News Beat

A staggering percentage of those locked up in America’s mass incarceration crisis—upwards of 20%, or 200,000 folks (!!)—were homeless or in marginal housing leading up to their imprisonment. Forty percent were on welfare. Even more were jobless, especially among the Black community. And far too many were in public housing or foster care prior to even turning 18. This episode examines the devastating link between poverty and incarceration in the United States—what reform advocates dub...

On May 14, an 18-year-old white supremacist armed with an assault rifle and wearing body armor livestreamed his massacre of 10 Black people at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Ten days later, another 18-year-old slaughtered 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. While investigators scramble for motivations behind the latter, those of the accused mass murderer in the Buffalo shooting are crystal clear: He wanted to kill as many African Americans as...

Devised in the wake of the September 11th Terror Attacks and subsequent 9/11 Commission casting much of the blame on the lack of interjurisdictional communication between law enforcement, fusion centers have continued to operate in the shadows and outside the realms of the public eye, and even elected officials, ever since. Yet instead of foreign and domestic terrorists, these multi-million-dollar surveillance hubs monitor and collect data about everyday people exercising their...

In 2017, shortly after the deadly "Unite The Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, we released an episode titled ‘Misunderstanding Terrorism: Exposing Radical Caucasian Extremism’ calling out what the vast majority of mainstream news outlets and then-President Trump wouldn’t, yet what study after study had been warning about for quite some time: It wasn’t foreign Muslims posing the biggest threat to America’s safety—but white, far-right extremists. Tragically, this ideology’s death toll...

Long time listeners will certainly recognize LiKWUiD who, as one of News Beat's "Artist in Residence," has been featured on several important episodes delivering compelling, often heart wrenching lyrics that compliment our social justice reporting in a truly powerful way. Find out a little bit more about this prolific Hip-Hop artist, DJ, educator and mentor as we welcome LiKWUiD to the News Beat Cypher, in a special cross-feed drop with Hip-Hop Can Save America!. News Beat is a...

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demanded justice and equality—two essential truths which still have not been achieved, more than 50 years since his murder on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Year after year, without fail, politicians, pundits, and corporations bastardize his image and legacy to their own capitalistic agendas—capitalism and its many evils something MLK fought so relentlessly against. This year, along with our annual re-release of our inaugural episode ‘MLK:...

Like we always do at this time of year, we present an important, alternative look at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, examining how the civil rights icon was so much more than simply the “I Have a Dream” soundbite, which has become known as the cornerstone of his public perception. Along with Pastor Roger C. Williams of the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, NY, Larry Hamm, of the People's Organization for Progress, hip-hop artist Silent Knight, and King’s own words, listeners learn of...

When disaster strikes, who profits? That’s the question Australian-based reporter Antony Loewenstein has been investigating for years. “Disaster capitalism” was first coined by renowned journalist and author Naomi Klein in her 2007 best-selling book “Shock Doctrine.” Loewenstein digs deeper with on-the-ground reporting to show how companies around the world profit from misery. News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey Creative Studios and Manny Faces Media. Subscribe...

America's longest war has one clear winner: Corporations. Has the war in Afghanistan become the biggest scam of our lifetime? News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey Creative Studios and Manny Faces Media. Subscribe for free to our Substack newsletter. Audio Editor/Sound Designer/Producer/Host:Manny Faces Editor-In-Chief/Producer: Chris Twarowski Managing Editor/Producer: Rashed Mian Episode Art: Jeff Main Executive Producer: Jed Morey Support the show:...

Surprise, surprise. Modern day citizen’s arrest laws across the United States have their roots in Civil War-era laws designed to punish slaves. In this episode, one of the foremost experts on citizen’s arrest laws traces the history of these archaic laws from the colonial period to today—exposing yet another disturbing aspect of America’s “justice” system. News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey Creative Studios and Manny Faces Media. Audio Editor/Sound...

Beware the false messiahs of meaningful criminal justice reform, the so-called bipartisan coalition championing initiatives that purport to make a difference yet do absolutely nothing to incite true change, and in fact, further tighten the historical and ongoing noose of neoliberalism and structural racism within the world’s largest prison state. Our guests go behind the smoke and mirrors, ripping off the masks of the fake prophets pushing artificial revolutions and exposing the inherent...

Since last spring, politicians, right-wing pundits, the media, and so-called “centrist” Democrats have weaponized the rise in violent crimes, including murders, to demonize police reform efforts and blame progressives. Sure enough, they conveniently neglect to mention that crime is up across the country—in cities run by Democrats and Republicans. We examine the spike in violent crime, potential factors, and whether defund and police reform are really to blame. Hint: It ain’t as simple as...

Long time listeners know Silent Knight, his voice and his profound work -- not only as News Beat's "Artist in Residence," but as a solo artist, frontperson for our good friends and co-award-winning collaborators, The Band Called FUSE, and as an Innocence Ambassador for the renowned organization, The Innocence Project. Find out a little bit more about this prolific Hip-Hop artist, polka enthusiast (??) and all around cool cat as we welcome Silent Knight to the News Beat Cypher. News Beat is a...

Law enforcement is increasingly using facial recognition, AI and other technologies despite numerous studies and real world examples of such tech falsely identifying criminal suspects. Along with concerns over how this tech will disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities, experts are raising concerns over First Amendment implications and what it means to live in a society in which we’re constantly surveilled. News Beat is a multi-award-winning podcast brought to you by Morey...

This episode was honored as Best Podcast at the 2021 New York Press Club Journalism Awards. We dedicate the win to the many voices -- both heard, and unheard -- represented in this episode. The 2020 rebellions sparked renewed discussions surrounding a host of racial issues, including police brutality toward black men. Advocates argue that black women are similarly exposed to excessive police violence yet routinely forgotten or ignored. Among their demands: Say Her Name. News Beat is an...

The News Beat podcast presents “This Week In Social Justice,” streaming live Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. Tonight we’re discussing the recent landmark climate change report from the U.N.—with perhaps the most dire warnings yet for the world’s future (basically we’re fddd unless we stop this crazy shttt like now)—and we’ll also be highlighting the incredible new report out from the Equal Justice Initiative dismantling the U.S. jury process to show all the ways...

The News Beat podcast presents “This Week In Social Justice,” streaming live Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. Our guests were Lewis Conway Jr., national campaign strategist for the ACLU, who discussed the Biden administration’s backing of a Trump-era policy that will result in thousands of people returning to federal prison, and Dr. Ram Sundaresh, co-author of a groundbreaking study on incarceration and family health. Join us on this interactive program to share your...

This episode of TWISJ explores the TRUTH behind the rise in crime across the U.S. through highly comprehensive (sorta) data research and extensive enterprise reporting techniques (kinda). Later in the episode, we breakdown the unprecedented privacy shenanigans uncovered by The Pegasus Project, and what they means for ALL of us and our freedoms. Yes, even you! The News Beat podcast presents “This Week In Social Justice,” streaming live Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch....

The News Beat podcast presents “This Week In Social Justice,” streaming live Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. This episode's topics, among others: Exxon Mobile’s environmentally devastating political tactics, the recent assassination of Haiti’s president and where that incident fits into the long, complex history of U.S.-Haiti relations and people’s modern-day struggles. Join us on this interactive program to share your thoughts on recent news and ongoing issues as...

This episode's topics: America’s climate hell; More shocking news about Canada’s deadly residential schools Our very special guests: Vivek Shandas, professor of urban studies and planning at Portland State University. The News Beat podcast presents “This Week In Social Justice,” streaming live Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. Support the show:...