About this episode
A so-called surge of migrants at the southern border has caught the attention of immigration reform advocates, conservative trolls, and TV news crews, but alarming headlines may not tell the full story. Plus, a #MeToo reckoning on YouTube has caused a new media empire to crumble. Then, a look at the controversy surrounding the newsletter site Substack, home to "sustainable journalism" and culture war punditry. And, the internet's most innovative observer on the cultivation of her misunderstood beat. 1. Tom K. Wong [ @TomWongPhD ], founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center , on misleading coverage about the southern border. Listen. 2. Kat Tenbarge [ @kattenbarge ], digital culture reporter at Insider, and Taylor Lorenz [ @TaylorLorenz ], tech reporter for The New York Times, on the exploitation behind YouTube's viral prank culture. Listen. 3. Peter Kakfa [ @pkafka ], senior correspondent at Recode, and Taylor Lorenz [ @TaylorLorenz ], tech reporter for The New York Times, on the promises and controversies at the heart of Substack. Listen. 4. Taylor Lorenz [ @TaylorLorenz ], tech reporter for The New York Times, on how she keeps her finger on the internet's pulse. Listen. Music from this week's show: Whispers of a heavenly death — John Zorn The Desert and Two Grey Hills — Gerry O’Beirne Investigations — Kevin MacLeod Il Casanova de Frederico Fellini — Nino Rota String Quartet No. 5 - Philip Glass — Kronos Quartet What’s that Sound — Michael Andrews Trance Dance — John Zorn On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.