Best Cjr Podcasts (2026)

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Episode #599: "The Plague" and "We Bury the Dead" 52:41

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4d ago52:41

52:41

Welcome to 2026! We start out the year by doing what we do best: Not enjoying a movie that is otherwise being heaped with critical praise! That's right, folks, Evan and Megan didn't really get the critical brouhaha behind THE PLAGUE (2:42). This story about extreme bullying at a water polo camp left them a little cold, and not because the water tem…

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Jay Rosen on the Digital Revolution That Wasn’t 41:31

9d ago41:31

41:31

In 2006, Jay Rosen, the media scholar, published his influential article “The People Formerly Known as the Audience.” His medium was as important as his message. Although the essay would later appear in media-studies textbooks, it was first published on his blog, a form invented in the late 1990s that seemed, in Rosen’s words, to give everyone thei…

1
Episode #598: Our favorite films of 2025! 1:01:10

11d ago1:01:10

1:01:10

Welcome to the final Spoilerpiece of 2025! We take turns talking about our favorite films of the year. Dave (3:02), Megan (19:35), and Evan (39:30) each have a couple surprising choices sprinkled in. We hope you had a great year, and we'll see you in 2026. Don't forget to check out our Patreon! This week we talk about the 1979 Robert Altman sci-fi …

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Ben Smith Isn’t Afraid of the Future 36:34

14d ago36:34

36:34

It has been called “the last good day on the internet”: on February 26, 2015, Americans flocked online to watch fugitive llamas in Arizona evade their captors on a live broadcast, shortly before an ambiguously colored dress—blue and black to some, white and gold to others—was uploaded online. At BuzzFeed, which sent the dress to unprecedented level…

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Episode #597: "No Other Choice" and "Is This Thing On?" 59:53

18d ago59:53

59:53

This week everyone saw everything, so we start off with Park Chan-Wook's latest, the darkly comic thriller NO OTHER CHOICE (2:51), in which a 25-year veteran of a paper company is laid off and after a series of poor interviews, can't find another job. So he does the next logical thing: He decides to murder everyone in his field who may be more qual…

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How Silicon Valley Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Oligarchs 59:08

20d ago59:08

59:08

When Natalia Antelava cofounded Coda Story, in early 2016, to cover democratic backsliding around the globe, she wasn’t expecting the tech industry to be such a big part of the story. It wasn’t only that autocratic regimes were benefiting from compliant Silicon Valley companies. By launching a new media organization, Antelava also discovered how en…

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Episode #596: "Influencers," "Dust Bunny," and "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" 1:09:26

27d ago1:09:26

1:09:26

This week Megan, Evan, and Dave all saw all the movies on the list. Hot shit! We start with INFLUENCERS (1:37) (the aptly-titled sequel to INFLUENCER), and everyone is on board with the killin', though Evan and Dave don't love its pacing. We all agree that Cassandra Naud is dynamite in the lead, and Megan and Dave even feel sympathy for her murdero…

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The Future of Journalism After Gaza 53:28

26d ago53:28

53:28

Examining an ongoing crisis for press freedom—and how to manage security risks going forward. For Journalism 2050’s inaugural live event, Emily Bell and Heather Chaplin are joined by Azmat Khan, the director of Columbia’s Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism, and Anya Schiffrin, a professor at the Columbia School of International and Publ…

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Episode #595: ""Hamnet," "One Battle After Another," and "It Was Just an Accident" 1:08:30

1M ago1:08:30

1:08:30

Evan is back! We're happy to have him. First up is Megan's solo turn on HAMNET (2:19), director Chloé Zhao's adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel (with a screenplay by Zhao and O'Farrell), a historical drama about Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare's marriage following the tragic death of their 11-year-old son. Then Evan, Megan, and Dave talk …

