8 chapters across the catalog
Pop Culture Podcasts, The Bachelor, Unreal TV Show
A segment from a pop culture podcast discussing "The Bachelor" is analyzed for its focus on reality TV drama. The scripted drama "Unreal" is recommended as a more accurate depiction of the manipulative behind-the-scenes production of reality television.
A news trend involving Millennials "discovering" broadcast television via digital antennas is discussed as a humorous tech "hack." Simultaneously, the fact-checking website Snopes is reported to be in financial and legal trouble. There is a suggestion for tech-savvy listeners to "spider" or archive the Snopes database before the site potentially goes offline due to its internal disputes.
A clip from a documentary on Free Speech TV describes how the British government used propaganda films like "The Battle of the Somme" to hide the reality of the First World War from the public. The hosts use this to emphasize the importance of independent, listener-supported media.
Free Speech TV Programming and NGO Walkouts
The hosts review new programming on Free Speech TV and report on the walkout of major NGOs, including Greenpeace, Oxfam, and WWF, from the COP 19 negotiations. The walkout is framed as a protest against the lack of progress on climate finance.
The hosts critique "Free Speech TV" for airing viewer complaints that ignore the NDAA and executive power. They also report that the ratings firm Egan-Jones has downgraded the U.S. credit rating to AA, though the news received little mainstream coverage compared to previous downgrades by larger firms.
Introduction, Gays in the Military, and Free Speech TV
Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the program on December 23, 2010, from their respective locations in Southern California and Silicon Valley. They briefly touch upon media coverage of "gays in the military" and mention Free Speech TV's practice of outing individuals.
Dvorak discusses "Gay USA," a news program on Free Speech TV (FSTV). He notes the show's tendency to "out" celebrities and its focus on the gay marriage agenda, which he finds occasionally tedious but informative.
A review of alternative media networks highlights Free Speech TV and its "Gay News" segment, which is noted for its practice of outing public figures. The visual style of this programming is compared to the CNET podcast "Buzz Out Loud," hosted by Tom Merritt and Molly Wood. The conversation touches on the experience of finally seeing the physical appearance of long-time podcast hosts and how it often differs from the listener's mental image.
