Chenjerai Kumanyika has returned to Scene on Radio as co-host and co-producer for its new season, 'The News,' which is currently being showcased on Revisionist History. Introducing his longtime collaborator, host John Biewen highlighted Kumanyika's academic and creative credentials, calling him "an award-winning podcast maker, Empire City, Uncivil, Unruly Subjects... and a professor at New York University's journalism school... so you're officially an expert on the thing we're here to explore this time around."
The core of their exploration centers on a deep skepticism toward historical American media. John Biewen directly challenged the nostalgic narrative of a past era of trusted, objective journalism, noting to Kumanyika, "I know you well enough to know you don't believe there was once upon a time when the major media told the American people the unvarnished truth on all the important questions." This setup positions Kumanyika to bring his critical media studies background to bear on how mainstream outlets historically ignored systemic injustices while maintaining a false sense of societal consensus.
The series, which is distributed by PRX, is co-produced by Kumanyika, Biewen, and story editor Diane Hodson. As 'The News' rolls out, expect Kumanyika to continue dismantling comfortable myths about journalism's past to help listeners make sense of today's hyper-polarized political landscape.