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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In recent years, a network of conservative podcasters has gained significant influence, particularly among disaffected men, by positioning themselves against traditional media institutions. On this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Matt Jordan and Cory Barker speak with reporters Davey Alba and Leon Yin to examine how these podcasters build trust, spread political messages, and shape public discourse—often without adhering to journalistic standards. They also explore the broader implications of this media ecosystem, including its role in supporting political agendas and its impact on news consumption and media literacy.

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 sports journalism.

The reporting styles and strategies that served us well in the past—in a time when debate and political ads still had the potential to sway voters—are falling short when it comes to conveying the depth of division in our country. By adhering to outdated conventions, media outlets are failing to call out moves towards fascism, violence, and even civil war. In this episode of News Over Noise, hosts Leah Dajches and Matt Jordan talk with Will Bunch, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, about how business-as-usual political reporting can endanger democracy.

In the early years of the Cold War, American journalism helped construct a world defined by enemies, uncertainty, and invisible threats. That framework didn’t disappear; it became embedded in how news is produced, interpreted, and trusted. In this episode of News Over Noise, Matt Jordan and Cory Barker talk with Barbie Zelizer about her book How the Cold War Broke the News and the enduring influence of Cold War logic on contemporary journalism.