Rewatched Princess Bride today, for Rob. Wallace Shawn is a revelation.

Die Hard and Eyes Wide Shut double feature

The New York Times investigated 346 people who donated at least $250,000 to Trump and found that more than half of them (197) have received pardons, jobs, government contracts, special treatment, or favors.

Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it

From what I can tell, this is the first document in US history to conceptualize and name ”public broadcasting,” in 1936. It would take another 31 years of advocacy for the idea to become a policy.

I’m not just saying this because they are my employer, but the SUNY system is one of the few university systems (shoutout Cal State) actually committed to educating Black and Brown students and getting them to the middle class. If you care about equality, that goal is moved through public schools.

Appreciation post for Ahmed al-Ahmed. Hero.

Winter Chicago

Back in Evanston, with my favorite view of the Chicago skyline.

New School has been one of the most important humanities and social science universities in the world for the past 70 years. The humanities are collapsing at all of the pillars, and it won't be long until less prestigious institutions feel validated to call open season upon a number of departments.

Perhaps apropos. In a 1939 internal note, NBC regretted *not* censoring announcer Walter Winchell after he called Hitler a "madman".

How are video and AI shaping the pursuit of justice? Check out Seeking Justice with Video and AI, our new speaker series. Featuring leading voices from academia, law, journalism, media forensics, and human rights practice, it will explore the promises and challenges of these technologies. 1/6

If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.

Elon Musk and the Trump administration gleefully shutting down USAID “has already caused the deaths of six hundred thousand people, two-thirds of them children.” People throw around terms like genocide quite freely online but it’s hard to find other words to describe this level of man-made death.

Delighted to be presenting alongside international colleagues in the MeCCSA Policy Network "Future of Public Service Media" series. The event is apparently sold out.

Adieu, New York. See you in January.

Giant Ruth Asawa retrospective at the MoMA. Just fantastic.

So great to see college radio in all its glory featured in today's NYT. I interviewed for the piece (WFUV is at Fordham, WFMU is independent, formerly of Uppsala--such is the way with radio, which has more acronyms than the New Deal): www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/s...

Had a great time consulting with the “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” team over the past couple months, and they kindly gave my book a shoutout during the episode.

An NPR piece on Trump-era protest songs, covering Jesse Welles, Jensen McRae and Mon Rovia.

“We’re coming for Bill Clinton” is not the threat that they think it is.

An honor to present research from my new book project @yaleisp.bsky.social yesterday! An amazing and brilliant group of scholars! Thank you!!!

“The best thing about Denver is John Denver.” - Devo live in Denver tonight

At a convening of our board of directors, CASBS fellow @sristovska.bsky.social presented on public & legal concerns about AI & deepfakes' effects on the integrity & reliability of video evidence A new report from @visualevidencelab.bsky.social explores some of the thorny issues Sandra discussed (🧵)

A couple years ago I worked on 12 grants in my role as a task force director at the Library of Congress. This year, zero. We are going to lose a lot of our public memory. Which is at the crux of fascistic mobilization.

“Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, said the court has once again allowed a Trump administration policy to go ahead on an interim basis "in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party."

The Herbert G. Gutman Prize for Outstanding Dissertation in U.S. Labor and Working-Class History is now open for submissions! Full details here: go.illinois.edu/UIPGutmanPrize cc: @laborlawchajournal.bsky.social

BREAKING: Colorado voters approved a ballot measure that would raise state income taxes on higher-earning households to fund free meals for all public school students. Follow AP for live updates.

Historic victory for Democratic Socialism and, frankly, the good of the country.

This is my new favorite short story 😂🤣

Dinner in DC, food doesn’t get any better.

“The Coalition for Action in Higher Education and AAUP Local 6741 are delighted to announce: ‘Mapping Anti-Palestinian Discrimination, Harassment, and Misinformation in U.S. Higher Education.’ This series of five webinars takes place from October to December.”

I am beyond excited (and nervous!) to announce that my first book, "The House Archives Built and Other Thoughts on Black Archival Possibilities" is available for sale! This series of essay includes reworked talks, new reflections, and a lot of my heart weherespace.myshopify.com/products/the...

Crab pretzel in Baltimore. Been dreaming about this all year.

Only in Baltimore could you find a staple in your Italian sandwich, and it makes you love the city more.

Wow, public media research is really in demand right now. Look at the price of my book the lower left corner.

Merkley: "What we've seen is that democracies no longer die bc men w/guns go in and take it over. Instead, it's electeds who erode the separation of power. If you have a rubber-stamp Congress & courts that deliver more power to the executive, suddenly you have an authoritarian state. It's here now."

I'm giving the talk "The Ends of US Public Media" at the University of Québec at Montreal on where NPR and PBS came from, and what's going to happen next for US public media. This one's on Zoom, free registration - next time in person I hope because I love visiting Montreal!

Fried artichokes, in Monterey, American artichoke country. Best I’ve ever had.

Today’s Monterey Bay view

I’m supposed to travel to Washington DC to give University of Colorado students tours of the FCC and Library of Congress. If everything is closed due to the shutdown, we are just going to go to Ben’s Chili Bowl and Baltimore to eat some crabcakes.

Thanks to American Campus, the podcast about the history of higher education, for featuring my book. We talk about how NPR and PBS emerged from equal access to education discourses. And how Media Studies originated as a strategy of public media activism.

There are so few academic jobs, and thousands of excellent scholars are all trying to move at the same time due to location. 

Annie Hall is one of the three realist and best romantic comedies in US cinema history. RIP Diane Keaton.

Midweek reminder to check out our latest episode on the history of American public media (NPR, PBS) with @joshshepperd.bsky.social. As these institutions continue to be under attack, it is important to look at where they came from and what they mean to our society. shows.acast.com/the-history-...

Sorry, but desecrating Chicago is an unforgivable moral and spiritual transgression.

I make fun of Denver, but the smothered green chile burrito at Taco de Mexico might well be one of the top ten dishes under $12 in the entire country.

"Many American Jews sharply disapprove of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, with 61 percent saying Israel has committed war crimes and about 4 in 10 saying the country is guilty of genocide against the Palestinians."

Today’s mountain view

also, in keeping with Vance’s view of american identity, only white people are fully American with the right to critique or dissent. nonwhites must show proper gratitude (supporting Trump or marrying JD Vance) before they can speak critically of the country (in approved ways, of course)