These days, more people are getting their news from podcasters and influencers than ever before. What does this mean for democracy? On this episode of Noise Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Bloomberg journalists Davey Alba and Leon Yin about their reporting on how podcasters and YouTubers are influencing politics, reshaping the media landscape, and altering our news ecosystem.

President Trump has frequently been framed as a “strong man” and “strict father.” When news outlets lean into this type of rhetoric, they miss a vital opportunity to draw attention to critical issues at the heart of a story. This goes beyond burying the lede; it fundamentally changes the nature of a story, downplaying the threats posed to the Constitution, democracy, and the very idea of law, while simultaneously bolstering the personal mythology of the person behind these actions. On this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with we'll talk with journalist Gil Duran about the role framing plays in our perception of the news.

When the Supreme Court struck down the Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, it opened the door to legalized sports betting. Today, almost 40 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico allow some form of this pastime. But an unintended consequence has been the growing presence of gambling coverage in the news. On this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker with sports writer Bill King to tackle this issue and explore the ramifications of this shift on sport journalism.

Once upon a time, Americans turned to trusted news organizations to learn about their shared reality. Today, the media people consume as “news,” fractures that shared world, leaving a divided and distrustful public. What can news organizations do to reverse this? And why does the survival of journalism as an institution matter for communities and democracy? On this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Media Scholar Andrea Wenzel about success stories in local news organizations and what they mean for the future of journalism.

The history of news is also the history of how technology changes the way it’s delivered. From radio to television to streaming, each new platform brings with it unique opportunities and challenges—and influences the norms around how news is curated and presented. On this episode of News Over Noise, host Matt Jordan talks with media scholar Cory Barker about the implications of streaming the news.

When it comes to election coverage, horse race journalism has become the norm. The focus has shifted from policies to polling data, leaving a void where citizens should be able to find meaningful information about the future of their democracy. But some news outlets are pushing back. Hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with news editors Elizabeth Estrada and Scott Blanchard about an approach to reporting that focuses on issues instead of candidates.

AI has been in the news a lot lately. But what happens when AI starts making the news? Generative AI–the type of artificial intelligence that pulls from existing data to create new content–presents a significant challenge to journalism. It can enable misinformation to spread like wildfire. How can the average consumer tell what’s real and what’s not? Hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan find out by talking with Jack Brewster from NewsGuard, an organization that provides transparent tools to counter misinformation.

In 2014, the podcast Serial debuted, sparking a fascination with long-form reporting that continues to this day. Virtually every major news outlet has a podcast as part of their brand, some have multiple series, each dedicated to a different beat. What is it about this medium that captures our attention? Can this be a place where investigative journalism could find a viable outlet? Hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jourdan find out by talking with researcher, journalist, and artist Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika.

Although the US constitution guarantees the right to a free press, that right does not extend to indigenous nations, who have the sovereignty to make their own laws and constitutions. The documentary Bad Press explores what happens when the Muscogee Creek Nation faces a threat to its free press. Hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with director Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Angel Ellis, one of the journalists featured in the film.

Climate change was once a bipartisan issue…until it wasn’t. What happened? To find out, hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with Geoff Dembicki, an investigative climate journalist about how fossil fuel companies used the public media system to sew skepticism and cynicism about climate change.

Newsroom leadership can make a big difference in what stories are told and how they're covered, and whose voices are elevated. So, what happens when the makeup of those positions is out of alignment with the demographics of the population? On the next episode of News Over Noise, hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with Emily Ramshaw, the CEO and co-founder of The 19th* about what news looks like when it's reported by the nation’s first independent nonprofit newsroom at the intersection of gender, politics and policy.

When you think of TikTok videos, what comes to mind? What about...news? On the next News Over Noise, hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with multimedia journalist Enrique Anarte about how and why he is using Tik Tok to reach a very news averse demographic—and about the implications this type of reporting might have for the future of journalism.

Younger Americans pay less attention to the news than any other age group. And this is kind of a big deal, since a functioning democracy relies on an informed citizenry. While many news organizations are pinning their hopes on interactive and mobile technologies to try to engage younger audiences, research shows there may be a simpler, lower-tech way to cultivate the next generation of news consumers. In this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Lead Dajches and Matt Jordan with media scholar Stephanie Lynn Edgerly about the concept of news socialization and parent-learning model.