1
Episode #594: "Rebuilding" and "The Secret Agent" 59:57

1M ago59:57

59:57

This week, Megan watches REBUILDING (2:30), writer-director Max Walker-Silverman's follow-up to A LOVE SONG (which Megan loves), about a cowboy putting his life back together after a fire destroys his home and land, and the homes of many people in his community. Then Megan and Dave discuss THE SECRET AGENT (22:14), a Brazilian film by Kleber Mendon…

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Douglas Rushkoff on Being the Intellectual Dominatrix of Billionaire Tech Bros 1:05:25

1M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

In 1992, a writer named Douglas Rushkoff signed a contract for Cyberia, his book about the internet subcultures of the West Coast. The next year, his publisher canceled it, according to Rushkoff’s recollection, on the grounds that “by the time the book came out the Internet was going to be over.” (He later found a different publisher, and the book …

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Journalism 2050 - Trailer 1:19

1M ago1:19

1:19

Emily Bell and Heather Chaplin speak with the smartest minds in media to discuss the roots of today's crisis in journalism, from democracy's decline to the rise of AI, and to explore the uncertain future of journalism in the digital age. This series is brought to you by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and Columbia Journalism Review, with help…

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Episode #593: "Wicked: for Good" and "Train Dreams" 59:10

2M ago59:10

59:10

Megan fills Dave in on WICKED: FOR GOOD (4:07), the conclusion of the film adapation of the Broadway musical which is an adaptation of the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Verdict: Megan liked it, but didn't love it the way she loves WICKED (click here for a reminder). Then Dave and Megan talk abo…

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Episode #592: "The Running Man" and "Nouvelle Vague" 57:41

2M ago57:41

57:41

The Megan-Dave dynamic duo returns with two new movies, Edgar Wright's THE RUNNING MAN (2:15) and Richard Linklater's NOUVELLE VAGUE (25:41). Dave didn't see THE RUNNING MAN but he was able to fill Megan in on the difference between Stephen King's novel and the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film. But how did Megan like Wright's version? Eh...she didn'…

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Episode 591: "Predator: Badlands," and "Die, My Love" 1:01:57

2M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

Dave and Megan are a duo again this week, and they get down to it on PREDATOR: BADLANDS (3:29), the latest, and, in their estimation, largely successful attempt to prolong the life of the PREDATOR franchise. P:B is kind of silly and even cute in places, but the dynamic duo are largely here for it. (Megan is super here for it!) Then they get into DI…

1
Episode 590: "Ballad of a Small Player" and "Hedda" 59:44

2M ago59:44

59:44

Evan is off this week so Megan and Dave dig into BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (2:17) and HEDDA (22:31). Dave only got through 40 minutes of BOFSP because he hated it, and Megan takes the reins. Then they both discuss HEDDA, Nia DaCosta's latest as writer-director, which Megan loooooooooooved and Dave...didn't. Over on Patreon, the October poll winner i…

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Episode #589: "Frankenstein" and "The Mastermind" 44:52

2M ago44:52

44:52

Dave is back this week but, bum that he is, didn't get a chance to watch either film this week. So that leaves Megan flying solo on FRANKENSTEIN (3:00), writer-director Guillermo del Toro's take on Mary Shelley's classic novel. Short version: Megan loooooooved it and particularly enjoyed that this version portrays Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) …

1
Margaret Sullivan Takes a New Look at Journalism Ethics 28:07

3M ago28:07

28:07

This summer, Margaret Sullivan, the executive director of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at Columbia Journalism School, and her colleague Julie Gerstein published a series of essays in CJR exploring what a new generation of journalism ethics might look like, as the media industry evolves. “It is conventional wisdom amon…

1
Episode #588: "Vicious" and "Chain Reactions" 47:45

3M ago47:45

47:45

Megan and Evan hold down the fort again this week, while Dave's on vacation. Megan kicks things off with a review of CHAIN REACTIONS (2:25), Alexandre O. Philippe's insightful documentary about THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, which takes an intriguing approach: it examines the film's impact on five artists — Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Hel…

