They Stand Corrected

To get your attention, the media likes to make you angry. So big news agencies churn out hot takes that inspire fury — facts be damned.  That’s clear in coverage of the shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE agent. Today, Josh points out how a news network did exactly the wrong thing in the wake of the shooting. Also, how all the major media are ignoring a basic fact about groups organizing protests: Several of them actually support state violence of a different kind. Anger also led to disastrous coverage of a battle at CBS’ 60 Minutes. A news executive held a story for further reporting, and people throughout the Big Media landscape lost their minds. Josh explains. Meanwhile, the media has been largely ignoring something that people should be angry about: Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters. Brave Iranians have launched another uprising against the state’s brutal Islamist regime. Josh explains how the media has fallen since he covered a previous uprising in the country. Get the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com.  Make the show possible! Become a paid subscriber for unlimited content, or contribute via BuyMeACoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs. Vote for the worst media disasters of 2025: mediafailawards.com.  Bookings, feedback: joshlevs.com  Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. 

The U.S. military operation in Venezuela and capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro raise crucial questions about the extent of American power and what’s allowed under so-called “international law.” The media should respond by giving you the facts. What does the Constitution say? What do international treaties say? How have governments made decisions about military actions, and who gets to weigh in?  Instead of providing answers, the media has produced an avalanche of conflicting claims, opinions, and lies. Today, Josh pieces through the rubble to uncover the truth. He talks you through military actions by the Obama and Biden administrations; the reason Maduro may not be protected by a ban on capturing foreign leaders; the doctrine ensuring that he can stand trial in the U.S., and more. Also, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s “briefing” that wasn’t; how a democratic Venezuela could help fight Islamist terrorism; and an unintentionally hilarious BBC segment summarizes the media’s failure. Vote for the worst media disasters of 2025: mediafailawards.com.  Get the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. Make the fight for truth possible in 2026 by becoming a paid subscriber for unlimited content. Contribute: BuyMeACoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs Bookings, feedback: joshlevs.com  Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen.

Welcome to the second annual Media Fail Awards! It’s your chance to vote on the biggest news blunders of the year. Hear the “nominees” for the most disastrous reporting that helped spread big lies on both ends of the political spectrum. Then, vote! Find your ballot at mediafailawards.com. Josh will inform the news agencies of their wins — er, losses. Also in this episode, a damaging Christmas myth we can help dispel in the news. Since this is the last episode of the year, Josh has wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! They Stand Corrected needs your support! We’re about 17% under where we need to be to keep going in 2026. You can become a paid subscriber to the newsletter at TheyStandCorrected.substack.com, or contribute via buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs. You’ll receive thanks from Josh, a message on the show (if you wish) and the chance to decide which topics are covered. Event bookings, feedback, and more at joshlevs.com.  Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Thank you for an amazing year! Here’s hoping for another year of showing the media that They Stand Corrected.

The media is complicit in the Hanukkah massacre. That’s not an accusation or opinion; it’s a demonstrable fact. Today, Josh provides proof.  In the wake of the Islamist terrorist attack in Sydney, Josh takes you inside Australia’s media landscape, which mirrors that of the United States and western Europe. You’ll hear the daughter of an elderly victim bravely call out the mainstream media in the middle of a live interview.  Then, Josh digs into the big problem with the media’s fixation on one hero. He explains how the media uses stories like that to hide a much bigger reality. He tells you about Jewish heroes who were killed in the attack. And he shares sound from a brave Muslim soldier fighting Islamist terrorism and antisemitism.  Anti-Zionism is a hate movement radicalizing the world. Josh explains that Hanukkah is all about defeating anti-Zionism. Yet the media uses the holiday to platform anti-Zionist Jews, giving audiences the false idea that they’re large in number.   No matter who you are, no matter what your background, if you care about the truth, this show is for you. Get the free newsletter, packed with links, proof, and the ability to generate images in a single click: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show needs your support, so become a paid subscriber and get lots of perks. Give the show a Hanukkah gift! buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com.  Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen.  

