About On The Media

On the Media explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of "making media," especially news media, because it's through that lens that we literally see the world and the world sees us.

While maintaining the civility and fairness that are the hallmarks of public radio, OTM tackles sticky issues with a frankness and transparency that has built trust with listeners and led to more than a tripling of its audience in five years.

Since OTM was re-launched in 2001, it has been one of NPR's fastest growing programs, heard on more than 300 public radio stations. In 2011, On the Media became the first Public Radio Information show to reach more than 1 million weekly listeners. It has won Edward R. Murrow Awards for feature reporting and investigative reporting, the National Press Club's Arthur Rowse Award for Press Criticism and a Peabody Award for its body of work.

For more on the history of On the Media, and how it fits in to the rest of public radio, check out the "manifesto" written by OTM managing editor Brooke Gladstone for Transom.org back in 2004. You can find it here.

On the Media is supported by the Ford Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Our theme music was written by bassist/composer Ben Allison.


Meet the OTM Staff:

Brooke Gladstone
Host & Managing Editor 

Bob Garfield
Host 

Katya Rogers
Senior Producer 

Jennifer Munson
Technical Director