Browse all episodes of The Listening Post

A look back at the biggest media story of 2013 - Edward Snowden and the NSA surveillance programme.

The Snowden saga: Spies, secrets and security

Listening Post examines how covering the Muslim Brotherhood has become a minefield for the media.

Egypt: Journalism under siege?

When fighting broke out a month ago in the world's youngest country, South Sudan, the story was framed as just another tribal power struggle coming out of Africa. A more precise analysis is that the conflict is really political in nature - a fallout between the president and the vice president, with some ethnic elements fighting it out on the ground. Those who are critical of the media say that, when it comes to Africa, all too often international news outlets resort to the same formula - reducing just about any conflict to the tribal level, which seems to explain everything without actually telling us anything. Is there a hierarchy of knowledge in reporting about Africa, with more authority given to international journalists?

South Sudan and the media of conflict

We examine how news outlets have become part of the story in the recent scandal involving Erdogan's government.

Turkey: The media sub-plot

Ahead of Sochi's Olympics, we ask how the Kremlin will handle the news coverage that comes with hosting the games.

Russia's media Olympics

As journalists face arrest, we ask why the media is seen as being either with the army or with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt's media war

Amid accusations of censorship, is government pressure creating a climate of intimidation for media in the country?

Turkey's media pressure points

The government and the opposition are fighting it out to make sure it is their version of events that gets reported.

Venezuela's media wrangle

We examine how the unfolding crisis has led to key media moments in a country with questionable press freedoms.

Upheaval in Ukraine: The media angles

In a special edition, we unpack the Turkish prime minister's relationship with the media landscape in which he operates.

Erdogan: Control, conflict, conglomerates

In a special episode, we explore how technology influences the way news is gathered and shapes the way it is presented.

The changing face of news

As Russia redraws the map in Ukraine, the media narrative is once again split between the powers of the East and West.

The Cold War narrative

We look at how Ankara's crackdown on social media is creating a firestorm ahead of a critical presidential election.

Turkey vs Twitter

Ahead of the country's May election, we examine the failed promise of the Arab Spring and the impact on journalism.

The state of Egypt's news media

As the world's largest democracy goes to the polls, we examine claims that news outlets are favouring Narendra Modi.

Indian media: Choosing sides?

For many, even those in the media, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s re-election is a foregone conclusion.

Algeria's election: A fait accompli?

As Hamid Mir recovers after being shot by unknown gunmen, we examine the wider backdrop of media killings in Pakistan.

Pakistan: Journalism under fire

Why has the media struggled to tell the story of Nigeria's mass abductions?

The challenge of reporting on Boko Haram

Print media and the country's state-owned broadcaster have been accused of slanted coverage of the recent elections.

Are South Africa's media biased?

We analyse coverage of the Ukraine conflict, which has often been marred by a lack of nuance, context and subtlety.

The 'all-out propaganda war' in Ukraine

A controversial new set of rules to govern the use of broadband and the Internet has the cyber world blowing a fuse.

The Battle for the World Wide Web

The Kingdom and its media are placed under military control; plus heads roll at Spain's three top dailies.

Thailand: the military and the media

Whatever side of the political divide Egyptians find themselves, the media is the one who seems to have suffered.

Mapping the media in Sisi's Egypt

One year after Edward Snowden exposed the spying at the NSA, can the internet be re-set?

Resetting the net: Snowden and surveillance

ISIL is gaining on the ground but who, if anyone, controls the story?

ISIL in Iraq: The image of an insurgency

Al Jazeera staff sentenced to jail in Egypt #FreeAJStaff.

Caged in Cairo: Where journalism is a crime

Listening Post covers the propaganda war and competing media narratives in Iraq.

A divided Iraq and a fractured storyline

What is the role of social media in the Israeli-Palestinian battle for hearts, minds and political support?

The information war over Gaza

Listening Post examines racial conflict and social divisions in the US and how those issues are reported.

Ferguson and the media

We examine the ethical challenges of reporting the murder of the American journalist by IS.

James Foley: Journalism or propaganda?

Amid Pakistan's latest political power struggle, the country's news channels are fighting a proxy war of their own.

Pakistan's polarised media

A look at Rupert Murdoch's role in the Scottish independence vote and the media's scramble to catch up with the story.

Scotland votes: Reporting the referendum

An interview with Nick Davies, the reporter who exposed the British phone hacking scandal.

The Murdoch empire: Phone hacking exposed

A Listening Post special on the 'Snowden effect' and challenges to the media in the age of state supervision.

