''The Young Turks'' (TYT) is an American
progressive news commentary show on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
that additionally appears on selected television channels. TYT serves as the flagship program of the TYT Network, a
multi-channel network
A multi-channel network (MCN) is an organization that works with video platforms to offer assistance to a channel owner in areas such as "product, programming, funding, cross-promotion, partner management, digital rights management, monetizat ...
of associated web series focusing on news and current events. TYT covers politics, lifestyle, pop culture, science, sport and other social topics.
The program was created by
Cenk Uygur
Cenk Kadir Uygur ( ; ; born March 21, 1970) is a Turkish-American progressive political commentator, media host, attorney, journalist, and politician. Uygur is the creator of ''The Young Turks'', an American left-wing, sociopolitical, progressi ...
,
Ben Mankiewicz
Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz (born March 25, 1967) is an American television personality, political commentator, and film critic. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and has been a commentator on '' The Young Turks'' and ''What the Flick?!'' ...
and Dave Koller. Currently co-hosted by Uygur and
Ana Kasparian, it is also often accompanied by various other in-studio contributors. ''The Young Turks'' began as a
radio program
A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode.
Radio networ ...
that premiered on February 14, 2002, on
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings.
Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially lau ...
before launching a web series component in 2005 on YouTube; it was later carried on
Air America.
In addition to being carried on the TYT Network and YouTube, it is also currently available on
Amazon Prime Direct,
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
,
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
,
Roku
Roku ( ) is a brand of hardware digital media players manufactured by American company Roku, Inc. They offer access to streaming media content from online services.
The first Roku model, developed in collaboration with Netflix, was introduced ...
, on
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a free, ad-supported video streaming service owned and operated by the Paramount Streaming division of Paramount Global. Co-founded by Tom Ryan, Ilya Pozin and Nick Grouf in 2013 and based in Los Angeles, California, in the United Sta ...
through a 24-hour feed and on social media platforms
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
,
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
, and
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
.
It has spawned two
spin-off television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
, one that aired on
Current TV
Current TV was an American television channel which broadcast from August 1, 2005, to August 20, 2013. Prior INdTV founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, with Ronald Burkle, each held a sizable stake in Current TV. Comcast and DirecTV each held a smalle ...
from 2011 to 2013 and a second that debuted on
Fusion
Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole.
Fusion may also refer to:
Science and technology Physics
*Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
in 2016 as a limited-run program developed to cover the
2016 United States presidential election
The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...
. ''The Young Turks'' also served as the subject of a documentary, entitled ''
Mad as Hell'', which was released in 2014. The network also has a channel on
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is an American streaming television service operated by YouTube, a wholly owned subsidiary of Google. Announced on February 28, 2017, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor offers a selection of live linear channel f ...
.
For most of its existence TYT relied on small grassroots financial contributions from its viewership to sustain itself as an independent news organization.
However, in 2017 TYT sought to expand its media network and hire more staff through various venture capital fundraising efforts that raised $20 million.
''The Young Turks'' is the longest-running news and politics talk show online.
Format
''The Young Turks''
live streams for up to three hours, with its story selection and associated commentary broken up by format. Issues that the show focuses on include national political news, the
influence of money in the political process, drug policy,
social security
Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...
, the privatization of public services,
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
, the influence of
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
,
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
and
reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:
Reproductive rights rest on t ...
,
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
and issues of injustice towards
people of color
The term "person of color" ( : people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the U ...
and
sexual minorities
A sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, sexual orientation, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society. Primarily used to refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or non-heterosexual individuals, it can al ...
, sexual morality, and the influence of corporations, neutrality and establishment political thought on traditional news media. The program maintains a liberal/progressive ideology in its political commentary.
Co-creator and host Cenk Uygur describes himself as an "
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
progressive" and asserts that the show is aimed at the "98 percent 'not in power'" and what he describes as the 60 percent of Americans who hold progressive views.
[
The two-hour main show is usually hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, with a rotating cast of other progressive co-hosts, including John Iadarola, Jayar Jackson and more. The first hour usually focuses on American politics, foreign policy and ]breaking news
Breaking news, interchangeably termed late-breaking news and also known as a special report or special coverage or news flash, is a current issue that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming or current news in orde ...
headlines. The second hour generally provides social commentary on a wide range of topics, both domestic and foreign. The program also features a post-game show
A post-game, postgame, or post-match show is a TV or radio presentation that occurs immediately after the live broadcast of a major sporting event.
Contents may include:
* replays of key moments in the game.
* interviews with players, coaches and ...
, in which Uygur and Kasparian discuss their personal lives. Uygur has regular bits and on-air interaction with other staff members who create and run the show, including among others Jesús Godoy, Dave Koller, Jayar Jackson and Steve Oh.
Each Friday, ''The Young Turks'' features a panel
Panel may refer to:
Arts and media Visual arts
* Panel (comics), a single image in a comic book, comic strip or cartoon; also, a comic strip containing one such image
*Panel painting, in art, either one element of a multi-element piece of art ...
of guests from the worlds of politics, journalism, pop culture, sports and comedy – dubbed the "TYT Power Panel" – that is led by Uygur and John Iadarola in the first hour, and Ugyur and/or Jayar Jackson in the second hour. Along with Iadarola and Jackson, other fill-in hosts and recurring guests include series co-creator/contributor Ben Mankiewicz
Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz (born March 25, 1967) is an American television personality, political commentator, and film critic. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and has been a commentator on '' The Young Turks'' and ''What the Flick?!'' ...
, television personality Brian Unger
Brian Douglas Unger
(born 1965) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and commentator.
Biography
Born in Dayton, Ohio to Richard ("Rich") Unger and Eleanor ("Ellie") Oprea, Unger grew up in Granville, Ohio. He graduated from Granvill ...
, Becca Frucht, Brett Erlich
Brett Evan Erlich (born March 1, 1982) is an American political comedian featured as a writer, producer and host on TV shows and Web sites. He is the executive producer of ''The Young Turks'' network, where he also appears as a host of "Happy Hal ...
