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Beyond the First Podcast
by Israel Balderas
"Beyond the First" is a ten-episode student-driven podcast that explores the intersection of media law, ethics, and real-world impact. Hosted by Israel Balderas, an assistant professor of journalism and media law expert, each episode features students engaging in thought-provoking discussions about free speech, digital privacy, AI in creativity, defamation, government regulation, and the evolving media landscape. These conversations provide fresh perspectives on how legal and ethical principles shape the way we communicate and create in the digital age. Through real-world cases, high-profile lawsuits, and emerging legal challenges, this podcast brings academia into public discourse, making complex legal topics accessible to all.Whether you're a student, a legal professional, a journalist, or simply someone curious about the shifting landscape of media and law, Beyond the First is your go-to source for engaging, unscripted conversations that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Episodes
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Trump Isn’t Banning Reporters Because They’re Unfair. He’s Banning Them Because You Vote in a Few Weeks.
You already know what gas costs. You watch that number tick up on the drive to work every morning. Right now, it’s somewhere around $4.48 a gallon, give or take. That’s roughly a dollar and a half more than you were paying before February. If you farm or haul or drive an 18-wheeler, you know what...
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Trump Again Tests the First Amendment, This Time by Banning the Press from the White House
The First Amendment is under attack and rightfully so, the press is fighting back. CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO just went to federal court this morning after the White House revoked their press badges and just now the five major TV networks that operate the White House TV pool refused to replace CNN...
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Trump Lost Birthright Citizenship. But That’s Not the Whole Story.
In January 2025, a few days after President Trump signed his executive order attacking birthright citizenship, I wrote one of the first essays on this newsletter. It began with a sentence that was not really about law at all: My grandmother was very brave. I wrote those words because before I…
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The Democrats' Two-State Problem
Leading up to the Fall 2026 elections, you will see the Democratic Party try to run two opposite campaigns at the same time. In the end, it won’t work. In Maine, the message is all about the bro culture. Graham Platner, who just won the Democratic Senate nomination, is being sold as the party’s...
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'The Claw' on the White House Lawn
When President Donald J. Trump was asked recently about the UFC arena rising on the South Lawn of the White House, he reached for an unexpected historical comparison. The Eiffel Tower, he noted, was originally intended to be temporary. Built for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, the structure was...
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The First Amendment Warning America Is Ignoring
At first glance, this may look like a conversation about religion and politics. I think it’s actually a much bigger conversation about democracy itself and what happens when political power starts sounding sacred. I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of religion in public life, especially in a...
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TikTok, Porn-gating and the First Amendment: How 2025 Rewired Free Speech
Beyond the First Podcast, with First Amendment scholar Chris Terry. I’m going to say something that sounds dramatic, but I mean it plainly: 2025 is the year the internet’s First Amendment footing started to shift. It’s not because speech disappeared or because the government passed one giant...
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Beyond the First: The Hollywood Spin Machine – Who Controls the Truth?
Hollywood isn’t just about making movies—it’s about crafting narratives, both on-screen and off. In previous episodes of Beyond the First, we’ve explored the Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni legal battle and the larger implications of defamation in the digital age. * In Episode 4, we analyzed the...
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Beyond the First: Art vs. Algorithm – Is AI Killing Human Imagination?
The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked a revolution in creative industries, from film and music to digital art and design. AI can generate stunning images, compose music, and even write scripts in mere seconds. But as these technologies advance, so do the ethical and legal dilemmas...
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Beyond the First: Tracked, Targeted, and Manipulated – The Hidden Cost of Free Speech
Every time you go online, your data is being collected, analyzed, and sold—often without your full awareness. The concept of “surveillance capitalism,” popularized by Harvard Professor Shoshana Zuboff, describes this phenomenon where personal data is extracted and monetized on an unprecedented...
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Beyond the First: The 'It Ends With Us' Lawsuit – When PR Fights Matter More Than Courtroom Battles
High-profile lawsuits aren’t just fought in the courtroom—they’re litigated in the media and the court of public opinion. The legal battle surrounding It Ends With Us is a prime example of how defamation cases unfold in the digital age, where narratives are shaped as much by public relations...
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Beyond the First: The Ethics of AI – Who’s Programming the Future?
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic fantasy—it’s here, shaping industries, influencing decisions, and redefining what it means to be human. But as AI tools become more powerful, ethical concerns are emerging at an alarming rate. Can AI truly be ethical, or does it simply reflect the...
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Beyond the First: Viral Accusations, Digital Lies, and the Death of Reputation
The internet has redefined communication, but it has also reshaped the way reputations are built—and destroyed. In today’s digital world, a single tweet, viral video, or misleading headline can cause irreparable harm. How do defamation laws apply in an era where falsehoods can spread faster than...
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Beyond the First: Suing for the Spotlight – The ‘It Ends With Us’ Defamation Drama
In Hollywood, lawsuits often unfold like carefully scripted dramas, with every legal filing, public statement, and media leak contributing to a narrative that plays out in front of millions. The ongoing defamation dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the It Ends With Us film is no...
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Beyond the First: Free Speech Under Fire – Book Bans, Campus Speech, and Government Censorship
From banned books to campus speech restrictions, debates over the limits of free expression continue to shape American society. As government officials push for more control over classroom content and public institutions wrestle with how to regulate controversial speech, the boundaries of the…
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Beyond the First: The TikTok Ban – National Security or Political Theater?
The U.S. government has long debated the potential ban of TikTok, citing national security risks. But how much of this is about genuine concerns over data privacy, and how much is political theater? In the second episode of Beyond the First, we examine whether the push to regulate TikTok is…
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Beyond the First: Who Owns Creativity in the Age of AI?
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s here, shaping industries and redefining creativity. As AI-generated content floods the internet, legal battles over copyright and ethical dilemmas around artistic integrity are intensifying. Can an AI truly create? Who owns the work…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
"Beyond the First" is a ten-episode student-driven podcast that explores the intersection of media law, ethics, and real-world impact. Hosted by Israel Balderas, an assistant professor of journalism and media law expert, each episode features students engaging in thought-provoking discussions about free speech, digital privacy, AI in creativity, defamation, government regulation, and the evolving media landscape. These conversations provide fresh perspectives on how legal and ethical principles shape the way we communicate and create in the digital age. Through real-world cases, high-profile lawsuits, and emerging legal challenges, this podcast brings academia into public discourse, making complex legal topics accessible to all.Whether you're a student, a legal professional, a journalist, or simply someone curious about the shifting landscape of media and law, Beyond the First is your go-to source for engaging, unscripted conversations that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
HOSTED BY
Israel Balderas
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Beyond the First Podcast have?
Beyond the First Podcast currently has 17 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Beyond the First Podcast about?
"Beyond the First" is a ten-episode student-driven podcast that explores the intersection of media law, ethics, and real-world impact. Hosted by Israel Balderas, an assistant professor of journalism and media law expert, each episode features students engaging in thought-provoking discussions about...
How often does Beyond the First Podcast release new episodes?
Beyond the First Podcast has 17 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Beyond the First Podcast?
You can listen to Beyond the First Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Beyond the First Podcast?
Beyond the First Podcast is created and hosted by Israel Balderas.
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