Podcast / American Prestige / Dec 17, 2024

The Financialization of Modern Media

On this episode of American Prestige, Andrew deWaard on his book Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

The Financialization of Modern Media w/ Andrew deWaard | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

On this episode of American Prestige, Danny speaks with Andrew deWaard, assistant professor of media and popular culture at UC San Diego, about his book Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture. The two discuss how the falling rate of profit shapes the modern media landscape, the increased drive toward consolidation in entertainment companies, the big movers like private equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers, and venture capitalists, artists' limited ability to defend themselves, the rise of IP, and more.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this episode of American Prestige, Danny speaks with Andrew deWaard, assistant professor of media and popular culture at the University of California–San Diego, about his book Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture. The two discuss how the falling rate of profit shapes the modern media landscape, the increased drive toward consolidation in entertainment companies, the big movers like private equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers, and venture capitalists, artists’ limited ability to defend themselves, the rise of IP, and more.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Librarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI w/ Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina / Tech Won’t Save Us
byThe Nation Magazine

Librarians are working harder than ever to support their neighborhoods—including by teaching and promoting digital literacy. Hannah Cyrus and Alison Macrina join Paris Marx to discuss the role of library workers in the digital landscape, including how they’re helping patrons navigate privacy basics and artificial intelligence, and how the tech industry is making their jobs harder.

Hannah Cyrus is a digital media librarian at the Bangor public library. Alison Macrina is an activist librarian and the director of Library Freedom Project.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.

Derek Davison

Derek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.

More from The Nation

Librarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI—With Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina

Librarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI—With Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina Librarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI—With Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina

Paris Marx is joined by Hannah Cyrus and Alison Macrina to discuss the role of library workers in the digital landscape.

Paris Marx

President Franklin D. Roosevelt endorses New Deal candidates during a radio broadcast from his Hyde Park home.

How the New Deal Invented the National Security State—With Andrew Preston How the New Deal Invented the National Security State—With Andrew Preston

Andrew Preston joins Danny and Derek to trace the evolution of the American national security state, from the early republic to the Cold War and beyond.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

The Plan for November—and After

The Plan for November—and After The Plan for November—and After

Ben Wikler lays out Democratic strategy, and John Nichols talks about progressive candidates for the Senate.

Jon Wiener

President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during the daily morning briefing at Palacio Nacional on July 15, 2026, in Mexico City, Mexico.

Borderlands—With Ken Salazar  Borderlands—With Ken Salazar 

Former Senator Ken Salazar joins Fighting Fascism to discuss immigration, the US-Mexico border, Democratic strategy, and the politics of Mexico under AMLO and Claudia Sheinbaum.

Free-press advocates project messages opposing the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger during the News & Documentary Emmy Awards held at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 27, 2026, in New York City.

Fighting Monopoly Power Fighting Monopoly Power

Zephyr Teachout on how to combat the corporate consolidation.

Jeet Heer

The US Resumes the Iran War, the Ebola Outbreak Surges in the DRC, Andy Burnham Becomes the UK’s PM

The US Resumes the Iran War, the Ebola Outbreak Surges in the DRC, Andy Burnham Becomes the UK’s PM The US Resumes the Iran War, the Ebola Outbreak Surges in the DRC, Andy Burnham Becomes the UK’s PM

Danny and Derek round up the week’s global news, from Iran, Gaza, and Yemen to Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, the ICC, and shifting US-China influence.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

x