Andy Mills: Quitting The New York Times and making 'The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling'

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Published 2024-07-03
The podcasting pioneer discusses capturing the real J.K. Rowling, quitting The New York Times, and his new podcast show Reflector.

0:00- Introduction
1:03- "Reflector": Andy Mills’ new podcast
3:47- "Reflector" Episode 1: Naltrexone for alcoholism
7:00- "Reflector" Episode 2: Drill rap on trial
18:16- Economics of podcasting
22:22- Has the podcast era peaked?
25:28- Starting "The Daily" at The New York Times
29:06- Spotify’s bad Meghan Markle bet
31:04- "The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling"
37:15 -"Caliphate"controversy & The New York Times part 1
41:06- Ad: Lumen
43:09- "Caliphate" controversy & The New York Times part 2
45:33- What does healthy media consumption look like?
47:46- Andy Mills’ rural Christian upbringing
52:50- ‘Wokeness’ at The New York Times
1:00:24- Q&A

reason.com/video

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This week's guest is Andy Mills, the co-creator of "Reflector", a new documentary podcast. Reflector's early episodes delve into controversial treatments for alcoholism and the free speech implications of the trial of rapper Young Thug, whose lyrics are being used by prosecutors to build a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) case. Mills is a legend in podcasting circles. He helped create The New York Times podcast "The Daily", one of the most listened-to shows on the planet, and he produced the wildly popular and controversial "The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling" for The Free Press. Reason's Nick Gillespie and Mills discuss why podcasting is having such a moment, his tumultuous tenure at the Times (which ended with his resignation in 2021), and whether there is a market for investigative journalism that isn't done in the service of partisan politics.

#podcasts #media #jkrowling #interview #podcast #interviews

All Comments (21)
  • @Appleblade
    Why is it not possible to prosecute an artist for what they confess in a song? Singing invalidates confession? The singer can just say 'I'm not confessing anything... it's all or mostly fiction'. I don't see any connection with free speech.
  • @Longanlon
    I wander what is the type of person who will not only willingly leave his house with his hair looking like this, but he probably made a conscious choice to styli it like this. Truly baffling.
  • @Hdtk2024
    Andy Mills is fascinating. He created so much amazing content: Daily, Witch Trials & now Reflector.
  • We constantly use naltrexone to treat alcoholism in the United States. It just doesn't work that well. It helps a bit with cravings, but that's about it.
  • @gernotzeilinger
    "Tell the better story. And the truth is we are not up against stiff competition." I love this answer. I think that is the only way forward, whatever your persuasion, just try to convice by becoming an inspiring story-teller.
  • @mattwa33186
    How can you talk about Tipper Gore and not mention 2 Live Crew and Baby Got Back? That was the song that started it all.
  • @andylifer5302
    I totally get that the first amendment allows a person to confess to crimes in a song or a book or even a painting but not sure I see why it should somehow protect them from prosecution for the crimes they are bragging about. Prosecuting them doesn’t interfere with their bragging, and I say they should expect repercussions if they confess to a crime even if it’s as part of artistic endeavor.
  • But wasn't this always the way; Bowie was a notorious killer along with Adam Ant and Simon LeBon, natural born killers all, right??? NO, this is a direct result of over forty years of excusing murder and mayhem in poor communities and a glorification of that lifestyle at the cost of decent people in the same communities, the communities that begged for more police presence in their neighborhoods.
  • @tomcampbell4414
    Hell yeah dude, I get emotional about big feeling stuff all the dadgum time and it pisses me off, but I honestly think it’s because the stakes are high to us. Good work dude
  • I do not get this guy. No one is bad or has bad ideas? I hve to disagree s these ws this guy named Adolf that ws well liked but had few bad ideas. I am sorry if you are pushing falehoods and demonizing people who you disagree with. Being a Republican i hve been called stupid and racist. The fact I own guns i hve hd people tell me they would hve never come in my houe if they knew that. Sorry I hve lived all over the world, had two careers and one profession... That attending four colleges might count for something. Just because someone is polite does not men they are good people.\
  • "Racial bias is the bedrock of our justice system" Bold claim, he still seems lost in the sauce.
  • @michaellowe3665
    Wow, the Reason video yesterday had the same number of likes when i opened it. What kind of fuckery is youtube up to?
  • @connor5669
    36:47 it's easy to know where to stand unless you hate a particular minority...
  • @user-wl2xl5hm7k
    2 of 2. This is how you always need to vote: We must fully resist and always vote against (& less authoritarian than) both the Democratic and Republican Parties- including Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, Rand Paul (He’s no Ron Paul), Thomas Massie, Warren Davidson, Ron Johnson, and all other Republicans. Vote in every single election- at all levels. And also endorse or anti-endorse, in all elections you can, for outside your voting jurisdiction. For all public positions. And this same strategy applies against the same one or more party-monopolies in all countries worldwide. Real libertarians will never be Republicans or Republican loyalists. Never vote for any Democratic member or loyalist either. If no candidates for a position fit that bill: -Where write-ins are permissible, always write-in an anti-authoritarian person; -Where write-ins aren’t permissible, always vote uncommitted or leave the ballot blank. This will continuously reduce the power of all authoritarian parties in the party monopolies. Until our task is complete. Repeat strategy for all new authoritarian parties that emerge.
  • @user-wl2xl5hm7k
    1 of 2. This is how you always need to vote: We must fully resist and always vote against (& less authoritarian than) both the Republican and Democratic Parties- including AOC, all of the squad, Bernie Sanders, Edward Markey, Mark Pocan, the justice democrats, Biden & all other democrats. Vote in every single election- at all levels. And also endorse or anti-endorse, in all elections you can, for outside your voting jurisdiction. For all public positions. And this same strategy applies against the same one or more party-monopolies in all countries worldwide. Real progressives will never be Democratic Members or Democratic loyalists. Never vote for any Republican member or loyalist either. If no candidates for a position fit that bill: -Where write-ins are permissible, always write-in an anti-authoritarian person; -Where write-ins aren’t permissible, always vote uncommitted or leave the ballot blank. This will continuously reduce the power of all authoritarian parties in the party monopolies. Until our task is complete. Repeat strategy for all new authoritarian parties that emerge.