Originally posted 1/17/25 & pinned to the top of the blog.
Latest update 2/22/26. Apologies for any content not up to date.
This Monday, January 20, will usher in what may prove to be America’s darkest period since the Civil War. We’ve known bad times before — the Depression, Vietnam War, and Watergate to name a few — but I don’t think the country has faced possible dissolution since the Civil War. I’m not suggesting the United States will cease to exist, but it may be transformed into something unrecognizable.
It won’t happen overnight, probably, but the people behind Project 2025 have made it very clear that they intend swift and radical transformative change. They spell out their plan in a 900-plus page manifesto, supplemented by a 180-Day Playbook “of actions to be taken in the first 180 days of the new Administration to bring quick relief to Americans suffering from the Left’s devastating policies.” You know, things like democracy.
The mainstream or “legacy” media, quite frankly, is not up to the task of reporting and challenging the rampant onslaught of conspiracy theories and disinformation these days. They are enabling it! The networks and newspapers are all corporate-owned. The billionaire ruling class basically controls what we see and hear. They have vested interests to protect, so they control the vertical and they control the horizontal. They can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. It’s all on their terms.
While it appears that an anchor or host is focused on what they’re telling you, editors and producers are chattering in their earpieces with instructions to say this and not say that.
The proud tradition of brave reporting like we saw from the Washington Post during Watergate and the New York Times with the Pentagon Papers is dying. ABC News recently crumbled before Trump, handing over $15 million to settle a frivolous anti-defamation lawsuit. Legal precedent was clearly on ABC’s side on several counts, but the network cowered. Bucking Trump is too dangerous.
Added comments with 2/22/26 update: The ABC News lawsuit above was just the start. Since then, Trump has sued the New York Times for $15 billion, the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion, and CBS settled a lawsuit against the 60 Minutes broadcast for $16 million. 60 Minutes is now neutered, and right-wing political commentator Bari Weiss now heads up CBS News. Reporters are barred from Pentagon briefings unless they pledge to submit to government approval of what they publish. The FCC has threatened broadcast licenses. Trump has successfully forced Stephen Colbert off the air. He tried with Jimmy Kimmel too, but public outcry forced ABC to bring him back. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has threatened Apple with unspecified consequences if Apple doesn’t manipulate its Apple News app to promote news more to Trump’s liking. And these are just a few of the things happening!
Public is Weary & Disillusioned
In a new development since the election, viewers are abandoning the mainstream legacy networks. Forbes reported on November 27 that MSNBC’s viewership was down 53% and CNN was down 47%. This isn’t a total surprise. Declines are common after major elections and ratings later rebound, but by all accounts this is different. It’s been a deeper drop than in the past and more foreboding for the networks’ future prospects.
The prevailing analysis says that liberal viewers of these networks are exhausted, stressed out and demoralized by the election outcome. They need a break. I can attest!
But there’s something else at work. Viewers are not feeling served by these networks, especially after incidents like MSNBC’s Morning Joe program. Married co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski announced on-air November 18 that they had gone to Mar-a-Lago for a private audience off-camera with Donald Trump. Loyal viewers felt betrayed and tuned out en masse that very morning. Few have returned.
David Pakman (to be introduced later below) discussed what’s happening in two videos, first in December and updated in February:
The corporate-owned mainstream media is “sanewashing” and normalizing scandalous statements and conduct by Trump and his allies — things that would have been career-ending in years past. Trump knows no bottom, and mainstream media is going right down there with him. Sure, something outrageous might spark a headline or criticism the next day, but that’s it. It’s quickly dropped and forgotten. Critical reporting is dying.
Independent Progressive Media
There’s an alternative: independent progressive media — people and organizations producing relevant, intelligent, engaging and free-wheeling content not controlled by advertisers, bosses or shareholders. There are people working solo, some with one or two helpers, and some assembling whole teams of collaborators. Some are average folk like me doing this blog while others come from backgrounds in print and broadcast media, politics, government, academia, and so on.
You can find them on YouTube and in podcasts, on websites like Substack, or social media platforms like BlueSky (where you can also follow me). Their styles and opinions vary, as do their polish and technical quality — and their reliability. They are self-governing and self-fact checking, so one needs to be discerning when deciding who to listen to and follow.
My Recomended Free List
This is my recommended list of content creators in the independent progressive media landscape. It’s not exhaustive, but these are the people and organizations I mostly follow. Brian Tyler Cohen generally tops my list with all the others close behind and not necessarily in the order presented here. They are all good!
You’ll notice several differences in these programs versus mainstream TV like an MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) or CNN. First, the topics and opinions vary. Mainstream TV repeats the same stuff over and over. Moreover, the interviews and discussions are longer and more thorough with fewer interruptions. They aren’t constrained by 10-minute blocks and constant commercial breaks.
Almost everything listed here is free, although there are sometimes 1 or 2-minute ads read by the presenter. They have bills to pay too. Most also offer additional content by subscription.
■Brian Tyler Cohen
Absolute top of the list is Brian Tyler Cohen. Brian churns out more content than just about anyone on my list. He posts his own solo commentaries and also works regularly with public officials, other podcasters and progressive media producers. Among these are Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, Democracy Docket’s Marc Elias, former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner, and Tim Miller, former Republican National Committee spokesperson and now host of the Bulwark podcast (covered below).
