News Over Noise

Penn State News Literacy Initiative, Matt Jordan, Leah Dajches
  • 4.8 (18)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

If you find yourself avoiding the news, you’re not alone. But what’s turning you off is likely not the news itself—it’s the noise surrounding it. News Over Noise explores the challenge of separating spin and click-bait from good journalism and why it matters. This podcast empowers our citizenry by giving listeners the tools they need to balance staying informed while protecting their well-being and the public good.

  1. Ghosts in the Machine: How the Cold War Broke the News

    APR 23

    Ghosts in the Machine: How the Cold War Broke the News

    Special thanks to our guest: Barbie Zelizer is the Raymond Williams Professor of Communication and Director of the Center for Media at Risk at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. A former journalist, Zelizer is known for her work on journalism, crisis, culture, memory and images. She has authored/edited fifteen books and 200 articles/essays. Recipient of multiple fellowships, including the American Academy of Arts and Science, the British Academy and the European Academy, her work has appeared in national and global media. Coeditor of Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, she is past President of the International Communication Association. Her most recent book is the forthcoming How the Cold War Broke the News (Polity, 2025). News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.    News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 min
  2. Hollowing Out the Fourth Estate: Requiem for the Post-Gazette

    APR 9

    Hollowing Out the Fourth Estate: Requiem for the Post-Gazette

    Special thanks to our guest: Award-winning writer Tony Norman is the longtime columnist and editorial writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A former Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan and an adjunct journalism professor at Chatham University, he now freelances for several local and national publications.] Read Tony's Essay, "Requiem for the Post-Gazette." News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.    News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min
  3. Trust Fall: The Long Slide of American Press Freedom

    MAR 26

    Trust Fall: The Long Slide of American Press Freedom

    Special thanks to our guest: Timothy Richardson is the Program Director, Journalism and Disinformation. Timothy previously worked as an Editor at The Washington Post for thirteen years, where he served as the Breaking News Editor on the Metro Desk, placing him in the center of some of the nation’s highest-profile stories, including the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd and the Storming of the U.S. Capitol. Richardson oversaw accountability-driven reporting of the infrastructure law, the airline industry, transit systems, and the federal Department of Transportation. Richardson’s role at the Post was focused on launching and running day-to-day operations of the organization’s foray into hyperlocal news. He began his journey as the Digital Managing Editor of the Las Vegas Sun, then returned to The Post as the Metro Staff’s Digital Editor, strengthening its digital-first strategy. His earlier roles included serving as Digital Editor for the Naples (Fla.) Daily News and the Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, helping each legacy print publication to establish a digital presence and strategy. Richardson is a graduate of Kansas State University. News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.    News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    51 min
  4. Eat Your Broccoli: What Media Literacy Misses About Young People

    MAR 12

    Eat Your Broccoli: What Media Literacy Misses About Young People

    Special thanks to our guest: Rachel Besharat Mann, PhD is a scholar at Wesleyan University interested in the academic and personal literacy practices that support adolescents through a sensitive developmental period marked by identity exploration, that in turn provides the foundation for behavior and self-conceptualization in adulthood. Her current work explores how social media impacts adolescent consumption and interpretation of information used to inform the development of civic identities and political ideology. Past work has explored the impact of social media use on self-esteem and identity development through the lens of possible self-ideation​​. News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 min
  5. Place Your Bets: The Casino-fication of News

    FEB 26

    Place Your Bets: The Casino-fication of News

    Special thanks to our guest: Judd Legum is the founder and author of Popular Information, an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism. PopularInformation won the 2020 Online Journalism Award for Excellence inNewsletters, and its reporting was credited by Bloomberg for bringing a "political reckoning" to corporate America. Previously, Legumfounded and served as editor-in-chief of ThinkProgress, a progressive media outlet. In 2008, Legum was the research director for HillaryClinton's first presidential campaign. He is a graduate of GeorgetownUniversity Law Center and Pomona College. News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.        News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    53 min
  6. The Chilling Effect: The First Amendment, The Fourth Estate, and The Trump Administration

    FEB 12

    The Chilling Effect: The First Amendment, The Fourth Estate, and The Trump Administration

    Special thanks to our guest: Dr. Amy Kristin Sanders is the John and Ann Curley Professor of First Amendment Studies at Penn State. A licensed attorney and award-winning former journalist, Sanders is an internationally recognized expert on the legal regulation and ethical use of emerging technologies, with an emphasis on freedom of expression and democratic values. She has published more than 30 scholarly articles and co-authors the widely recognized law school casebook First Amendment and the Fourth Estate: The Law of Mass Media. Sanders regularly serves as an expert witness and consultant to Fortune 500 companies on media law and ethics issues and her words have been published by major news organizations, including USA Today, The Conversation, the Houston Chronicle and the Austin American-Statesman. As a native of rural Missouri, Sanders is proud to serve on the Truman State University Foundation Board of the Directors and is a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 2m
  7. The Road More Traveled: How Misinformation Spreads

    JAN 29

    The Road More Traveled: How Misinformation Spreads

    Special thanks to our guest: Sofia Rubinson is an analyst at NewsGuard and the senior editor of Reality Check, NewsGuard’s daily newsletter about how false claims spread — and who’s behind them. She investigates emerging false narratives spreading across social platforms and tracks the growing use of AI systems to manufacture and scale misinformation. Producer: Lindsey Whissel Fenton Audio Engineers: Mickey Klein, Scott Gros, Clint Yoder News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.    News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    48 min
  8. When Universities Police the Press: The Fight Over Student Journalism

    12/15/2025

    When Universities Police the Press: The Fight Over Student Journalism

    Special thanks to our guest: For the past 16 years, Jim Rodenbush has worked with award-winning student media organizations, helping to mentor the next generation of journalists. Most recently, he served as Director of Student Media at Indiana University and taught in The Media School. During his time there, the Indiana Daily Student won 12 Pacemaker Awards and was twice named College Media Outlet of the Year. Before coming to IU, Rodenbush managed student media programs at Colorado State, Penn State, and Webster universities. Along the way, he taught courses in reporting, writing, editing and media management. Rodenbush is a frequent conference speaker and former president of WAUPM and executive director of the Indiana Collegiate Press Association. He holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Webster University and a master’s from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. News Over Noise is a co-production of WPSU and Penn State’s Bellisario College of Communications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    42 min
See All (41)

4.8
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

If you find yourself avoiding the news, you’re not alone. But what’s turning you off is likely not the news itself—it’s the noise surrounding it. News Over Noise explores the challenge of separating spin and click-bait from good journalism and why it matters. This podcast empowers our citizenry by giving listeners the tools they need to balance staying informed while protecting their well-being and the public good.

Information

  • Creator
    Penn State News Literacy Initiative, Matt Jordan, Leah Dajches
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 The Pennsylvania State University
  • Show Website
    News Over Noise

You Might Also Like