Cory Barker

Misinformation now moves at the speed of algorithms and with generative AI, it is getting harder to tell what is real and what is manufactured. In this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Sofia Rubinson, analyst at NewsGuard and senior editor of Reality Check, about how false claims spread, why AI is accelerating their reach, and what that means for public trust. From viral images and foreign disinformation campaigns to health hoaxes and AI-generated content, Rubinson breaks down how false stories move from fringe platforms into the mainstream and how NewsGuard tracks, debunks, and analyzes those narratives in real time.

As political pressure, corporate power, and platform dynamics collide, long-standing protections for free speech and a free press are being tested in new ways. In this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Dr. Amy Sanders, Penn State’s John and Ann Curley Chair in First Amendment Studies, about what the First Amendment really protects and how legal frameworks, business interests, and political forces are reshaping the Fourth Estate.

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: they also explore real-world strategies for reclaiming digital space—from antitrust reform to coalition building to radical imagination.THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT

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.