, Wes Clark Jr., Michael Shure
Michael Shure (born April 18, 1966) is an American politician and former national correspondent for Nexstar Media Group's national newscast on '' NewsNation.'' He was previously the Senior National Correspondent and Anchor for i24NEWS, Che ...
, Cara Santa Maria
Cara Louise Santa Maria (born October 19, 1983) is an American science communicator. She hosts the podcast ''Talk Nerdy'' and co-hosts '' The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'' podcast, and was a co-host of TechKnow on Al Jazeera America.
Santa M ...
, RJ Eskow, Gina Grad, Samantha Schacher, and Jayde Lovell.
Production
''The Young Turks'' is broadcast in a two-to-three hour live stream format, which airs Monday through Fridays at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The program was originally based out of the living room of creator/host Cenk Uygur, but it moved production to a small office in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
after the show hired a limited staff to produce the program. When the program was given a secondary live show on Current TV in 2011, the network provided a larger studio in Los Angeles to house its television and online broadcasts; production was forced to leave the facility after Current TV was sold to Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazeera ...
, prior to the network's conversion into the now-defunct generalized news service Al Jazeera America
Al Jazeera America was an American pay television news channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network. The channel was launched on August 20, 2013, to compete with CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Fox News, and in certain markets RT America. It was Al Jazeera' ...
.
In 2013, ''The Young Turks'' production staff relocated temporarily to new studio quarters at YouTube Space LA in Los Angeles. In October 2013, ''The Young Turks'' launched an Indiegogo campaign, aimed at raising $250,000 in order to build a new studio. Fundraising completed with $400,000 being raised. The program moved its production facilities and staff operations to a new studio facilities in Los Angeles later that year, with construction of their new studio being completed in June 2015. In 2017, TYT sought to expand its media network and hire more staff through various venture capital fundraising efforts that raised $20-million.
History
Radio program
''The Young Turks'' was originally developed as a radio talk show
A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...
that was similar in format to a Los Angeles-based public access television program that Cenk Uygur had hosted, titled ''The Young Turk''. With the help of friend Ben Mankiewicz
Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz (born March 25, 1967) is an American television personality, political commentator, and film critic. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and has been a commentator on '' The Young Turks'' and ''What the Flick?!'' ...
(with whom he had previously worked), his childhood friend Dave Koller, and Jill Pike, Uygur began ''The Young Turks'' as a radio program in February 2002 on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings.
Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially lau ...
.[
In 2006, the program received attention for its 99-hour "Live on Air Filibuster," conducted during Congressional hearings for the ]nomination
Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to a public office, or the bestowing of an honor or award. A collection of nominees narrowed from the full list of candidates is a short list.
Political office
In the ...
of Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. ( ; born April 1, 1950) is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on October 31, 2005, and has served ...
to the Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
. Hosts including Thom Hartmann
Thomas Carl Hartmann (born May 7, 1951) is an American radio personality, author, former psychotherapist, businessman, and progressive political commentator. Hartmann has been hosting a nationally syndicated radio show, ''The Thom Hartmann Pr ...
and John Amato filled in during the event, to allow the show's regular hosts and contributors to rest or take breaks.
Prior to signing a distribution deal to carry the program on Air America in 2006, the show was broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings.
Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially lau ...
, on Sirius Left 143 and later 146, airing weekdays from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Eastern Time; a day-behind rebroadcast of the program aired on Sirius Talk Central 148 weekday afternoons from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. Eastern. Being carried exclusively on Sirius for several years, ''The Young Turks'' was the first show to air exclusively on Sirius Left that was not distributed through a syndication network. TYT was also carried by KFH (1330 AM and 98.7 FM, now KNSS (AM)
KNSS (1330 kHz, "News Talk 98.7 and 1330") is a commercial AM radio station in Wichita, Kansas. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station simulcasts with co-owned KNSS-FM 98.7 MHz. The studios and offices are on ...
and KNSS-FM
KNSS-FM (98.7 MHz, "News Talk 98.7 and 1330") is a commercial radio station licensed to Clearwater, Kansas, and serving the Wichita metropolitan area. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station simulcasts with co- ...
) in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...
each weeknight from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Central Time and webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, web ...
by RadioPower.org.
On February 2, 2009, TYT was removed from the broadcast schedule of America Left, a progressive talk channel carried on Sirius/XM Channel 167, and replaced by an additional hour of '' The Bill Press Show''. The program returned to Sirius/XM on March 16, 2009. In late 2010, TYT announced through its Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
page that it would discontinue carrying the program on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio; the last edition of ''The Young Turks'' to be carried on the service aired on November 19, 2010. TYT rejoined Sirius/XM in 2017 with the show being run on SiriusXM Progress.
Web series
''The Young Turks'' was the first daily streaming online talk show, having begun airing in that format in 2006,[ with an official website on the internet and a channel hosted on YouTube.] The show provides in-depth coverage on politics, news topics, current events, and other issues.
In August 2007, Ben Mankiewicz left the show to serve as a contributor for TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
's syndicated entertainment news program ''TMZ on TV
''TMZ on TV'' (also known as ''TMZ on Fox'' and simply as ''TMZ'' or ''TMZTV'') is an American syndicated entertainment and gossip news television show that premiered on September 10, 2007 (its major carriage is among television stations owned ...
''. At roughly the same time, Jill Pike left to pursue a job in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Ana Kasparian, then working as an intern for the program, was hired to do pop culture-focused segments. Mankiewicz eventually returned to ''The Young Turks'' as a regular correspondent.
During the 2008 elections, the show developed close ties to Brave New Films
Brave New Films (BNF) is a nonprofit film company based in Culver City, California. Founded by filmmaker Robert Greenwald, BNF produces feature-length documentaries and investigative videos that seek "to educate, influence and empower viewers to ...
. The program aired commercials for the independent film production company and featured actors such as Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald (born August 28, 1945) is an American filmmaker, and the founder of Brave New Films, a nonprofit film and advocacy organization whose work is distributed for free in concert with nonprofit partners and movements in order to educ ...
and Jonathan Kim as guests.