Journalism in the age of surveillance

A Listening special on the evolving role of satire and the satirists who are holding power to account.

Satire: Mocking news, lampooning power

A Listening Post special on the global media battle taking place parallel to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Gaza: Media, myths and the mainstream

A special episode to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

Journalism is the frontline

We examine the latest chapter in the propaganda war that pits Russia against Ukraine and its western allies.

Kiev vs the Kremlin: A new Cold War?

Sorting out the science from the scare tactics - we examine the Ebola stories coming out of Africa.

Covering Ebola: Facts, Fear and Failures

The media war in Syria is putting truth under pressure. And, Tunisian media's obsession with terrorism.

Syria: Journalism under duress

The Listening Post examines the news coverage of race in the US; plus, fonts and the news media.

Ferguson: Riots, race and the media

How the EU takes on Google's monopoly as gatekeeper of information; plus, a look at media under pressure in Hungary.

Breaking Google's grip

Examining the media coverage of the CIA torture report release; plus, the ethics of graphic imagery in the news media.

Covering the CIA torture report

A lesson from Australia in how not to cover breaking news; plus, an interview with 'Rogue Reporter' Rich Peppiatt.

Sydney siege: How not to cover breaking news

The Listening Post offers its predictions for media and journalism in the year to come.

Media trends to watch in 2015

Debating free speech in the wake of Charlie Hebdo; plus, the relevance of impartiality and objectivity in journalism.

The reaction to the Charlie Hebdo attack

The controversial magazine continues to make headlines; plus, the screwball comedy that turned into political standoff.

The return of Charlie Hebdo

How has the media covered the latest Boko Haram attack? Plus, the Charlie Hebdo story through the eyes of cartoonists.

Reporting the Baga massacre

Will the new Greek government dismantle the old media networks? Plus, covering the new power structures in Yemen.

Greece: Syriza, austerity and the media

Greece's Syriza party challenges the media narrative on austerity. And, the close ties between journalists and NGOs.

Syriza and the new economic narrative

The journalist collaboration behind the biggest leak in banking history; plus, a look at the slow journalism movement.

The Swiss Leaks

ISIL propaganda and the narrative of inevitable war; plus, fonts and typefaces, the loaded letters of the news business.

The provocation of ISIL propaganda

The contradictory coverage of a suspicious death; plus, the growing politics behind the world's most watched TV show.

The death that divided Argentina's media

Netanyahu's allies and enemies in the media; plus, fixers, the local helpers who make international reporting possible.

Israel elections: The media battle

Debating the Delhi rape documentary; plus, a look at the internet trolls on the Kremlin's payroll.

Screening rape: India's debate

A media post-mortem into the UK's surveillance report. Plus, why five years on in Argentina the media looks so familiar.

UK surveillance under scrutiny

The partisan coverage of Nigeria's vote; plus, the 800 million Indians not deemed newsworthy by their country's media.

Nigeria's delayed elections

The Yemen conflict and the geopolitics of the coverage; plus, the resurrection of Greece's state-owned broadcaster.

Challenging coverage: The conflict in Yemen

Politics, religion and freedom of speech in Bangladesh; plus, the ethics of native advertising.

Bangladesh: Politics, religion and the limits of speech

What Spain's 'gag law' means for the media; and a radio station broadcasting from inside a mental hospital in Argentina.

Spain's new 'gag law' and the media

The politics and coverage of xenophobia in South Africa; and TV regulation in the UK ahead of a contentious election.

South Africa, xenophobia and the media

Race and the media – the debate continues; plus, the politics of reforming Italy's state broadcaster.

Reporting Baltimore

Iraqi journalists are stuck between a rock and a hard place; plus, Thailand, where the media march in step.

The perilous life of journalists in Iraq

A media post-mortem into the UK's general election; plus, a wiretapping scandal that has gripped Macedonia's media.

Examining the British election drama

What the coverage of the Bin Laden story reveals about journalism in the US; plus, Cuba's changing media scene.

Seymour Hersh: Challenging the Bin Laden story

Two years on from the Snowden leaks, the surveillance debate continues; plus, journalism in Japan - Abe's 'medianomics'.

Mass surveillance under the microscope

As Turks head to the polls, we look at the country's media; plus, an interview with whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg.

Erdogan, elections and the future of Turkish journalism

How China managed the message after the Yangtze ferry disaster; plus, a look at the face behind the news, the anchorman.

Beijing's media damage control

Anonymous official sources go after Edward Snowden in the UK's media; plus, 30 years of covering Cuba from Miami.

