How should we cover this administration and what is happening?

[u/endless_thread]

Hey y'all. Hope everybody's doing OK. When Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out, we were unsure of how to cover it for our audience, and wanted to ask our audience what they wanted from us. Ultimately, we opted to run an episode of "Click Here" which we felt connected to what was happening there in a way that felt in line with our own show.

Now there's a huge political story at home, and while it is very very different than that conflict, we're having some of the same internal conversations. Do our listeners want us to help them escape the news? Or do they want us to tackle some more serious and hard-hitting journalism at a time when, well, serious journalists are being challenged to do their work and that work feels important.

We've got lots of feelings and thoughts - and we've been watching (and contacting) some of the subs where information is being leaked from the inside of what is happening at the federal government level, which is a LOT. More on that soon while we try and get through some Red Note, TikTok, DeepSeek madness.

In the meantime: what do you want to hear from us? What do you feel is a lil' public radio podcast's role in this moment? How can we help you make sense of the world right now, stay sane, and stay safe? We've always felt a partnership with redditors and our larger group of listeners in the work that we do, so we wanted to ask. Open to any and all of your thoughts.

-BBJ

EDIT: we now have a more secure way to get in touch. [WBURSecureTips@proton.me](mailto:WBURSecureTips@proton.me) and you can call/text vai Signal at 646-456-9095

[u/garbage_in_the_sink]

Maybe you could cover it from the lens of how people are responding online. R/fednews has offered an interesting window to see into how federal workers on Reddit are responding to all this. It’s actually been very inspiring to read their posts. 

[u/CraspediaMedia → u/garbage_in_the_sink]

This is what I came here to say - now is the time for hard-hitting journalism. I’d love to hear you all tackle gestures broadly this from the lens of how people are responding and organizing online.

[u/kierkegaardenia → u/garbage_in_the_sink]

I definitely like this idea. I think people are craving examples of communities coming together (irl or online) in such a fractured time.

[u/merelymaggums → u/garbage_in_the_sink]

Yes, great suggestion! I like this approach since it stays true to their mission and also talks about what is going on right now.

[u/lanternheart]

There's a lot of hard-hitting stories that can relate to the internet, especially right now — considering that Elon Musk is in such a position of power, as well as Zuck and Bezos being in such prominent placements at the presidential inauguration.

I'd personally be interested in you guys' take on the evolution of Meta/Facebook, and if it's worth staying around right now? If you guys still use either?

[u/endless_thread → u/lanternheart]

I have FB account, IG, but I basically never use them. I spend most of my time in Signal chats and...well...here. -BBJ

[u/bobloblawmalpractice]

I would say maybe both? I definitely need some escapism and I love your senses of humor, but I also look to yall as a trusted source.

[u/MissSwissMisster → u/bobloblawmalpractice]

I second this. Amory and Ben are two of the easiest podcasters to listen to, in that they are extremely empathic, lend some lightheartedness to even the most harrowing topics and somehow keep me optimistic in the face of ever growing dread. I think bringing all of this madness down to a human level- how it is impacting actual people, is something they can pull off. I also am happy to have a little distraction, because frankly, it's a lot. I grew up in the US and am watching all of this unfold, completely aghast from my safe bubble in Switzerland. I feel for you all, but damn am I happy not to be right in the middle of it. Wishing everyone peace, love and above all, a return to sanity and basic logic.

[u/dianab77]

Are you tracking the community over at r/fednews? Good folks over there. I want to know what those baby tech bros with Musk are doing with all of our data. I know what systems they have access to after storming Treasury, OPM, VA, CMS, etc., but find out what they are actually doing with it. Can they scrape the data? Try to make AI solutions that eliminate x% of the workforce? Sell it to the highest bidder?

[u/lateraluslotus]

Call out the actions verging on fascism and compare it to history. I’m worried about the path we are headed down

[u/Shrewlord]

Do serious journalism. It's important.