The success of TYT is due to a large extent of their shift from radio to the internet through the broadcast of programming content on online platforms. Uygur and co-host Kasparian applied a populist left branding and programming strategy that made TYT a successful global online organization, with larger numbers of YouTube subscribers and viewers than several other notable news networks like FOX
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
, MSNBC
MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
and CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
. The presence of TYT on YouTube has given the network a platform to democratize production of content and practices associated with its online distribution through an ability to share, comment and like material on its channel. Through likes and shares of TYT content on many online platforms, audience members have become a "virtual word of mouth" expanding the network's reach to other people with similar views and stimulating the growth of the TYT community.
Support by viewers for alternative media outlets like TYT adopting new technology has meant the network was able to overcome being a small sized organization of the traditional alternative media landscape. The emergence of TYT in the digital era has resulted in fewer operational costs regarding organizing and communication. TYT nonetheless has relied on small grassroots financial contributions from its viewers that gave it the ability to emerge as an alternative media organization that does not advocate for the interests of corporations. The financial contributions TYT received went to renting a studio, and to purchase production equipment and furniture. By 2010, TYT employed people and maintained a budget resembling the size of a small newspaper.
On July 30, 2013, ''The Young Turks'' launched a TYT Network app on Roku, which features much of the same content that is already available for free through the program's YouTube channel, which has over 4.2 million subscribers and generates 50 million monthly views. The network is among the few online channels to generate more than 1 billion views since launching on YouTube, which does not market a channel on the Roku app store. Young Turks COO Steve Oh acknowledged that making the TYT Network available on Roku was the first part of a strategy to continue the network's growth, regardless of what medium in which its viewers are watching its content, with the intent to figure out a way to monetize its programming through multiple distribution channels, rather than relying on one or two larger channels (such as YouTube or cable television distribution). The network also announced plans to unveil native apps for iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and Android devices. Oh also noted that the network's representatives were speaking with other media platforms about expanding its programming.
In April 2014, ''The Young Turks'' began offering its content on Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
. With this, it began providing a condensed 30-minute version of the program featuring excerpts from the full two-hour daily show, along with a 30-minute weekly version of its daily pop-culture show ''PopTrigger'', with other shows being added shortly afterward. Oh stated on the Hulu launch that, "as TYT Network has grown from a single show to an entire network, we've consistently found ways to bring our shows to more people .We've long admired Hulu as a leader of online video and both parties saw an opportunity to bring digitally-native politics and pop culture talk shows to Hulu's audience." He also stated that the company is pitching shows to cable network, but had no immediate plans to revive a television broadcast as either a relaunched program or a show similar in format to the one it formerly produced for Current TV.
The website's yearly revenue was roughly US$3 million in 2013. According to Cenk Uygur, "about a third of the revenue comes from subscriptions, and the rest comes from YouTube ads." At that time, the company maintained a staff of 30 employees. In 2014, the company received a US$4 million investment from Roemer, Robinson, Melville & Co., LLC, a private equity firm
A private equity firm is an investment management company that provides financial backing and makes investments in the private equity of startup or operating companies through a variety of loosely affiliated investment strategies including lev ...
led by Republican former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III (October 4, 1943 – May 17, 2021) was an American politician, investor, and banker who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives f ...
. In December 2016, TYT Network launched a crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise US$2 million for the hiring of four further investigative teams. Five months later, the aim was met. In August 2017, it was announced that The Young Turks have raised $20 million in venture-capital from 3L Capital, WndrCo (owned by businessman Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and C ...
), Greycroft
Greycroft is an American venture capital firm. It manages over $2 billion in capital with investments in companies such as Bird, Bumble, HuffPost, Goop, Scopely, The RealReal, and Venmo. Greycroft was founded in 2006 by Alan Patricof, Dana Sett ...
, and e.ventures
Headline, formerly e.ventures and BV Capital, is a global venture capital firm with an early-stage investment approach in the markets of Adtech, Commerce, Fintech, Media, Mobile and Software. It was founded in 1997 in Santa Barbara, California a ...
. TYT stated it would use the funds to "hire additional management execs and creative talent, as well as enhance its subscription-video offering and expand marketing initiatives". Shawn Colo, managing partner of 3L Capital, joined the TYT Network's board.
TYT operates under a strategy of diversifying its finances that involves the airing of socially responsible advertisements, offering subscriptions for TYT membership, selling its own merchandise and other investments. Among its advertising partners is Aspiration Bank, an organization involved in "socially conscious and sustainable banking services" and whom TYT presents as different from other banks and their fossil fuel and campaign financing investments. Due to popular demand from viewers, TYT established an online outlet selling its own label branded merchandise, such as t-shirts, that are often designed and voted upon through the input of its audience. Its online subscription membership has two plans, "insider" offering full web content access and discounts, and "activist", offering additional access to its townhalls and political events.
Following the 2016 election, TYT fundraised for small grassroots donations among its members, raising thousands of dollars and created a media division named ''TYT Investigates'' devoted to investigative journalism with the aim to hold people with power to account. Operating as a watchdog outfit, ''TYT Investigates'' investigative journalists report on issues such as inequalities in the economic system, power held by corporations, and other topics sidelined by traditional media like the views of ordinary citizens at political events. For example, TYT journalist Emma Vigeland has attended US President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's political rallies and interviewed supporters.
In mid-December 2017, ''Politico'' reported that TYT was courting former CBS Evening News
The ''CBS Evening News'' is the flagship evening television news program of CBS News, the news division of the CBS television network in the United States. The ''CBS Evening News'' is a daily evening broadcast featuring news reports, feature st ...
anchor Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. Rather began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hur ...
to host a news show. On January 21, 2018, TYT confirmed that it will show ''The News with Dan Rather'', a half-hour "untraditional evening newscast" weekly on Mondays in the time slot before the main Young Turks show.
Linear channel
On May 17, 2018, The Young Turks launched a 24-hour linear channel on YouTube TV
YouTube TV is an American streaming television service operated by YouTube, a wholly owned subsidiary of Google. Announced on February 28, 2017, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor offers a selection of live linear channel f ...
which includes all of TYT's current shows and four new shows called ''The Damage Report'', ''"#NoFilter"'',''"The Happy Half Hour"'' and ''"Old-School Sports"''. The channel has since been made available on The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Xumo as well.