Behind the Sunday Times Snowden saga

As the Baku games close, we examine the challenges facing journalists; plus, Angola, Portugal and 'reverse colonialism'.

Azerbaijan and the European Games: Did the PR pay off?

We analyse the media coverage of the immigration debate; plus, Cuban bloggers and their quest for freedom of expression.

Politics and polemics: Europe's immigration story

Managing the media message after the historic nuclear deal; plus, the problems and perils of reporting on Boko Haram.

Under scrutiny: Selling the Iran-US nuclear deal

We analyse the consequences of Egypt's new anti-terrorism bill; plus, the risks of reporting on Italy's Mafia.

Muzzling the media: Egypt's new 'anti-terror' laws

Journalist or belligerent? What the Pentagon's Law of War manual means for conflict reporting; plus, tweeting the news.

The Pentagon's rules of media engagement

A Listening Post special on the jailing of three Al Jazeera staff and the verdict's impact on press freedom.

Egypt: Journalism on trial

We explore Hungarian TV's decision to not show images of refugee children; plus, Nigeria's 'brown envelope' journalists.

Spinning the refugee crisis

Threats, raids and arrests: Turkey intensifies pressure on the press; Plus, Bosnia's divided media.

Inside Turkey's media battleground

The media versus the rise of anti-establishment politics; Plus, Syria's TV dramas soldier on.

Disrupting the media with disruptive politics

The battle for legitimacy in the Saudi-Iranian proxy war of words; plus, the deadly trade of journalism in Mexico.

Mecca and the media

Battling media narratives in Russian and US bombing campaigns; plus, the conundrum of covering India-Pakistan relations.

Air strikes and media misses

A look at Erdogan's tightening grip on the press; plus, how Canada's oil and gas industry affects the media.

Turkish media on tenterhooks

We analyse the polarising coverage of the clashes in occupied East Jerusalem; plus, the false binaries in the media.

Israel-Palestine: The conflict and the coverage

We explore the love-hate relationship between the media and Donald Trump; plus, the future of Canada's CBC television.

Trump and the media: A marriage made in ratings heaven?

We examine the state of journalism in Erdogan's Turkey; plus, how to separate fact from fiction when news is breaking.

Turkey's 'free' press

We examine the conflicting media reports of the Russian plane disaster in Egypt; plus, the rise of automated journalism.

The Russian plane crash and the battle of narratives

We examine whether there's a double standard for victims of terrorism; plus, fixers: the unsung heroes of journalism.

Double standards in the Paris attacks coverage

We look at the Paris attacks, national anthems and the use of sports to promote war; plus, the battle over Rustavi 2 TV.

National anthems: beating the drums of war?

We look at Turkey's and Russia's battle in the air and over the airwaves; plus, China's anti-corruption drive.

High crimes and media misdemeanours

We look at the divisive and sensationalist media coverage of the mass shooting; plus, the rise of social news videos.

San Bernardino shooting: How not to cover breaking news

We look at the coverage of the COP21 climate change summit; plus, the fatal shooting of a black teen by US police.

Behind the headlines: Was the climate deal a success?

We examine Rupert Murdoch's relationship with the UK government; plus, Nigeria's 'brown-envelope' journalists.

The Murdoch empire strikes back

How a radio station that broadcasts from inside a psychiatric hospital changes attitudes towards mental illness.

Radio La Colifata: Argentina's 'loony radio'

We look at the Saudi-Iran crisis reflected in the media; plus, US elections and "horse race journalism".

Saudi Arabia vs Iran: Beyond the Sunni-Shia narrative

We examine what Poland's new contentious media law means for journalism; plus, covering Pakistan's northwest.

Poland: The EU's media freedom conundrum

What is the state of Egypt's media five years after the toppling of Mubarak? Plus, behind the UK's surveillance reform.

Egypt's media: Revolution and reality

We look at Britain's controversial surveillance reform and its impact on journalism.

The UK Snoopers' Charter: A threat to press freedom?

We look at the Taliban threat and the future of Afghan journalism; plus, Davos - global news event or PR exercise?

Killing the messengers: Afghan media under fire

The White House race - candidates the media like to cover and those the people vote for. Plus, Venezuela's media battle.

What happened in Iowa: Bursting the US media bubble

A look at efforts in Damascus to sell the war inside Syria; plus, how exiled Syrian journalists send the news back home.

Telling Syria's story: Media across the battle lines

We look at a sedition case that has sparked violence against the media; plus, Donald Trump, speaking the unspeakable.

All Episodes of The Listening Post

All Episodes of The Listening Post

Season 1