Recently, a planned terrorist attack against LGBTQ clubs was apparently thwarted. Authorities say young men from the Dearborn, Michigan area had practiced and stockpiled weapons for the attack, inspired by the Islamic State. The story was quickly buried, but it speaks to a strange shift in American politics and culture. In recent years, LGBTQ+ groups have become mouthpieces for lies put out by Islamist groups like Hamas. They do this while claiming “solidarity.” But at the same time, U.S. Muslims are pulling further away from stances crucial to LGBTQ+ organizations. The latest survey shows support for same-sex marriage has plummeted among Muslim Americans, while growing among just about everyone else. Today, Josh explains how the media is fueling this shift, and how LGBTQ+ groups are risking the end of same-sex marriage. He takes you to a city in which the nation’s first all Muslim city council banned Pride flags. (These aren’t “strange bedfellows,” since only one side seems to believe they’re bedfellows at all.) Plus, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is going after the media, ranting about anonymous sources. And while anonymity is overused and misused in the media, the Trump administration is in no position to complain. Josh explains. Get the FREE newsletter, packed with links, proof, and the ability to generate images in a single click: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. Paid subscribers get searchable, edited, hyperlinked transcripts not available anywhere else. And they play a big role in determining topics for the show.  Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen!   Gift-giving time? buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs

The shooting of two National Guard members in Washington last week sparked a political battle and a cascade of media failure. Big news agencies ran false claims from President Trump and other government officials without correcting them. But that’s just the beginning. The attack, by an Afghan refugee, shines a light on media failures going back to 2021. Amid the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, news agencies ran claims from the Biden administration without fact checking or attributing those. Today, Josh traces you through the uncorrected lies that have misled the country. Plus, the media’s role in rushing the 2021 process of ushering Afghan citizens into America — and the dangers that process wrought. Also, what the media refuses to tell you about the shooter, and the word the media refuses to mention about the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. Get the FREE newsletter, packed with links, proof, and the ability to generate images in a single click: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. Paid subscribers get searchable, edited, hyperlinked transcripts not available anywhere else. And they play a big role in determining topics for the show.  What kind of organization builds a more peaceful world? One in which people of all backgrounds work together to save lives. Learn why Josh is partnering with United Rescue (“Hatzalah”). Sign up for info, and consider a tax-free end-of-year donation, at bit.ly/4nAJe9c. You’ll also help support this show! Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen! Gift-giving time? buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs

Each year, the media runs stories about people arguing with loved ones over Thanksgiving dinner. News agencies present themselves as giving you solutions for handling polarization. But these reports are hypocritical because the media itself is polarizing America through an onslaught of lies. In this mini-episode, Josh discusses a way to respond to people who believe lies. It’s a simple tactic that listeners say has worked. Plus, a Thanksgiving message of gratitude to you. Get the free newsletter, packed with links, proof, and the ability to generate images in a single click: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. Paid subscribers get more, including searchable, edited, hyperlinked transcripts not available anywhere else. For a limited time, get a Black Friday discount!  Gift-giving time? Support via buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs or paypal.me/joshlevs. Help support the show for FREE, thanks to sponsors: These HEROES save lives every day. Just sign up to learn about them: bit.ly/4nAJe9c. Get a Jewish-themed Thanksgiving guide with recipes, kids’ activities and more: bit.ly/3LzcQWB. Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. To all listeners who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving!

The release of some documents related to Jeffrey Epstein in recent days has been, above all else, a media story. Political leaders released certain files involving the sex trafficker, knowing what the media would do: grab a few lines out of context and play them up in hopes of getting audiences to click, watch, listen, and read. In the process, it made a mess and sowed confusion. But the release did raise new and serious concerns about the role of the media itself. A New York Times journalist tipped off Epstein about someone working on an exposé about him. And author Michael Wolff advised him. Today, Josh digs into all of this to explain where the media has gone wrong. He also highlights the hypocrisy of the BBC’s apology to Trump, and takes on a billion dollar news conglomerate that pushed the “genocide” libel about Israel. Details, links, social media content and more at the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for unlimited content and direct access to Josh. Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com.  These HEROES save lives every day. And if you just sign up to learn about them, you’ll help support this show! Learn about United Rescue (“Hatzalah”) by visiting bit.ly/4nAJe9c. Get FREE Jewish-themed Thanksgiving recipes (yum), kids’ activities and more for a limited time at bit.ly/3LzcQWB. Other ways to support: buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs, paypal.me/joshlevs Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this show wherever you listen. Thank you.

