TV is getting dumber

We revisit an episode about how our shrinking attention spans are changing TV.

This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Miles Bryan and Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King.

A 13-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen in Bath, England. Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠

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We revisit an episode about how our shrinking attention spans are changing TV.

This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Miles Bryan and Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King.

A 13-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen in Bath, England. Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2026-08-07 25 min

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