Reception
* In September 2018, the company launched a membership drive, reporting the number of members to be around 27,000.
* As of August 2018, TYT had approximately 27,000 paying subscribers online.[
* As of September 2017, the program's ]YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel averages a daily hit count of 2 million views.
* By August 2016, Cenk Uygur reported that number of paid subscribers had increased to more than 23,000.
* By October 2016, the total number of views for the TYT Network's YouTube channel had surpassed 3 billion.
* On April 20, 2013, ''The Young Turks'' announced that its YouTube channel had received over 1 billion video views.
In a September 2006 article, '' U.S. News & World Report'' contributing writer Paul Bedard described TYT as "the loudly liberal counter to the right-leaning presets on my Sirius Satellite Radio." In 2014, ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' described it as "the most-watched online news show in the world."
The network is reliant on its multimedia platforms to attract online viewers and its audience are "young, educated, affluent and politically interested" people who consume news from online sources. As a result of ongoing TYT membership drives, its base of subscribed members has grown numbering 32,000 in 2019. Per month, the media outlet receives 200 million views. On YouTube, its main show, The Young Turks, has more than 4.7 million subscribers. Over 12 million viewers (2019) are subscribed to its multiple online channels. TYT has become one of the largest watched online networks, with its videos seen over 8 billion times (2019). TYT's millennial
Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the Western demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000 ...
viewership ranks the network first for news and politics across its online platforms.
Awards and nominations
''The Young Turks'' has won and been nominated for numerous Internet content awards, including, but not limited to the following:
* In 2009, the program won in the Political category at the Podcast Awards
The People's Choice Podcast Awards, better known as the Podcast Awards, are global awards given annually to the best podcasts as voted by the general public. Founded in 2005 by Todd Cochrane of Podcast Connect Inc., the Podcast Awards changed han ...
, and won for "Best Political News Site" at the Mashable Open Web Awards.
* In 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, it was nominated for a Streamy Award for "Best News or Political Web Series" and the "Audience Choice Award for Best Web Series".
* In 2011, the program won in the News category at the Third Annual Shorty Awards
The Shorty Awards (also known as “The Shortys”) honors the most innovative work globally in digital and social media by brands, agencies, nonprofits and creators. The Shortys’ mission is to celebrate, inspire and push the boundaries of exce ...
, and won for "Best News and Political Series" at that year's Webby Award
The Webby Awards are awards for excellence on the Internet presented annually by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a judging body composed of over two thousand industry experts and technology innovators. Categories include ...
s.
* In 2012, it won in the Best Video Podcast category at the Podcast Awards
The People's Choice Podcast Awards, better known as the Podcast Awards, are global awards given annually to the best podcasts as voted by the general public. Founded in 2005 by Todd Cochrane of Podcast Connect Inc., the Podcast Awards changed han ...
.
* In 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, the program was nominated for two Streamy Awards in the Best News and Culture Series and Audience Choice Award for Series of the Year categories.
* In 2015, ''The Young Turks'' also won a Streamy Award in the News and Culture category.
* In 2017, TYT won the Shorty Awards Audience Honor for the Best in Overall YouTube Presence.
Other awards won by ''The Young Turks'' in the 2010s were "Best Political News Site" and the "People's Voice Webby Award" in all 5 of its categories.
Controversies
Name controversy
The show's name ''Young Turks'' has been criticized and called for change due to the original Young Turks political movement in the Ottoman Empire being responsible for committing the Armenian genocide
The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...
, the Assyrian genocide
The Sayfo or the Seyfo (; see below), also known as the Assyrian genocide, was the mass slaughter and deportation of Assyrian / Syriac Christians in southeastern Anatolia and Persia's Azerbaijan province by Ottoman forces and some Kurdish t ...
, and the Greek genocide
The Greek genocide (, ''Genoktonia ton Ellinon''), which included the Pontic genocide, was the systematic killing of the Christian Ottoman Greek population of Anatolia which was carried out mainly during World War I and its aftermath (1914 ...
. Alex Galitsky, who works for the Armenian National Committee of America
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) ( hy, Ամերիկայի Հայ դատի յանձնախումբ) an Armenian American grassroots organization. Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and it has regional offices in Glendale, Ca ...
, stated "If a group decided to call themselves ‘the Young Nazis’, and pitched themselves as a disruptor or anti-establishment news outlet, people would be rightly outraged".
In 1991, Cenk Uygur wrote an article in ''The Daily Pennsylvanian
''The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc.'' is the independent student media organization of the University of Pennsylvania. The DP, Inc. publishes The Daily Pennsylvanian newspaper, 34th Street Magazine, and Under the Button, as well as five newslette ...
'', the student newspaper
A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related news, but they may also repor ...
of the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
, in which he promoted Armenian genocide denial
Armenian genocide denial is the claim that the Ottoman Empire and its ruling party, the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), did not commit genocide against its Armenian citizens during World War I—a crime documented in a large body o ...
. In 2016 Cenk Uygur posted a statement on TYT's website in which he rescinded his Armenian Genocide denial statements, arguing: "My mistake at the time was confusing myself for a scholar of history, which I most certainly am not. I don’t want to make the same mistake again, so I am going to refrain from commenting on the topic of the Armenian Genocide, which I do not know nearly enough about." In response to the criticism he has explained that the name of the show was chosen because it is a popular colloquialism traditionally meaning a young radical who fights the status quo.
Dismissal of Jordan Chariton
In November 2017, TYT fired field reporter Jordan Chariton
Jordan Daniel Chariton (born September 20, 1986) is an American investigative reporter. Chariton is the CEO of ''Status Coup'', a progressive media outlet that features investigative and on-the-ground reporting on politics, corruption, the working ...
over sexual assault allegations made against him by ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
''. Chariton denied the accusations, considered legal actions and later he settled the matter with TYT.
Unionization of TYT staff
In late February 2020, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, known as simply the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE or ...
(IATSE) sought to unionize the production and post-production staff at TYT. Uygur urged his employees not to, as he stated TYT is a small media organization and the move would endanger its financial viability, however the network supported its workers holding a secret ballot to unionize. Employees expressed support for an open ballot and a bargaining process followed. On 9 April 2020, employees voted 6 against and 9 in favor to have their own union and unionize with IATSE, the majority decision being approved by TYT.