These are links to the various series that Brian produces and posts free on YouTube:
• No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen
• The Legal Breakdown with Glenn Kirschner
• Democracy Watch with Marc Elias
• The Classroom with More Perfect Union
• BTC x MSNBC (A collaboration)
• Live Streams (as realtime events warrant)
In addition, Brian has a Spanish-language channel and he has just published a book, Shameless, which made the New York Times Bestseller list. Shameless is available in bookstores, through Apple Books and at Amazon. Kindle and audiobook formats are available.
In addition to all this, you can sign up for Brian’s email newsletter.
■Pod Save America
Pod Save America is a no-bullshit conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders.
Pod Save America is free on YouTube. You’ll find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Tune In and elsewhere (some or all free, I’m not sure). And it’s available by RSS and on its website
■The Bulwark
Unlike Brian Tyler Cohen and David Pakman above, the Bulwark is an organization with videos and written commentaries produced by many people.
Wikipedia describes the Bulwark this way: “The Bulwark is an American conservative, anti-Trump news and opinion website launched in 2018 by Sarah Longwell, with the support of Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes.” In addition to these three, other contributors include Sam Stein and Tim Miller. Miller now hosts the Bulwark’s main daily podcast available on YouTube.
The Bulwark produces a broad series of podcasts in video and audio that are available for free. Search and watch a few on YouTube and then the algorithm will start suggesting others.
In addition to its free content, the Bullkwark offers more by subscription for $100/year or $10/month. For this you get all the podcasts without the little 1-minute ads, longer full-length versions of the free podcasts, and podcasts that are limited to subscribers only. The podcasts include (listing just a few):
• The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller
• The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell
• The Focus Group Podcast with Sarah Longwell
• How to Fix It with John Avlon
• Shield of the Republic co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia
■Democracy Docket
Democracy Docket was founded in 2020 by Marc Elias to fight the election denying schemes and frauds of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Democracy Docket has been fighting in courts across the country to protect and expand voting rights and to defeat the myriad attacks by Republicans aimed at quashing our rights.
You can watch Democracy Docket videos free on YouTube detailing the Republican’s ceaseless assaults on voting rights and the fight to stop them. You can also sign up for their free newsletter — or join them at $10/month to support this really important work and receive exclusive content.
■MeidasTouch Network
The MeidasTouch Network describes itself as the “fastest growing independent news network in the world. We cover breaking news, politics, law and more. We are unapologetically pro-democracy. Because TRUTH is golden.”
Contributors include co-founder Ben Meiselas, Michael Popok, Harry Litman (via Talking Feds), Adam Mockler, Michael Cohen and many more. Popok hosts a new MeidasTouch series, Legal AF, on YouTube. You can follow the links to all their videos.
■Heather Cox Richardson
Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of History at Boston College. She’s written seven books on subjects ranging from the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the American West. She’s uses history as a foundation to make observations about American politics today, ranging from the early Republican Party through Trump’s first administration and continuing to today. Sounds weighty, but she’s very accessible.
She produces several series of videos posted to YouTube:
• What the Heck Just Happened?
• Journey to American Democracy
• A History of the Republican Party (a 17-part series)
• The American Paradox (a 9-part series)
Heather also does a daily audio podcast, Letters from an American. Find it where you get your podcasts, or listen for free at radio.net.
■David Pakman
David Pakman started out in 2005 with a show on WXOJ in Northampton, Massachusetts. The David Pakman Show is now one of the most watched independent progressive programs in the country.
David produces good shows and commentary which you can find on YouTube and numerous other platforms. He’s also written a book to be released in March, The Echo Machine: How Right-Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America. It’s on pre-order now at Amazon.
■Justice Matters
Glenn Kirschner’s website aptly describes him: “[He] breaks down today’s complex legal issues in ways that are understandable, relatable, and usable. For 30 years as a prosecutor, Glenn Kirschner argued to juries, connecting legal dots. He brings this same approach to his analysis of today’s troubled legal landscape.”
In my background, federal prosecutors are not people I’m particularly inclined to appreciate. Glenn doesn’t seem to fit the typical mold I’d expect. He’s an outspoken and passionate defender of average folk against the abuses of wealthy self-serving politicians, rogue lawyers and judges. He explains the law clearly and how the system works — or how it should work. He walked us through all the twists and turns of the Trump cases from pre-indictment, to indictment, to trial (those held at least) and the subsequent dismissals.
You can watch Glenn free on YouTube.
■Luke Beasley
Luke Beasley first caught my eye during 2024 as he traveled to Trump rallies across the country interviewing Trump’s supporters. These were serious interviews, not the Jay Leno-style gotcha clips played for laughs. He engaged people in serious conversations, sometimes at personal bodily risk — not so much from the people he was talking to but from bystanders. Luke would challenge people in a good-natured way, but would hear them out. These interviews could be disturbing and irritating, but it’s important to hear people.
You can watch Luke free on YouTube.
There’s more, but this should be ample to get you started. Virtually everything here is free at the links I provided. Once you get started on YouTube the algorithm will keep you amply supplied with continually-new content. It’s all available 24/7 with no need to tune in at a particular time and channel — and it’s organic, not manipulated or censored by corporate overlords.
I’ve concentrated here on content available through YouTube. There’s also a vast universe of free podcasts available wherever you get your podcasts from. Maybe I’ll do a future article on these.
Happy emancipation from corporate think!
Title image is by Matt Botsford on Unsplash.
The Outer Limits image is by Thomas Saxon, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Other images are screen shots from YouTube or the content producers’ websites.
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