Episode 32: Fragments of a Fragile Order — The Paramount Merger, Freedom of the Press, and American Eagle's Eugenics Problem

In this special, more casual, episode of the Art of Citizenry Podcast, host Manpreet Kaur Kalra is joined in conversation by show producer, Aly Honoré as they dive into news stories that say a great deal about the state of American democracy, culture, and press freedom.

The key to protecting freedom of the press is ensuring it can serve its primary role — holding governments accountable without fear of censorship or retaliation.

From a $16 million “settlement” between Paramount and the Trump administration that raises red flags for journalistic independence to a fashion campaign steeped in coded racial and cultural messaging, this episode invites listeners to slow down and ask: What does this reveal about the rules — written and unwritten — that shape our society?

As long as journalism is treated as a business rather than a public good, it will remain at risk of being compromised, co-opted, or sold out. — Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Art of Citizenry

Image by Lincoln Agnew

⏰ Timestamps:

  • 1:45 Paramount’s $16 Million settlement to the Trump Administration

  • 19:10 Kamala Harris announces she is not running for office, says, “The system is broken”

  • 27:15 “Sydney has great jeans” Eugenics & American Eagle’s Ad

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

  • The Paramount settlement and what it signals for press freedom.

  • The cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and what it reveals about corporate influence.

  • What a vice president’s low-profile departure suggests about the state of democracy

  • How American Eagle’s latest campaign taps into racialized, gendered language — and why it’s worth unpacking.

Capitalism depends on white supremacist ideology — it repackages it, and sells it back to us as fashion.

By connecting the dots between media consolidation, political power, and the commercialization of cultural narratives, this conversation examines the fragile boundaries of what’s considered acceptable — and what happens when those boundaries shift.

Sincere dissent not only names the flaws, but also who the beneficiaries are and points towards remedies that demand structural change. — Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Art of Citizenry

🎧 Tune in to explore how seemingly small stories can reveal seismic shifts in our political and cultural landscape.

Mentioned: 

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Manpreet Kalra