The Two Jacks - Episode 149 - How We Consume News (and Why It Matters)

Okay so it seems that episode 148 hasn't actually gone up yet. So I will do that later. Yes, 148 goes before 149 but we are post modern and cool like that. And hey, now you can liten to episode 148 and know HKJ is wrong instead of wondering if he will be wrong. Hindsight is 20/20 indeed. This AI slop is brought to you by Copilot 'premium' which is the one that makes the talky guns and tracky cameras. Episode summary A non‑news episode that examines personal media habits, the shifting political spectrum (using the ABC Vote Compass), the economics of modern journalism, social platforms and the disruptive risks and benefits of AI — plus a run through books, magazines, streamers and sport. The hosts compare how they start the day, which outlets they trust, and how AI is already changing creative and legal work. Key theme: media survival depends on business models, editorial craft and sensible regulation of new technologies. “Well, g'day listeners and welcome once again to the Two Jacks. We've got a slightly different program today for you. We're not going to cover the news. We're going to cover media and who we like in it and and the pressures that are on media at the moment, where that all might lead to, the role of social media, AI, et cetera.”. Show notes with timestamps (all timestamps shifted +25 seconds to allow for theme music) - 00:00:25 — Intro & episode focus — Hosts set out the plan: a media‑focused episode rather than the usual news rundown. - 00:01:47 — Political identity & background — Hong Kong Jack describes his political journey (centre‑left, former Socialist Left faction). - 00:03:38 — On the “well‑trodden path” — Discussion of how political views used to shift with age and why that pattern is changing for younger voters. - 00:06:54 — ABC Vote Compass exercise — Jack completes the Vote Compass and they discuss how algorithms and question framing shape results. - 00:21:08 — Vote Compass results & interpretation — Jack’s alignment scores (e.g., 75% with Coalition, 54% with Labor, 20% with Greens) and the hosts’ take on what that means. - 00:27:13 — Daily media routines — What each host reads and listens to first thing (newspapers, RN, X/Twitter scans, US/UK outlets). Practical notes on tabloids vs broadsheets for breaking local news. - 00:39:32 — Opinion vs reporting — How to spot news reporting vs opinion pages and why craftful writing (examples: Marina Hyde, Andrew Sullivan) matters. - 01:03:35 — Magazines & books — Short detour on the decline of magazines, favourite authors (PG Wodehouse, Ian Rankin, Patrick Radden Keefe). - 01:03:35 — Streamers & sport viewing — How the hosts manage subscriptions, Foxtel/streamer fatigue and watching AFL/NRL. - 00:50:45 — AI: opportunities and risks — Start of the AI segment: research uses, creative pitfalls, and legal/compliance concerns. - 00:56:21 — ByteDance / C‑Dance & IP concerns — Discussion of AI‑generated video, likeness rights and the potential for major intellectual‑property disputes. - 01:01:46 — Regulation debate — Should AI be regulated now or allowed to evolve? The hosts weigh the tradeoffs and recall missed regulatory opportunities with social media. - 01:13:03 — Sport roundup — AFL, NRL and international sport highlights and controversies (Sydney Swans commemoration, fixture fairness, early season form). - 01:29:08 — Wrap & final thoughts — Media matters; paying for quality journalism and the need to balance innovation with safeguards. Key takeaways - Media habits shape perception — where you start your day (tabloid, broadsheet, radio, X) affects what you notice and how you interpret events. - Quality writing still matters — craft, clarity and wit keep readers engaged and build trust. - AI is a double‑edged sword — powerful for research and diagnostics, risky for copyright, fabrication and legal accuracy; human verification remains essential. - Business model = survival — subscriptions and reliable revenue streams determine whether outlets can afford deep reporting.

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The Two Jacks - Episode 149 - How We Consume News (and Why It Matters) is an episode from The Conditional Release Program by Jack the Insider and Joel Hill.

This episode is 90:50 long.

This episode was published on Mar 19, 2026.

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