Hey, I'm Brian Celter, and welcome to this edition of Reliable Sources.

This podcast edition of our Sunday program is a little bit abbreviated because we were

breaking in and out with updates on Hurricane Ida.

But here on the podcast, we're going to bring you all of our media interviews, including

critiques of Afghanistan coverage and a look at Rachel Maddow's big new contract at MSNBC.

Plus, we're going to speak with the top editor of the Sacramento Bee about Larry Elders media

bashing strategy.

So, we have a lot coming up here on the podcast edition, but we do want to start with the latest

on Afghanistan and the media, specifically how so many local journalists have been able

to evacuate Afghanistan.

Let me start with some exclusive reporting about the somber reality of the situation.

Two short weeks ago, this moment on Tolo News seemed like a hopeful sign amid the

chaos of the Taliban's takeover.

This was a historic scene, a female journalist interviewing a senior Taliban official on the

air on an Afghan news network.

CNN's story said an interview like this led by a woman would have been unimaginable when

the Taliban last ruled the country two decades ago.

The anchor's name is Beeshtha Argonne.

She is 24 years old.

She made history that day, and she followed up two days later by interviewing Malala.

That was Malala's first ever interview with Afghan media.

Argonne was breaking ground.

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