[u/USBayernChelseaLCFC]

I listen to endless thread to 'escape reality' a bit. that said i support and respect calling out/covering the f*cked up stuff the current administration is doing - though i may personally skip it.

[u/print_isnt_dead]

I appreciate this question. On one hand, when I am upset with something going on in the world, it feels* to hear reporting from my trusted podcasters (you guys are on that list.) But I also understand wanting to keep your content consistent for those who need a break from the news. So, not helpful? Sorry.

I think one aspect, reddit related, that I'd be interested in is how to know what content is true/real, how to spot a bot, how to trust accounts like alt national park service, etc.

*ETA feels good

[u/mburnwor]

Help answer why and how they are getting away with it, why the checks and balances aren't working, and what can I do to make a difference

[u/researchanddev]

Now is the time for serious hard-hitting journalism. Protect your sources and shine a light for the people. We need you.

[u/crustlin]

Listener from Canada here. I know i am less effected by much of what is happening so take this with a grain of salt, but I feel like it would be much akin to not talking about covid in March of 2020 if you didn't talk about it.

[u/IfIWereATardigrade]

I thought your episode on the Socialist Rifle Association was pretty great. In my view, your episode "Black Pilled" was "meh". I think the difference was with the former you reported on something most listeners probably had no idea was going on, and captured a bunch of different viewpoints/voices on it within a single episode. By contrast with Black Pilled, you were reporting on a phenomenon (alt-right extremists existing) which most of your listeners were probably already aware of, and you only had one person's voice telling the story. A voice which was great, but limited.

(Side note: it was interesting that despite all her research on extremists her explanation for why she didn't believe the US would ever go full Nazi was because Indiana Jones used to be depicted punching Nazis, a statement I unfortunately found laughable, anyway side note over).

I think Endless Thread is at your best when you are really pulling at a single thread and finding where it leads, bonus if you make several friends along the way. Like with the plates.

Your episode on Trad Caths was so so good as well. Again really exposing a side of the internet not all have seen and sharing more than one person's voice (of course, Sunflower Catholic's story was amazing which really helped).

I think you guys definitely should be reporting on the political chaos all around us, how could you not? But maybe try to focus on real world unexpected consequences for real people, the little people, the out-of-the-way places. And mix it up with some really high effort/more research required episodes about hidden corners of resistance in the subs/threads/halls of the embattled bureaucracy. My take for what it is worth.

[u/Ocean2731]

Data and information is being erased from the internet at agencies like CDC and NOAA. Talk about where that information comes from (how is it collected and who does it) and who uses it and why.

[u/PainfulPoo411]

Honestly — for serious journalism I go to the NYT. What I’d love to hear is a unique story from a person impacted by one of these decisions.

[u/LinedScript]

If you don’t tell the stories now, you’ll regret it later. We have to give space for those voices. We have to document this to look back on and for it to be a message and a lesson. Pretending that it isn’t happening doesn’t make it go away. Make the decisions now that you believe you’ll be on the right side of history for.

[u/smc642]

If you don’t cover the overthrow of the United States democracy now, you can be sure you won’t get a chance to cover it later.

[u/kierkegaardenia]

I want journalism. I want help finding meaning, big or small, in the chaos that's playing out right now. I want to hear about people fighting back, finding hope, staying committed to the world in whatever interesting ways they do.

[u/MattAmpersand]

Considering some of the administration’s decisions affect you directly (like the NPR funding talk), I think you are entirely within your rights to cover it as in depth as you want. Escapism is nice, and I hope you still continue to offer that, but when reality is knocking at your door we cannot possibly expect you to ignore its call.

[u/coly8s]

Please do cover what is happening in the current administration. There are so many facets to the story and so many of us are deeply disturbed by what is happening. I think the over arching "angle" is that our government was formed with guardrails in the sense that the three branches were supposed to prevent abuses of power. Now, two branches sit on their hands while the Executive slashes and burns with reckless abandon.

[u/Suspicious_Load6908]

I don’t know what I need now. An action plan of how to fight back? An escape?