Television spin-offs
''The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur''
The first linear television incarnation of the program began as an hour-long show that premiered on Current TV
Current TV was an American television channel which broadcast from August 1, 2005, to August 20, 2013. Prior INdTV founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, with Ronald Burkle, each held a sizable stake in Current TV. Comcast and DirecTV each held a smalle ...
on December 5, 2011. Co-created and hosted by Cenk Uygur (who executive produced the series with original program co-creator Dave Koller, with Jesus Godoy, Jayar Jackson and Mark Register serving as producers), the program was co-presented by Ana Kasparian, with Ben Mankiewicz, Michael Shure, Brian Unger, Wes Clark Jr. and RJ Eskow as contributors and correspondents. It was filmed at studio facilities in the Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
suburb of Culver City.
Current TV announced the launch of a separate television broadcast of ''The Young Turks'' on September 20, 2011, with the program intending to air Monday through Friday evenings at 7:00 pm. Eastern Time beginning in the fourth quarter of 2011. It was the second news and opinion program to air on Current, alongside ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann
''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program hosted by Keith Olbermann that aired on MSNBC from 2003 to 2011 and on Current TV from 2011 to 2012. The show presented five selected news stories o ...
'', and was part of a strategy to refocus the network's prime time schedule around progressive talk programming (which was followed by the debut of '' The War Room with Jennifer Granholm'' in January 2012). According to the show's website, the show was titled ''The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur'' to differentiate itself from the popular web series. For two years, the two separate shows were produced each Monday through Thursday, with a one-hour break between the production airtimes of the television and web shows. In a press release, representatives for Current described TYT as "a group of progressive, outspoken journalists and commentators discussing politics and pop culture" and founder Cenk Uygur as bringing a, "uniquely progressive and topical commentary about politics and pop culture."
On January 2, 2013, Current TV was sold to Qatar-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera Media Network
Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) (Arabic: الجزيرة, romanized: al-jazīrah, IPA: l (d)ʒæˈziːrɐ , referring to the Qatar Peninsula) is a Qatari international state-owned public media conglomerate headquartered at Qatar Radio and T ...
, which announced plans to reorganize the channel as Al Jazeera America
Al Jazeera America was an American pay television news channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network. The channel was launched on August 20, 2013, to compete with CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Fox News, and in certain markets RT America. It was Al Jazeera' ...
, focusing on world news and investigative content with a more neutral tone; with the move, the channel would discontinue its talk programming slate, including ''The Young Turks with Cenk Ugyur'', which ended its run on Current TV on August 15, 2013, shortly before the network's relaunch.[
In an interview with the '']Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
,'' Uygur commented that with the discontinuance of the television broadcast, he was relieved to move on and focus on his web show and the TYT Network site, stating that he had been "exhausted from doing the two shows at once" and that he was glad to put his energies there, as he believes that the future of media will gravitate towards online content. Uygur also noted that he talked with Al Jazeera after the company bought Current, reaching a mutual agreement not to continue with the television broadcast due to the change in ideological tone that Al Jazeera America would maintain. However, members of ''The Young Turks'' on-air contributing staff, such as Michael Shure
Michael Shure (born April 18, 1966) is an American politician and former national correspondent for Nexstar Media Group's national newscast on '' NewsNation.'' He was previously the Senior National Correspondent and Anchor for i24NEWS, Che ...
(who served as a political and general assignment contributor), Cara Santa Maria
Cara Louise Santa Maria (born October 19, 1983) is an American science communicator. She hosts the podcast ''Talk Nerdy'' and co-hosts '' The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'' podcast, and was a co-host of TechKnow on Al Jazeera America.
Santa M ...
(part of TechKnow) and Ben Mankiewicz
Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz (born March 25, 1967) is an American television personality, political commentator, and film critic. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and has been a commentator on '' The Young Turks'' and ''What the Flick?!'' ...
(who worked as a movie critic), regularly appeared on Al Jazeera America. ''The Young Turks'' also maintain a partnership with Al Jazeera's digital channel AJ+
AJ, or variants, may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters
* A. J. (''The Fairly OddParents''), a fictional character
* A.J. Soprano, a fictional character in ''The Sopranos''
* Superspinner AJ, a fictional character in t ...
, in an arrangement first announced in March 2015.
''The Young Turks on Fusion''
''The Young Turks'' returned to television with a weekly, hour-long program on Fusion
Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole.
Fusion may also refer to:
Science and technology Physics
*Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
, ''The Young Turks on Fusion'', which premiered on September 12, 2016, for a twelve-week limited run. Hosted by Ana Kasparian and John Iadarola, the program – which was broadcast from college campuses around the United States, in a live-audience format modelled after ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
's '' College GameDay'' – focused on coverage of the 2016 United States presidential campaign. The show also featured Cenk Uygur, Jimmy Dore, Ben Mankiewicz, Hannah Cranston, Hasan Piker
Hasan Doğan Piker ( , ; born July 25, 1991), also known as HasanAbi ( abi meaning ''big brother'' in Turkish), is a Turkish-American Twitch streamer and left-wing political commentator. He has previously worked as a broadcast journalist and p ...
, and Kim Horcher as contributors, as well as Fusion reporters and celebrity guest hosts.
TYT Network
''The Young Turks'' has spawned a multi-channel network
A multi-channel network (MCN) is an organization that works with video platforms to offer assistance to a channel owner in areas such as "product, programming, funding, cross-promotion, partner management, digital rights management, monetizat ...
of associated web series and shows, known as the TYT Network.
Some of the programs produced for the service are produced in-house, among which include:
* ''TYT Sports'' – a sports commentary program that debuted in 2011; originally hosted by Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson and Ben Mankiewicz, Rick Strom took over as co-host in 2013 and was replaced in 2014 by Jason Rubin and Francis Maxwell. Rick Strom is the current host of the program on TYT Sports' YouTube Channel.
