Brian Stelter is one of the top reporters on the media beat. After covering media for The New York Times, he had a long career at CNN on the same beat as host of the weekly show, Reliable Services. He is now a Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair and hosts their weekly podcast, Inside the Hive. He is the author of the recent book, Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy. You can buy a copy here. In this episode, Bill and Brian discuss the state of journalism today, including the rise of fake news, the decline of local newspapers, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the industry. Stelter also talks about the role of Fox News and its influence on the Republican Party. He notes that while Fox News faces challenges from competitors like Newsmax, it remains the dominant force in conservative media. Stelter also discusses the potential legal challenges facing Fox News, including lawsuits from Smartmatic and Fox shareholders. Overall, he suggests journalism is facing significant challenges, but there are still opportunities for new and innovative media outlets to emerge.

Today, Bill highlights the work of the independent non-profit journalism organization, Pro Publica. In just the last few years they have uncovered the shady dealings of Justice Clarence Thomas, exposed the shadowy accountants that do Trump’s taxes, how corrupt Texas Attorney General gutted his Medicaid Fraud unit. And many more. Check out more of their excellent work at ProPublica.org.

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