1
Chicago’s Block Club Is Ready for ICE 25:26

3M ago25:26

25:26

On Thursday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order barring federal agents from using riot control measures like tear gas to disperse journalists seeking to cover protests outside the Broadview ICE processing center, near Chicago. The order was the result of a lawsuit filed earlier in the week by several Chicago news organizations and…

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Episode #587: "The Lost Bus," "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You," and "John Candy: I Like Me" 1:03:17

3M ago1:03:17

1:03:17

Dave is off this week, so Megan and Evan are coming at you as a duo! Megan starts by reviewing Mary Bronstein's absorbing psychological drama IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU (1:56), starring Rose Byrne as the world's most put-upon mother sinking under the weight of many simultaneous crises. Next, Evan reviews the Colin Hanks' delightful, moving document…

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Episode #586: "Good Boy" and "Are We Good?" 57:45

3M ago57:45

57:45

This week, we (Dave, Evan, and Megan) discuss documentary ARE WE GOOD? (2:34), which follows comedian Marc Maron (and directed by Steven Feinartz) as he prepares for his comedy special, podcasts, and deals with grief after the death of his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton. We all like Maron, who's a captivating subject, and appreciate his discussion…

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Episode #585: "Eleanor the Great" and "Dead of Winter" 57:21

3M ago57:21

57:21

This week, Evan and Megan discuss ELEANOR THE GREAT (3:14), Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut starring June Squibb as a 94-year-old Jewish woman who's grieving, tells a lie that spirals beyond her control, and befriends a college student (Erin Kellyman). The great performances anchor the film. Then we all (Dave, Evan, and Megan) talk about DEA…

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Episode 584: "A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey" and "Night of the Reaper" 1:00:14

4M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

You know, if you're gonna call your movie A BIG, BOLD, BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY (2:42), your movie better big, bold, and motherfucking beautiful. So is Kogonada's latest big? Bold? Beautiful? Megan and Dave let you know! Does it stand up to COLUMBUS and AFTER YANG? Then Evan joins in for a discussion of NIGHT OF THE REAPER (30:20), a slasher set in the '8…

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Elle Reeve on the Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect’s Inscrutable Memes 36:00

4M ago36:00

36:00

In 2017, Elle Reeve, then a correspondent for Vice News, became a household name when she reported from the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia—as neo-Nazis marched with burning torches and a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters. Reeve has developed an expertise on what you might call the fringe beat, c…

1
Episode 583: "The Long Walk," "Highest 2 Lowest," and "Or Something" 1:06:02

4M ago1:06:02

1:06:02

We have three movies on the show this week, starting with THE LONG WALK (2:59), which Megan saw. It's violent. It has a dose of scatology. It has a different ending from the Stephen King/Richard Bachman book. Judy Greer is great in it. But did Megan like it? Then Megan and Evan talk HIGHEST 2 LOWEST (17:26), the latest Spike Lee joint, starring Den…

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Garrett Graff Thinks the Press Should Be Taking Trump’s Health Much More Seriously 27:51

4M ago27:51

27:51

Last week, as DC reporters were patting themselves on the back for not falling for internet falsehoods claiming that Donald Trump had secretly died, Garrett Graff wrote an essay on his blog, Doomsday Scenario, saying, “It’s time to have a serious conversation about Trump’s health.” Graff is an author and historian who’s spent more than two decades …

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Episode 582: "Dangerous Animals," "Caught Stealing," and "The Baltimorons" 59:14

4M ago59:14

59:14

Evan is off this week, so Megan regales Dave with a tale so strange, we thought we'd never hear it on Spoilerpiece: Jai Courtey is excellent in DANGEROUS ANIMALS (2:31). Who knew? He's a serial killer who loves sharks! Then they caught up with Darren Aronofsky's CAUGHT STEALING (7:30), which is not the movie either Megan or Dave signed up for (it's…

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Episode #581: "Love, Brooklyn," and "A Little Prayer" 1:01:43

