Journalism's Coverage of Research on Unwilling Subjects: Hosts Carrie & Melody Discuss the Role of News in an Animal-Free Research Future

My cohost and fellow activist Melody Paris interviews me (Carrie Freeman) about the Animal-Free Research Foundation conference talk in Switzerland that I gave this fall, titled: "Unwilling, Unconsenting, and Unnecessary Research Subjects: Addressing Anthropocentric Bias in Journalistic Coverage Legitimizing the (Ab)Use of other Animals in Research." We discuss sociocultural and structural barriers to fair coverage of anti-vivisection and animal-free research alternatives, as well as guidelines from me and Deb Merskin's AnimalsandMedia.org website that apply to improving journalistic coverage of the animal research issue, and examples of common research-oriented news stories and how good journalism could facilitate a needed transition to modern, ethical alternatives to researching on unwilling and inappropriate subjects; regarding the news topics Melody and I have observed over our decades as animal advocates, we include coverage of the Free Wenka campaign against Emory's Yerkes primate lab, recent stories like the poor monkeys who escaped a lab truck crash in Louisiana only to be gunned down by cops and citizens, coverage of how tax dollars could be spent on more effective and innovative animal-free medical research, and how sanctuary stories can help us see what's wrong with experimentation on our animal kin (like profiles of residents at the Project Chimp sanctuary for chimpanzees retired from labs). This is a 57-minute taping of a live radio show that aired Nov 19, 2025 at the Radio Free Georgia studios.

"In Tune to Nature" is a weekly hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/  While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody.

Take care of yourself and others, including other species, like mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, zebra fish, dogs, cats, and monkeys.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff or volunteers.

Photo Credit: Wild roof rat peeking out from a log in Tennessee, by Joshua Cotten from UnSplash (I decided to show a rat as he ought to be -- free from lab cages).