On The Media: Tuning Into the Divided Dial

Join WNYC on June 11th at 7 PM for a conversation between On The Media’s co-host Micah Loewinger and journalist Katie Thornton as they discuss the second season of “The Divided Dial,” the Peabody Award-winning series. The first season, released in late 2022, examined how the right came to dominate talk radio in the US — and how one company was launching an ultra-conservative media empire from the airwaves. The second season, which was released throughout May 2025, explored the world of shortwave radio: the lesser-known cousin of AM and FM radio that travels thousands of miles across rough terrain and geopolitical borders. This once-ubiquitous medium went from a utopian experiment in global communication to a propaganda tool for governments at war — and then became a vehicle for American right-wing extremists and cults. Over the course of four episodes, Katie travels around the country to meet influential voices in shortwave, and presents rare archival audio from World War II, 1990s militia broadcasts, modern pirate broadcasts and Wall Street traders. “The Divided Dial” reveals how the trajectory of the medium may serve as a parable for what happens when we cede control of our public airwaves. 

Micah goes behind the scenes with Katie to hear about her reporting process, how she found these stories and audio recordings (some of which had never been digitized), and the talk radio and shortwave gems that were left on the cutting room floor.