The Study Hall Podcast
Study Hall provides tools, tips, and community resources for media workers. Hosted by executive editor Daniel Spielberger, the Study Hall Podcast spotlights journalists making notable contributions to the media industry.
Episodes
Marisa Kabas runs the politics-focused newsletter The Handbasket. Marisa has been covering the Trump administration’s drastic cuts to the federal government and deportations.
In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, she discusses why she started The Handbasket, what it’s like getting scoops as an independent journalist, and how she navigates the dynamic of legacy media outlets failing to attribute reporting to independen...
Karen Hao is an award-winning journalist whose work has been published in MIT Technology Review, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Hao discusses her new book,“Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI,” which traces how the company went from idealism to relentless expansion. Hao discusses the environmental and ethical implications of OpenAI’s empire. In ad...
CONTENT WARNING: VIOLENCE
Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, an award-winning journalist, discusses her article for The Guardian about the murder of Fiona Holm. In her article, Brinkhurst-Cuff explores why Fiona’s murder didn’t gain that much attention in the British media and contextualizes it within the phenomenon of “missing white woman syndrome.” For the Reuters Institute, Brinkhurst-Cuff researched how the media often fails to accurate...
Ej Dickson, a senior writer at The Cut, chats about the necessity of bringing empathy to reporting. In a conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, she discusses her profile of Candace Owens, what’s behind RFK Jr.’s rise, and how mom content became so divisive.
Keep up with her work: https://www.thecut.com/author/e.j.-dickson/
Find out more about Study Hall: https://studyhall.xyz/
Music by KT The Terrible
Harron Walker chats about her book “Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman.” In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Harron discusses what it was like to work in digital media during the late 2010s, her “Devil Wears Prada” fan fiction, the figure of the girlboss, and her reporting on trans people trying to access family planning care. In addition, Harron shares tips on cultivating a writing communit...
Francis Zierer is the host and editor of Creator Spotlight, a podcast and newsletter that showcases how various writers, YouTubers, and podcasters monetize their online content. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Francis shares tips on how writers can market themselves in the creator economy. He also discusses the dynamic of running an independent project in a crowded field and how writers can embrace the creator ec...
In a conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Johanna Fatemen and John Vincler, the co-chief art critics at Cultured Magazine’s The Critics’ Table, reflected on their experience starting a new space for art criticism. Fateman and Vincler discussed the state of art writing, negative reviews, and inclusivity in the art world.
Find out more about The Critics’ Table: https://www.culturedmag.com/the-critics-table
In a chat with host Daniel Spielberger, Sarah Schulman discussed her new book “The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity.” Drawing from culture industry case studies and Schulman’s experience as an activist, the book explores how artists and writers can show solidarity with marginalized groups. Schulman is an award-winning writer, novelist, and activist.
For more information about “The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity”: https:/...
Sarah Aziza discusses her memoir "The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders." Aziza’s writing has been published in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Baffler, and Jewish Currents. In her memoir, Aziza traces her family’s history of being displaced from Palestine and explores the dynamic of historic erasure. In this conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Aziza discusses the process of writing and researching her memoir. ...
Adam Popescu discussed his recent Bloomberg feature about the Cordyceps fungi trade in Nepal. In this discussion with host Daniel Spielberger, Popescu shares his approach to narrative journalism and offers advice on how to find and pitch a compelling story. Popescu also chats about his recent Scientific American report on the implications of Colossal Biosciences creating a woolly mouse.
Popescu’s reporting has appeared in The Ne...
We were joined by Evette Dionne, the co-founder of The Flytrap and Executive Editor of Yes!. She chatted about the importance of feminist blogging, The Flytrap’s editorial philosophy, and Yes! Media’s approach to covering activism.
Support Yes! : https://www.yesmagazine.org/?form=PowerOf30
Subscribe to The Flytrap: https://theflytrap.beehiiv.com/
Find out more about Study Hall: https://studyhall.xyz/
Music by KT The Terrible
Daniel chatted with Vittoria Elliott, a reporter at WIRED, about her recent coverage of DOGE, Elon Musk, and the Trump administration. She shared what she learned about reporting on Musk's attack on federal bureaucracy and how her background in startups informs her coverage.
Read Vittoria Elliott’s work: https://www.wired.com/author/vittoria-elliott/
Find out more about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz.
Music by KT The Terrible
Daniel chatted with Allegra Rosenberg, an editor and journalist who recently published a very in-depth feature for Atavist Magazine about an Antarctic love story between two British sailors in the early 1910s. Rosenberg shared her experience researching, writing, and editing this feature.
Read Allegra’s feature here: https://magazine.atavist.com/from-antarctica-with-love-terra-nova-scott-south-pole-pennell-atkinson/
Daniel chatted with Anna Merlan, a senior reporter at Mother Jones. Merlan shared her experience covering the far-right media ecosystem, disinformation, and RFK JR..
She discussed why she believes Trump has used a “new state media” to spread his message.
Follow Anna Merlan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annamerlan.bsky.social
Find our more about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz
Music by KT The Terrible
In a chat with host Daniel Spielberger, Katelyn Burns, a columnist at MSNBC and Xtra, discussed her coverage of President Trump’s anti-trans policies, how legacy media overlooks trans perspectives, and the expanding role of independent media. Burns is also the co-host of the podcast Cancel Me, Daddy and co-founder of The Flytrap.
Subscribe to her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/katelynburns/posts
Daniel D’Addario, Variety’s chief correspondent, joined the podcast to discuss his new novel "The Talent." "The Talent" follows five competing actresses over the course of an awards season. D’Addario also discussed the evolution of awards season as a spectacle, what exactly means for a celebrity to do "media training," and entertainment journalism's place in the creator economy.
Find out more about "The Talent": https://www.simona...
Daniel chats with journalists Alex Arriaga and kate harloe. Alex is an audience engagement editor at New York Focus, while kate is a freelance journalist who has written for Mother Jones, Neiman Labs, and other outlets. The two discussed a community listening tour they spearheaded for New York Focus, an independent newsroom covering New York. The community listening tour surveyed New Yorkers on how they get information and local n...
Daniel spoke to Dane Cardiel, the founder of Good Tape, a creative studio and magazine that covers the podcasting industry. Dane discussed the importance of building a community around your podcast/magazine. He also shared some insight into the benefits and drawbacks of podcasting for journalism.
To learn more about Good Tape visit: https://goodtape.com/
To learn more about Study Hall visit: https://studyhall.xyz/
Music by KT the T...
Nathan J. Robinson, the founder and editor in chief of Current Affairs, shared his experience running a leftist publication during the Trump administration. He also discussed how leftists can engage with right wing media and the importance of rigorous, good faith debate.
Read Current Affairs here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/
Find out more about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz.
Matt Pearce chats with Daniel about how the recent wildfires highlighted the importance of local journalism in Los Angeles. He also shares some possible policy solutions to the media industry's crisis and his own research into the utility of AI tools during a time of crisis. Matt is a journalist and president of the Media Guild of the West, which represents newsrooms in Southern California, Arizona, and Texas.
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