CAPTivated
What's wrong with our media?
Join political scientist Hanna Sistek, media historian Sage Goodwin, and communication scholar Julius Freeman at the Center for American Political History, Media, and Technology (CAPT) as they explore the complex relationship between media, technology, and democracy.
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Intro Episode
Meet the Minds: Introducing the CAPTivated Podcast with Special Guest Katie Brownell
Welcome to CAPTivated! In this teaser episode hosts Hanna Sistek, Sage Goodwin, and Julius Freeman at Purdue University's Center for American Political History, Media, and Technology (CAPT) are joined by CAPT Director Professor Kathryn Cramer Brownell to discuss the podcast's mission and what listeners can expect.
Latest Episodes
EP05: The Quasi-Religion of Right-Wing Media with Marcus Mann
In this episode, Sage, Julius, and Hanna sit down with Purdue sociology professor Marcus Mann to discuss why polarization is the wrong framework for understanding our news media. Marcus explains that there are qualitative differences between right-wing and center-left news ecosystems. He argues that where center-left news reporting is largely focused on information dissemination, we can better understand right-wing media if we view it as a quasi-religious phenomenon marked by personality-centered programming, community-building, and defining in-groups and out-groups. Marcus gets into the reasons behind these differences in epistemologies between news reporting and opinion programming, suggests evaluating media by function and funding, and urges seeking social connection beyond political media.
EP04: AI is Not Inevitable with Alice Marwick
In this episode Hanna, Julius, and Sage talk to Dr. Alice Marwick, Director of Research at nonprofit research institute, Data & Society. Alice discusses the rapid expansion of AI. She explains how AI is dangerously concentrated in a handful of powerful companies whose interests are increasingly aligned with the current US administration, and how people are being pushed into using AI involuntarily in their workplaces, schools, and apps. She also raises concerns about people using chatbots for mental health support, highlighting the safety risks of "private vibes" versus real privacy. Alice argues that AI adoption is far from inevitable and society still has the power to shape its development, making the case for meaningful regulation built around broad principles rather than specific technologies.
EP03: Why Local Journalism Still Matters with Dave Bangert
In this episode, Sage, Hanna, and Julius talk with Dave Bangert, a veteran local journalist who covered Lafayette, Indiana for over 30 years at the Journal and Courier and now runs his own Substack, Based in Lafayette, Indiana, with over 8,000 subscribers. Dave discusses the real consequences of shrinking newsrooms, why seemingly mundane local meetings are vital, and how he's built a community of readers who value local coverage. He makes the case that local journalism isn't just about staying informed — it's about preserving the accountability that keeps democracy working where it matters most: in people's everyday lives.
EP02: The Personalized Public Sphere with Fred Turner
In this episode, Sage, Hanna and Julius hear from Stanford Professor Fred Turner about how personalization and commercial platforms have corrupted the "public sphere." Fred traces the historical roots of the fantasy of a global connected conversation system back to post-WWII scientists, critiques the techno-utopianism of Silicon Valley, and underscores the importance of institutions and regulation for breaking up companies that would otherwise destroy public goods.
EP01: Unpacking Conservative Media with Nicole Hemmer
Welcome to the very first episode of the CAPTivated Podcast! Hosts Hanna, Julius and Sage sit down with Dr. Nicole Hemmer, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Rogers Center for the American Presidency at Vanderbilt University, to explore the history and power of conservative media in American politics. From William F. Buckley Jr. and Rush Limbaugh to Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk, this episode traces how and why right-wing media evolved into a dominant force in the digital age.