Two top executives at the world’s biggest news broadcaster, the BBC, have resigned after another fiasco. This one involves the network doctoring Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech before the insurrection. But some news outlets pointing to this as proof of BBC bias have created a different problem of their own. They’re cutting off what Trump said, giving you a false positive impression. “Everybody’s misleading you,” Josh explains in this episode. “But this show lets you tune out the noise and get the truth.” Plus, new proof of the BBC’s pro-Hamas bias has also come to light — including its disastrous coverage of a Yazidi sex slave who was rescued by Israel, the United States, and Jordan. Meanwhile, a series of problems plague coverage of last week’s U.S. elections. Josh pieces through them, and shows why it’s no surprise that surveys on civic knowledge in America are dismal.  And the mainstream media’s favorite streamer announced his anti-democratic stance yet again. But even that isn’t slowing down the fawning profiles. Get details, links, social media content and more at the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for unlimited content and direct access to Josh. Send feedback through the newsletter or the form at joshlevs.com.  Fuel the truth-telling effort via buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs! Toss in $1.80 (or any other amount). NO sign-in or email address required. REQUEST: Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this show wherever you listen. Thank you!

When Tuesday’s election results came in, Newsweek invited Josh to assess the victory of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. In today’s episode, he explains why he called it a terrible, dangerous turn in U.S. politics. Big media like The New York Times celebrated the news, of course. Josh explains that the Times had an “Oops, I Did it Again” moment when a high-ranking journalist let the mask drop — and then tried to put it back on. Then, a guest joins Josh to explore a bigger question: How did we get here? Why does the media warn about anti-democratic movements on the right while running cover for those on the left? Fellow NPR alum Mike Pesca, host of the podcast The Gist, helps explain how news agencies lost their way. He also discusses his firing from a national news agency. Josh explains why Mike’s experience is a window into anti-journalistic thinking in newsrooms. Get details, links, social media content and more at the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for unlimited access.  NEW: Fuel the truth-telling effort via buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs! Toss in $1.80, $18, or any other amount, NO sign-in or email address required. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this show wherever you listen. Send feedback through the newsletter, or the form at joshlevs.com. 

The story of a renovation at the White House and the planned creation of a big ballroom is the perfect example of how media failures have left people in the dark. Depending on someone’s media bubble, they’ve either heard that Trump launched a destructive, crazy expensive vanity project that might even be illegal, or that it’s just a long awaited change and the left is freaking freaking out about nothing. Today, Josh pieces through the mess to get you the facts. Also, news organizations generally play up a candidate’s past offensive remarks and actions — but not when it comes to antisemitism on the left. Then the mainstream media isn’t interested. And if other people make it a story, the media frames the candidate as a victim. Josh provides proof involving New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, who expressed his love for convicted funders of terrorism and praised an imam with ties to radical Islam. Plus, a student leader who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s assassination might actually face a consequence despite the media’s effort to run cover for him.  Get the free newsletter at TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for unlimited additional content.  NEW: Fuel the truth-telling effort via buymeacoffee.com/joshlevs! Toss in $1.80, $18, or any other amount, NO sign-in or email address required! Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this show wherever you listen. Send feedback through the newsletter, or the form at joshlevs.com.

When businesses judge their achievements at the end of each year, they generally look at financial figures. But what about organizations that exist primarily to serve a crucial societal purpose? There, the metrics are usually different. They assess their impact. Not so for news agencies. Instead, big media look at audience figures and awards — which say nothing about providing the truth. Today, Josh digs into this problem. He explains how new annual awards could hold the media to account, and how we can make them happen. Also, questions have been pouring in from supporters of the show following the last two episodes. Josh answers several, explains what’s true, and teaches you what to look for in a news story to be on guard against lies. Plus, what the media is leaving out of its coverage of a Trump fiasco at the CDC. Get the free newsletter at TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for unlimited additional content, or contribute via paypal.me/joshlevs. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Send feedback through the newsletter, or the form at joshlevs.com. 

This week, the world has seen the release of the 20 living, remaining hostages in Gaza, celebrations in Gaza for the return of convicted terrorists, and what’s being called the end of the Israel-Gaza war. “It’s all taking place against a backdrop of profound media failure,” Josh explains in this episode. “We can’t really understand what’s happening without understanding how the media has twisted everything, lengthening this war and helping the hostage takers hold on to them in hellish captivity for all this time.” It’s not just about one war. All the tactics that led to October 7th are being adopted by other Islamist terrorist groups around the world. Without the media helping people understand the truth, the world won’t act or prepare. Today, Josh shows you how the media usually presents hostage situations, and how it refused to follow the same template this time. It’s a major shift involving false equivalence and downplaying heroics. It also explains why virtually no one in the media is asking a crucial question right now — one that affects how the United States, European countries, and other countries deal with terrorists in the future. Did we just end an era?  Plus, the best known figure on a global news network actually apologizes. If only she’d do the same for her other lies. Get the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show needs support to keep going! Become a paid subscriber for additional content, or contribute via paypal.me/joshlevs. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Also help the show for free today by supporting our sponsors: The heroes of United Hatzalah (“United Rescue”), volunteers from all backgrounds, saved lives on Oct. 7th and continue to every day. Sign up to learn more at bit.ly/4nAJe9c.  October 7th was a holy day, meant to be joyous. The Simchat Torah Challenge is an effort to help Jewish people reclaim it: Join “the world’s oldest book club” at bit.ly/4nx4NaO. Send feedback through the newsletter, or the form at joshlevs.com. 