* ''Old School'' – a more informal show hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ben Mankiewicz discussing every-day topics and telling stories
* ''Rebel HQ'' – an "on-the-road" political commentary and interview program formerly hosted by reporter Jordan Chariton
Jordan Daniel Chariton (born September 20, 1986) is an American investigative reporter. Chariton is the CEO of ''Status Coup'', a progressive media outlet that features investigative and on-the-ground reporting on politics, corruption, the working ...
, which was created to cover the 2016 United States presidential campaign. The channel was primarily hosted by Emma Vigeland from 2018 until she joined ''The Majority Report with Sam Seder
''The Majority Report with Sam Seder'' is an Internet talk radio program and podcast hosted by Sam Seder. The program focuses on the discussion of current events and political affairs from a social democratic, democratic socialist and a progre ...
'' in November 2020. Segments are now produced by various TYT hosts and contributors. Formerly ''TYT Politics''
* ''TYT The Conversation (formerly TYT Interviews) '' – an interview series conducted by various TYT hosts and contributors.
* ''The Damage Report with John Iadarola'' – Daily morning/early afternoon show that focuses the most critical issues facing the U.S. today
* ''Happy Half Hour with Brett Erlich'' – A more upbeat and lighter look at the "not bad" news of the week
* ''Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey'' ''-'' Daily afternoon show that focuses on delivering a heavy dose of fact-based truth with all his signature passion and insight. As of February 2022, it is “America’s Fastest Growing Television News Show."
* ''The Watchlist with Jayar Jackson'' - Daily morning/noon show that features a must-watch list of videos of the day, that covers news, politics, society, culture, current events, and more.
* ''Deep Dive with Jordan Uhl'' - Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, Jordan Uhl takes a ‘deep dive’ analysis on the news of the day and reacts to stories he finds on Twitter.
* ''The Twitchuation Room hosted by Francesca Fiorentini'' - Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, a light-hearted weekly show with each episode focusing on a specific topic. It is a counterpart to her weekly talk/podcast show ''The Bitchuation Room'' on her YouTube channel.
* ''Wosnia'' ''-'' Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, host Wosny Lambre scours the internet to bring you his commentary on the top stories in News, Sports and Entertainment.
* ''RayyActions'' ''-'' Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, host Rayyvanna looks at and reacts to current events and brings the audience stories to enjoy on a weekly basis.
* ''Galaxy Brain with Ben Carollo'' ''-'' Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, host Ben Carollo breaks down complex topics every week while engaging with the audience.
* ''Game Busters'' - Exclusively on TYT's Twitch channel, this show closes out the week with the audience getting to participate and sabotage the hosts' gaming live on Twitch.
Other shows are not produced in-house:
* '' The Richard Fowler Show'' – a weekly political talk show hosted by Richard A. Fowler
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
.
* ''The Humanist Report'' – a progressive political YouTube channel and podcast hosted by political scientist Mike Figueredo that began in 2015.
* '' The Bill Press Show'' – a daily talk show hosted by Bill Press
William H. Press (born April 8, 1940) is an American talk radio host, podcaster, liberal pundit and author. He was chairman of the California Democratic Party from 1993 to 1996, and is a senior political contributor on CNN. He hosts ''The Bill ...
, which is broadcast online, over radio and on Free Speech TV
Free Speech TV (FSTV) is an American progressive news and opinion network. It was launched in 1995 and is owned and operated by Public Communicators Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1974. Distributed pri ...
that became affiliated with the TYT Network in November 2016.
* Acronym TV – a commentary program focusing on policy and national security issues, hosted by Dennis Trainor Jr.
* ''Absurdity Today'' – a news satire program, hosted by Juliana Forlano.
* ''The Undercurrent'' – a talk program hosted by Lauren Windsor, which covers a broad variety of in-depth topics, and includes interviews with politicians, media figures and opinion makers, as well as documentaries.
* ''The Lip TV'' – a commentary program which maintains a live and unscripted format with a panel of experts on varying subjects of focus.
* ''Truth Mashup'' – a weekly Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
comedy show, co-hosted by Bree Essrig (who formerly co-hosted ''Pop Trigger'') and comedian and media activist Ron Placone.
* '' The Ring of Fire'' (Formerly Go Left TV) is a multi-media outlet for the latest Progressive news, commentary and analysis hosted by Farron Cousins, Mike Papantonio
James Michael Papantonio (born October 24, 1953) is an American torts lawyer, television presenter, radio talk show host and writer. He has been inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame.
As a professional trial lawyer, Papantonio co-hosts ...
and Sam Seder
*''ScIQ'' – a bi-weekly infotainment series hosted by Jayde Lovell, an Australian-born neurophysiologist and director of science PR consulting firm ReAgency, which explores scientific topics.
* ''Around the Nation with Jeff Waldorf'' aka ''TYT Nation'' – a talk show hosted by Jeff Waldorf.
Programs produced for the TYT Network that are no longer in production include:
* ''thetopvlog'' – a series of vlog
A video blog or video log, sometimes shortened to vlog (), is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded i ...
s by liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
political commentators that TYT helped launch in June 2010.
* ''twenTYTwelve'' – a political interview and commentary program, hosted by Michael Shure
Michael Shure (born April 18, 1966) is an American politician and former national correspondent for Nexstar Media Group's national newscast on '' NewsNation.'' He was previously the Senior National Correspondent and Anchor for i24NEWS, Che ...
, that was launched in October 2011 to cover the 2012 United States elections.
* ''TYT Now'' – a commentary program that was hosted by columnist Tina Dupuy and Tim Mihalsky, which ran from May to August 2011.
* ''WMB'' – a commentary program hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, Michael Shure and Wes Clark Jr., which ran from May to June 2011.
* ''Reality Bites Back'' – a reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
-focused review series, hosted by Jacki Bray and Misty Kingma, which ran from May to July 2011.
* ''ThinkTank'' – a science and social commentary program that originated in 2011 as ''TYT University'', before relaunching under its current format in 2014; hosted by Hannah Cranston alongside a rotation of guest co-hosts (including original co-host John Iadarola, who diminished his role on ''ThinkTank'' during 2017), the program deals with new facts, discoveries and perspectives on the world and people.
* ''The Point'' – a current affairs panel show, hosted by Ana Kasparian, that debuted in 2011, but has been on hiatus since January, 2016.
