An interview with Ben Smith about the future of journalism, plus the week in Jewish news
0:00 — Introduction
1:30 — The Tree of Life Trial, Pittsburgh Jews, and the Death Penalty
9:25 — Interview with Ben Smith on “Traffic” and the future of media
22:40 — Recommendations and closing
On the April 27 episode of “That Jewish News Show,” Laura E. Adkins and Benyamin Cohen of the Forward discuss the trial for the perpetrator of the antisemitic 2018 shooting at Tree of Life, Jewish views on the death penalty, and what the trial means for the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and beyond. They were joined by Ben Smith, currently of Semafor and formerly at Buzzfeed, Politico, NYT and even the Forward, to discuss his new book “Traffic” and the future of journalism.
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Referenced articles, books and music:
The Tree of Life Trial, Pittsburgh Jews, and the Death Penalty:
“Most families of Pittsburgh synagogue victims support the death penalty for the shooter”: https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael...
Beth Kissleff, “The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting Could Have Destroyed My Family — but Jewish Tradition Rejects the Death Penalty” in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/op...
Benyamin’s interview in the Forward with a Tree of Life survivor: https://forward.com/news/522556/pitts...
Main Interview:
Ben Smith’s new book, “Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the billion-dollar race to go viral,” out on May 2:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
Recommendations:
A Person is a Person (אדם הוא אדם) by Benaia Barabi (בניה ברבי)
Music Video: • בניה ברבי - אדם הוא אדם
Lyrics and English translation: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/adam-h...
“A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them” by Timothy Egan: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
“That Jewish News Show” is a thoughtful look at the week in Jewish news from journalists at the Forward, which has been driving the American Jewish conversation since 1897. In each episode, hosts Laura E. Adkins, the opinion editor, and Benyamin Cohen, the news director, bring you beyond the headlines and interview the newsmakers behind those stories.