Today marks the second anniversary of the biggest terrorist massacre per capita in modern times. Josh explains how the media has presented the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel, and the war ever since, with blinders on. By ignoring the big picture, it has convinced billions of people to believe in a false reality. October 7th, 2023, was a story of mass terror, mass rape, and mass killing by Iran-backed Hamas and other Gazan terrorists. It was also a story of bicycles, musical instruments, kites, compassion, hope, and survival. And it was a story of the biggest threat to democracies. Everything people in Israel faced that day, including the forces behind it, is spreading across the world. In this special episode, Josh does what the media won’t: He puts October 7th in context. He introduces you to survivors whose stories of living through unimaginable hell are unforgettable. He also takes you to Iraq, Australia, Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom. To prevent the next October 7th anywhere on Earth, we have to understand it.  See images, videos, details and more in the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber now at a special rate representing “life.”  How you can help:  The heroes of United Hatzalah (“United Rescue”), volunteers from all backgrounds, saved lives that day and continue to every day. All they ask is that you sign up to learn more at bit.ly/4nAJe9c.  October 7th, 2023, was a holy day, meant to be joyous. The Simchat Torah Challenge is an effort to help Jewish people reclaim the day: Join “the world’s oldest book club” at bit.ly/4nx4NaO. Thanks to sponsorships, doing so will help the show for a limited time. You can also send feedback through a form at joshlevs.com, and support via paypal.me/joshlevs. 

When does pressure from someone in the government become censorship? That might be the most important question surrounding some of the biggest news stories right now. But the media doesn’t even seem to be asking it, let alone trying to answer it.  Today, Josh explains a new Pentagon policy that is so obviously against press freedoms that even a Fox analyst is calling out. Meanwhile, some headlines say that Google is accusing the Biden administration of having exerted “censorship pressure.” But is that what Google’s saying?  Plus, Kamala Harris is out with a book, and her first interview showed some problems with the media. Meanwhile, on another network, an overall good conversation should remind the anchor to take his own advice.  And Josh discusses news coverage of partisan violence, efforts to avert a government shutdown, and yet another proposal to end the war in Gaza.  Get the free newsletter that accompanies this show: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. The show needs your support, so become a paid subscriber now at a special, meaningful rate for this time of year. You can also send feedback via the form at joshlevs.com, and support via paypal.me/joshlevs.  Help the show by supporting sponsors: A government shutdown could have big ramifications on your life — including healthcare, travel, and more. Learn how with Data Undistorted from USA Facts: bit.ly/4nrI6ER. Limited time is left to sign the petition demanding action on the national debt, from Concord Action: bit.ly/4m9uHQt. Join the world’s oldest book club! Just 15 minutes a week. Get the weekly newsletter about the Torah portion from The Simchat Torah Challenge: bit.ly/4nx4NaO

There are real dangers of lasting, deadly political violence from both ends of America’s polarized society. The media has played a huge role in getting us here. While big mainstream news organizations have been calling out violence on the right, they’ve been ignoring and fueling it on the left.  Today, Josh shows how the media has parsed through controversial words from slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk while extolling a far-left figure who supports, praises, and celebrates terrorism. What Hasan Piker says is “graphic and demented,” Josh explains. Also, a survey of college students finds a massive spike in support for violence — and shows the far left has been “the most accepting of violence” for years. All this is context for the battle surrounding late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Josh discusses an opportunity Kimmel has if he chooses to take it. Plus: a professional actor responds to last week’s episode, and the BBC punishes its own presenter for saying something true.  Get the newsletter! It’s free, and packed with materials accompanying this show: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. That’s where you submit questions and comments, get shareable materials for social media, and more. (During the Jewish High Holy Days, the rates are set to meaningful figures signifying “life.”) You can also send feedback via the form at joshlevs.com, and support via paypal.me/joshlevs. 