4M ago1:01:43

1:01:43

This week Megan and Evan took in director Rachel Abigail Holder's romantic drama LOVE, BROOKLYN (2:00), starring André Holland, Nicole Beharie, and DeWanda Wise. Short version: They liked it, with Megan revisiting it after seeing it at Sundance earlier this year. Next, Dave joins them for A LITTLE PRAYER (28:09), a quiet and understated Southern fa…

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Hind Hassan Is Sorry We Didn’t Do More to Make Journalism Safe 28:40

4M ago28:40

28:40

Earlier this month, Hind Hassan, a decorated documentary news reporter who has covered everything from conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine to the bizarre underworld of the global wellness industry, spoke at a graduation ceremony for students at Columbia Journalism School. In her address, Hassan pointedly apologized for not doing more to make th…

1
Episode #580: "The Thursday Murder Club" and "Lurker" 1:02:40

5M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

This week we all watched the Chris Columbis-directed THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB (working title: Olds Detect), a comedy-drama about four friends (Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie), residents of an assisted living facility, who solve cold cases. That is, until a very real and current case lands in their laps when the facility…

Cjr Podcasts

1
Spoilerpiece Theatre

Evan Crean, Megan Kearns, and David Riedel

1
The Kicker

Columbia Journalism Review

1
CJR Movement

CJR Movement

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Columbia Journalism Review Podcast

Columbia Journalism Review

1
Episode #599: "The Plague" and "We Bury the Dead" 52:41

1
Jay Rosen on the Digital Revolution That Wasn’t 41:31

1
Episode #598: Our favorite films of 2025! 1:01:10

1
Ben Smith Isn’t Afraid of the Future 36:34

1
Episode #597: "No Other Choice" and "Is This Thing On?" 59:53

1
How Silicon Valley Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Oligarchs 59:08

1
Episode #596: "Influencers," "Dust Bunny," and "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" 1:09:26

1
The Future of Journalism After Gaza 53:28

1
Episode #595: ""Hamnet," "One Battle After Another," and "It Was Just an Accident" 1:08:30

1
Episode #594: "Rebuilding" and "The Secret Agent" 59:57

1
Douglas Rushkoff on Being the Intellectual Dominatrix of Billionaire Tech Bros 1:05:25

1
Journalism 2050 - Trailer 1:19

1
Episode #593: "Wicked: for Good" and "Train Dreams" 59:10

1
Episode #592: "The Running Man" and "Nouvelle Vague" 57:41

1
Episode 591: "Predator: Badlands," and "Die, My Love" 1:01:57

1
Episode 590: "Ballad of a Small Player" and "Hedda" 59:44

1
Episode #589: "Frankenstein" and "The Mastermind" 44:52

1
Margaret Sullivan Takes a New Look at Journalism Ethics 28:07

1
Episode #588: "Vicious" and "Chain Reactions" 47:45

1
Chicago’s Block Club Is Ready for ICE 25:26

1
Episode #587: "The Lost Bus," "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You," and "John Candy: I Like Me" 1:03:17

1
Episode #586: "Good Boy" and "Are We Good?" 57:45

1
Episode #585: "Eleanor the Great" and "Dead of Winter" 57:21

1
Episode 584: "A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey" and "Night of the Reaper" 1:00:14

1
Elle Reeve on the Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect’s Inscrutable Memes 36:00

1
Episode 583: "The Long Walk," "Highest 2 Lowest," and "Or Something" 1:06:02

1
Garrett Graff Thinks the Press Should Be Taking Trump’s Health Much More Seriously 27:51

1
Episode 582: "Dangerous Animals," "Caught Stealing," and "The Baltimorons" 59:14

1
Episode #581: "Love, Brooklyn," and "A Little Prayer" 1:01:43

1
Hind Hassan Is Sorry We Didn’t Do More to Make Journalism Safe 28:40

1
Episode #580: "The Thursday Murder Club" and "Lurker" 1:02:40