* ''Pop Trigger'' – an infotainment show, hosted by Brett Erlich
Brett Evan Erlich (born March 1, 1982) is an American political comedian featured as a writer, producer and host on TV shows and Web sites. He is the executive producer of ''The Young Turks'' network, where he also appears as a host of "Happy Hal ...
and Grace Baldridge with a rotating slate of guest co-hosts, that provides intelligent conversation on pop culture news. Ran until August. 2018.
* ''Murder with Friends'' – Grace Baldridge invites guests to talk about some of history's most notorious murderers.
*''Nerd Alert'' – a show that focuses on news about technology, gaming, movies and online geek culture; hosted by Kim Horcher, the program spun off from a segment that originated on ''TYT University''. Ran until August, 2018.
* ''The News with Dan Rather'' – A weekly 30-minute rundown of current events with commentary hosted by ex-CBS News lead anchor Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. Rather began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hur ...
. Filmed in Dan Rather's personal office in New York.
* ''What the Flick?!'' – a film review
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outlet ...
series that began in 2010; it is hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, Christy Lemire, Matt Atchity and Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde (born May 18, 1967) is an American film critic, author, and podcaster.
Personal life
Duralde was born in East Point, Georgia, the youngest of seven children born to Spanish immigrants. He attended Vanderbilt University and curre ...
.[ Guest critics have included Robert Abele, William Bibbiani, Grae Drake, Tim Grierson, Amy Nicholson, Witney Seibold, Dave White, and April Wolfe. Ran until August, 2018.
* ''Aggressive Progressives'' – a weekly political talk and satire show that debuted in August 2016; it is hosted by Steve Oh. It was co-hosted by Jimmy Dore from August 2016 until Dore's departure from the TYT Network in April 2019.
* ''Styleogue'' – a fashion and lifestyle program that debuted in 2014, which is dedicated to affordable fashion.
* ''TYT Investigates'' – the investigative reporting division of The Young Turks hosted by Michael Tracey, Ryan Grim, David Sirota, Eric Byler, Dylan Ratigan, ]Ken Klippenstein
Ken Klippenstein (born February 1, 1988) is an American journalist working at ''The Intercept''. Prior to joining ''The Intercept'', Klippenstein was the D.C. Correspondent at ''The Nation'' and previously a senior investigative reporter for the ...
, and other reporters.
* ''#NoFilter'' – analysis and commentary from TYT host Ana Kasparian
* ''Old-School Sports'' – TYT Sports host Rick Strom & BlackSportsOnline Owner Robert Littal revisits and analyzes classic games and rivalries.
* ''Power Hour with Nina Turner'' ''-'' Hosted by former Ohio state senator Nina Turner and Cenk Uygur from September 2021 through January 2022. Currently on hiatus as Turner seeks election to Congress in Ohio's 11th congressional district.
Programs no longer produced or owned by the TYT Network, but are still in production:
* ''The Rubin Report
''The Rubin Report'' is a conservative political news talk show hosted by Dave Rubin, airing on BlazeTV and YouTube. The full audio of each episode is additionally available for download as a podcast. In the show, Rubin interviews authors, activ ...
'' (broke away in August 2015) – a political news talk show
A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...
, hosted by Dave Rubin
David Joshua Rubin (born in June 1976) is an American conservative political commentator and YouTuber. He is the creator and host of ''The Rubin Report'', a political talk show on YouTube and on the network BlazeTV. Launched in 2013, his show ...
, that premiered in 2013; the program moved to RYOT News in 2015, and later to Ora TV
Ora TV is a television production studio and on-demand digital television network launched in 2012 by television host Larry King and his wife Shawn Southwick King and funded by América Móvil, a business venture of Mexican billionaire Carlos Sli ...
.
* ''The David Pakman Show
''The David Pakman Show'' ''(TDPS)'', originally ''Midweek Politics with David Pakman'', is a progressive news talk show currently airing on television, radio, and the Internet, hosted by David Pakman.
The program first aired in August 2005 o ...
'' – a political and current events radio show, hosted by David Pakman
David Pakman (born February 2, 1984) is an Argentine-born American progressive talk show host and political commentator. He is the host of the YouTube and Twitch talk radio program ''The David Pakman Show''. Pakman was born in Buenos Aires, Ar ...
, that began in 2005 and was affiliated with the TYT Network from 2012 to 2015.
* ''The Jimmy Dore Show'' – a commentary program hosted by stand-up comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore that began in 2009 and was affiliated with the TYT Network from 2009 to 2019.
* ''The Majority Report with Sam Seder
''The Majority Report with Sam Seder'' is an Internet talk radio program and podcast hosted by Sam Seder. The program focuses on the discussion of current events and political affairs from a social democratic, democratic socialist and a progre ...
'' – a news and politics show hosted by Sam Seder, which is a video broadcast of Seder's daily online radio program.
* ''The Breakfast Club
''The Breakfast Club'' is a 1985 American teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. The ...
'' - a morning radio show syndicated from WWPR-FM
WWPR-FM (105.1 FM) is an urban contemporary music radio station licensed to New York City. WWPR-FM is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts from studios in the former AT&T Building in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan; its transmitter is lo ...
on iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...
, hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee
Angela Yee (born January 3, 1976) is an American radio personality. She hosted the nationally syndicated morning show ''The Breakfast Club'' along with DJ Envy and Charlamagne tha God. She is on the Board of Governors of the We Are Family Fou ...
, and DJ Envy
RaaShaun Casey (born September 3, 1977), known professionally as DJ Envy, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, and radio personality.DJ Envyat AllmusicBaker, Al (May 13, 2006D.J. Is Arrested Over His Threat to Rival's Child ''The ...
. Affiliated with the TYT Network from 2014 to 2019.
* ''Secular Talk'' – a daily political talk show hosted by Kyle Kulinski
Kyle Edward Kulinski (born January 31, 1988) is an American political commentator and media host. Kulinski is the host and producer of ''The Kyle Kulinski Show'' on his YouTube channel ''Secular Talk'' and is a co-host with his partner Krystal ...