In covering political violence and homicides, the media keeps missing one of its most important responsibilities. Today, Josh explains how an obsession with politics has been poisoning not only the coverage of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing, but also the killing of a young woman on light rail in North Carolina. It boils down to a key question of whether we’re going to move forward as a society or not. To help you understand this, Josh looks at the attempted assassination of author Salman Rushdie, the assassination of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., and a problematic line journalists use when discussing violence and mental health. Also, an American news network fired an analyst following Kirk’s death. In context, his remarks seem different from what made the rounds on social media. But the incident raises a larger question about how the news handles early reports of gunfire. Plus the BBC runs cover for a student leader who celebrated Kirk’s assassination, stars preach hatred at the Emmys, and the leading study on political violence in America shows how antisemitism fuels it on both ends of the political spectrum.  Get the newsletter! It’s free, and packed with materials accompanying this show: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. That’s where you submit questions and comments, access big media for free, and more. You can also send feedback via the form at joshlevs.com, and support via paypal.me/joshlevs. 

As the media “blows it” in coverage of the war between Israel and terrorists, another story is getting buried: the incomparably huger death toll in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Today, Josh takes you inside that reporting to show how the media can follow basic editorial standards when it wants to. You’ll also hear how journalists remind audiences of the war’s origins and describe Putin. The media assails “propaganda” from certain countries, especially on Twitter, while simultaneously reporting propaganda as fact. Josh tells you about an international organization for journalists, beloved by the media, that recently organized a propaganda campaign of its own. Some big news agencies took part — and none called out the hypocrisy. Also, Josh ties up a couple of loose ends from previous episodes, involving jury selection and a survey of Americans during wartime.  Your responses to the episode about the national debt were overwhelming! It’s $37 trillion, bigger than the U.S. economy, and fuels inflation. Here’s something we should DO: Sign this petition from sponsor Concord Action at bit.ly/4m9uHQt. It’s just four sentences, and will get the attention of lawmakers.  Get the newsletter! It’s free, and packed with materials accompanying this show: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. That’s where you submit questions and comments, access big media for free, and more. You can also send feedback via the form at joshlevs.com, and support via paypal.me/joshlevs. 

When horrific school shootings and other mass shootings happen, the media swarms onto the scene. This leads to problems and controversies. One is the propensity to give perpetrators the attention they crave, which fuels further attacks. Today, Josh explains that while the media has made some improvements on this, it has done very little about another issue: the use of photos and videos, particularly of children, in the aftermath.  The law does not offer the protections that many parents believe. Today you’ll hear someone who survived an elementary school shooting explain how the media reawakens trauma for decades to come. And the father of a young man killed in a mass shooting says what it takes to get news agencies to listen. Then, Josh tells you about a big shift taking place among three of the nation’s biggest newspapers. They’re moving in opposite directions, signaling a change at the heart of U.S. media. One owned by Rupert Murdoch is standing up to Trump, while two traditionally liberal papers are pulling punches. In preparing for this episode, Josh discovered something about one of these papers that he’s never seen before. Find details, links, photos, social media materials, and a searchable archive at the free newsletter: TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. That’s also where you can submit questions and comments. This show counts on listener support, so become a paid subscriber for exclusive content. You’ll see how to email big news outlets and access failing legacy media for free, legally.  You can also send feedback through the form at joshlevs.com, and support through paypal.me/joshlevs. 

Listeners asked for it: a fact check of some claims by the New York Times’ Ezra Klein. Today, Josh explores how Klein misrepresents data, mischaracterizes large groups of people, and ignores truths that disprove his assertions. You’ll hear how Klein even invoked Nazi-era Germans in an act of “privilege” that maligned the vast majority of Israeli Jews. Also, more on the battle between Ronan Farrow and Matt Lauer. You’ll hear what Farrow’s failures mean for The New Yorker, and why his defenders engage in a form of bigotry called “youngism.” Also, how journalists at some big news agencies “put their cards on the table” by openly assigning victimhood. Plus, why the Pulitzers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And an important message to those who want to believe everything Klein says.Get details, links, and more, and submit questions or comments in the free newsletter at TheyStandCorrected.substack.com. This show can only exist with your support, so please consider becoming a paid subscriber for additional, exclusive content. The newsletter is a Substack bestseller for good reason! You can also submit questions via the secure form at joshlevs.com, and support the show at paypal.me/joshlevs.