Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Podcast

Talking Headways Podcast: How Media Has Shaped the City

Author Shannon Mattern joins the podcast this week to discuss her new book, Code+Clay, Data+Dirt: 5,000 Years of Urban Media. Shannon is a professor of media studies at the New School in New York City, and she tells us why she wanted to teach about the intersection of her discipline with architecture and cities.

We talk about why the perfect future interface humans are looking for does not exist, and how digital mapping can overlook important aspects of the urban spatial landscape.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

The Week in Short Video

Protests, Equity, High-Speed Rail, and...bungees?

February 6, 2026

Santa Monica/West L.A. Leaders Urge Caltrans to Build “Ohio to Ohio” Bike Link With Santa Monica Boulevard Rehab

While Westside officials are pushing Caltrans to add some needed bike infrastructure, their logic contradicts the City of L.A.'s efforts to dodge implementing Measure HLA.

February 6, 2026

Friday’s Headlines

Transit fiscal cliffs, transit to parks, Waymos and more...

February 6, 2026

Monterey Park to Draft Ballot Measure Banning Data Centers

After two months of heavy pushback from the community, elected officials now appear to have a united front against data center developers, and an imminent lawsuit from one of them.

February 6, 2026

Government by AI? Trump Administration Plans to Write Regulations Using Artificial Intelligence

The Transportation Department, which oversees the safety of airplanes, cars and pipelines, plans to use Google Gemini to draft new regulations. “We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer. “We want good enough.”

February 5, 2026

Alameda Gets Award for its Bike Infrastructure

The staff at the city of Alameda has been working diligently for years on protected infrastructure. Now that work is getting national attention.

February 5, 2026
See all posts