The Active Measures Newsletter Podcast

From the Pell Center at Salve Regina University and the creators of the Active Measures Newsletter, a weekly dive into the latest trends in political warfare, influence, and information campaigns.

The Active Measures Newsletter Podcast is a government podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 99 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Active Measures Newsletter Podcast, a government show with 99 episodes published.

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  Episode #34

  What Really Scares Authoritarians with Scott Fisher and Graig Klein

  Sep 5, 202634 minS3

  Authoritarian regimes from Moscow to Beijing fear losing control of their own information eco-systems—more than military exercises, more than economic sanctions, and more than diplomatic isolation.  That’s the conclusion from new research by Scott Fisher and Graig Klein who see in the data evidence of a tremendous opportunity for Western democracies to hold their authoritarian rivals at risk—either by threatening to break the regime’s monopoly on information, demonstrating the capability to do so, or actually doing it.  Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss the recent surge in Russian hybrid warfare in Europe and the latest analysis of the migrant crisis at Ceuta, Spain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Episode #33

  The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War with Thomas Kent

  Aug 29, 202633 minS3

  Russia and Ukraine are fighting more than battles on Ukrainian soil, they are fighting a war for minds, and other governments are still playing catch-up. Thomas Kent of the American Foreign Policy Council explains how Ukraine turned a chaotic communications system into a wartime information powerhouse, appealed to Speaker Mike Johnson’s Baptist roots to unlock U.S. aid, and built an international campaign around kidnapped Ukrainian children to drive an International Criminal Court indictment against Putin and his children’s affairs commissioner. Kent explains why humor, truth, and a clear narrative can be just as powerful as military hardware when you’re trying to rally allies and sustain morale. On the other side, Russia’s most effective messaging may not be about "Nazis" or other false claims - it’s the darker, more persuasive message that Russia is unbeatable and that stopping it could trigger World War III.  Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss DCI John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow and mark the 100th episode of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Episode #31

  TikTok is a Potent Weapon of CCP Political Warfare with Michael Sobolik

  Aug 15, 202630 minS3

  TikTok is a potent tool for the Chinese Communist Party’s psychological warfare against the United States. In this conversation, the Hudson Institute’s Michael Sobolik highlights how TikTok's algorithm can shape public opinion in the U.S., particularly among younger audiences, and raises concerns about national security. The discussion also covers the potential for crisis scenarios where the CCP could manipulate information during conflicts, such as a hypothetical situation involving Taiwan.  Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss other reporting about Russian actors trying to rhetorically divide Germany, again, while China has become active in exploiting the emerging divide over America’s future AI infrastructure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Episode #30

  AI Powered Community Notes on X with Alexios Mantzarlis

  Aug 8, 202632 minS3

  AI is already writing more than half of X’s helpful Community Notes, and that changes everything about who gets fact-checked, what gets fact-checked, and what happens when “the community” starts looking a lot more synthetic. Alexios Mantzarlis, co-founder of Indicator and a self-described “recovering fact checker,” breaks down the surprising rise of AI-written notes, why bots sometimes outperform humans, and the bigger danger hiding underneath the numbers: a moderation system that can look healthier on paper while quietly losing human participation, language diversity, and political coverage.  Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also unpack the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta, Spain, and increasing evidence of adversarial manipulation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Episode #29

  'Working the Political Engine': Revolutionary War-Era Propaganda with Robert Parkinson

  Aug 1, 202628 minS3

  Propaganda was foundational to America's independence, from the direct appeal of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to the black-propaganda of Benjamin Franklin’s scalp hoax.  Binghamton University Professor of History Robert Parkinson reveals the hidden power of newspapers, pamphlets, and even fake news in shaping independence. The patriots even consolidated early control over sources of news and information creating a strategic weapon that the British struggled to counter—a feature of the revolutionary era that might seem familiar today.  Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also highlight the contemporary vulnerability of authoritarian regimes to information attacks and, relatedly, the cost of killing the Voice of America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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