, which is also broadcast on the Secular Talk Radio and BlogTalkRadio
BlogTalkRadio is a web-based platform that allows podcasters and radio sites and talk show hosts to create live and on-demand talk format content for distribution on the web and podcast distribution channels. Its claim to fame is a web-based 'st ...
online networks.
Political activity
TYT promotes itself as the "Home of Progressives". Uygur has stated that "TYT values journalistic objectivity". TYT commentary generates "hybridized content". This involves TYT referencing news from mainstream sources and providing its own content analysis by connecting it to different narratives and discourses related to the social realities of its audience. The network's commentary has generated counter narratives in relation to traditional policy discussions. TYT places news in its context and connects it to the decision-making process. By engaging with social movements, the station has called on its audience to become part of its "TYT army". The network uses its platforms for advocacy, such as calling for its audience to participate in the political process and give candidates support.
As part of new media, TYT coverage conveys the frustration and discontent held by youth with the political system. Progressive social policies and liberal values are promoted through commentary by TYT. Examples include TYT calling for gun control
Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians.
Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with on ...
and the need to mitigate violence by police during its coverage of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. In similar coverage of shootings
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, Bow and arrow, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or Blowgun, blowpipe). Even the acts of launching Flamethrower, flame, artillery, Dart (missile), darts, ha ...
, TYT has provided information on gun and crime related homicide numbers and placed into context the laws
Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...
, police training and additional factors that worsen the situation. Hosts on TYT advocate for unionization in large companies and the sharing of profits with their workers.[The Young Turks’ Progressive Founder Urged His Staff Not To Unionize](_blank)
By Dave Jamieson, The Huffington Post, February 24, 2020. The network has spoken out against corruption in politics and for the need to remove corporate donations out of the political system. The station has been critical of what it regards as a "corporate coup" in the US. TYT has criticized politicians from the US Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
for alleged attachment to financial interests and for appearing to be progressive. Hosts on TYT have called for the Democratic Party to undergo a revitalization process. The network has been critical of the Trans-Pacific Partnership
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, was a highly contested proposed trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim economies, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Sin ...
(TPP) trade deal and its supporters like Hillary Clinton, whereas TYT approved of Senator Bernie Sanders
Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...
' opposition to it. The station has defended the whistleblower
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, often an employee, who reveals information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent. Whi ...
WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks () is an international Nonprofit organization, non-profit organisation that published news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous Source (journalism), sources. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activism, Internet acti ...
organization and its data disclosures on several issues such as the TPP, the DNC email leak and the Hillary Clinton email controversy
During her tenure as United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton drew controversy by using a private email server for official public communications rather than using official State Department email accounts maintained on federal servers ...
. TYT was skeptical about claims of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
The station uses traditional and online media platforms regarding political action and mobilization for citizen engagement with institutional politics. For example, TYT townhalls are hosted in local communities involving a moderator asking questions of the expert panel followed by audience questions, with the events streamed on YouTube and on-demand web access for its subscription membership. Viewers also have the option to send video questions to the network if they are unable to be present at the townhall. TYT townhall events involve detailed commentary by hosts and guests on political topics ranging from personal experiences to abstract notions on issues of concern that serve to connect their audience and lived experiences with politics. During the 2016 US presidential election, TYT hosted townhalls with Sanders and Green party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation f ...
candidate Jill Stein
Jill Ellen Stein (born May 14, 1950) is an American physician, activist, and former political candidate. She was the Green Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 and 2016 elections and the Green-Rainbow Party's candidat ...
. In the late 2010s, other TYT townhalls were held with Sanders on the climate change crisis. Several hosts for TYT have expressed support for Sanders.[ para. 22.]
The network supports political candidates who are from the same ideological persuasion. Following the 2016 presidential election, Uygur co-founded Justice Democrats, an organization that seeks to get progressive candidates elected into office. During the US mid-term elections (2018), the network endorsed all candidates from the Justice Democrats (JD). TYT was the first network to give airtime to progressive candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of th ...
to discuss policies and contrast themselves from electoral opponents on its shows like ''Rebel HQ'', a half an hour interview based program created in 2017. In 2018, TYT also featured other progressive political candidates on ''Rebel HQ'' such as Richard Ojeda
Richard Neece Ojeda II ( ; born October 25, 1970) is an American politician and retired United States Army major who served in the West Virginia Senate representing the 7th district from 2016 until 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he ran ...
during his congressional run, gubernatorial candidates Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Ellen Nixon (born April 9, 1966) is an American actress, activist, and theater director. For her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), she won the 2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supp ...
who ran in New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
and Christine Hallquist in Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
to discuss their policies.
As a platform for online and offline civic engagement and political action, ''Rebel HQ'' offers information about a candidate, their website and campaign. The show informs viewers on how they can contact politicians, assist progressive candidates affiliated or unaffiliated with the Justice Democrats through donations or to participate by volunteering, canvassing and attending events like rallies in local communities. TYT's online platforms facilitate the encouragement of civic participation with the political system that in 2018 assisted Justice Democrats in getting 7 congressional victories, 25 candidates during the general election and 78 in the primaries. After Ocasio-Cortez became a congresswoman, TYT has continued to cover and defend her from slants by the political and media elite. Other Justice Democrats congressional members like Ro Khanna
Rohit Khanna (; born September 13, 1976) is an American politician, lawyer, and academic serving as the U.S. representative from California's 17th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he defeated eight-term incu ...
and Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi Tlaib (, ; born July 24, 1976) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the U.S. representative for since 2019. The district includes the western half of Detroit, along with several of its western suburbs and much of the ...
have appeared on TYT discussing progressive policies and issues.
In June 2019, during a high-profile Democratic presidential candidate campaign weekend in Iowa, TYT and a group of supporters launched the Progressive Economic Pledge campaign, challenging presidential candidates to sign. The pledge is to support higher wages, Medicare for All, Green New Deal, college for all and the end of private campaign financing.
In mid-November 2019, Uygur filed to run for Congress in California's 25th district, a seat recently vacated by the resignation of Katie Hill, an office also being pursued by former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos
George Demetrios Papadopoulos (; born August 19, 1987) is an author and former member of the foreign policy advisory panel to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. On October 5, 2017, Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to a felony charge of maki ...
.
References
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