Targeted. Singled out, sanctioned, or systematically dismantled by governments, institutions, and powerful entities. What once may have seemed like a storyline from a dystopian science fiction novel has become a real-life experience for some. And that’s where a new audio and video series from Next Chapter Podcasts will head with the new podcast Targeted. Hosted by Zach Abramowitz, Next Chapter Podcasts says the show blends elements of true crime, investigative journalism, and political thrillers.
“Media smears and disinformation are hardly new — they’ve been around as long as societies have existed. But what’s changed is the sheer scale and reach of these tactics today,” Abramowitz says. “The volume of information and the number of ways people can be targeted have grown exponentially, often without us realizing just how much the landscape has shifted.”
Part investigative narrative, part first-person interview, the podcast features the stories of whistleblowers, political strategists, activists and entrepreneurs who have found themselves in the crosshairs of those with the resources, willpower and connections to take them down. From frozen bank accounts and travel restrictions to media smear campaigns and legal entanglements, Targeted exposes the playbook of those who weaponize power — and reveals how easily anyone can become a victim.
The producers say Targeted explores the central question of “what happens when the systems we trust turn against us?” The first season features guests who have lived through this nightmare, including Pavel Ivlev, a Russian lawyer forced into exile after persecution; Nathan Law, a pro-democracy activist who still faces risks today; and Jonathan Taylor, a whistleblower who drew retaliation after exposing corporate wrongdoing. Additional guests include Aron Shaviv, Gaurav Srivastava and Amalia Zatari.
“We tend to think of media smears and targeting as something that only happens to celebrities or public figures. What really struck me about these cases is how often the individuals targeted were leading quiet, everyday lives,” Abramowitz says. “Even someone like Nathan Law, who once held political office in Hong Kong, now strives to maintain as normal a life as possible.”
Abramowitz is a former mergers-and-acquisitions attorney turned strategist and media entrepreneur. With Targeted, he says the goal was not necessarily to set the record straight, although that has become a byproduct of some of the stories the podcast tells. “Beyond that, we want to shed light on how systems of power and information can be manipulated,” he says. “On a human level, it’s about understanding how ordinary people find themselves forced to navigate extraordinary situations.”
Next Chapter Podcasts is an independent podcast production studio whose previous releases include the Spotify Original The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers, the iHeart Original The Ten News and Beef with Bridget Todd.
CEO Jeremiah Tittle says the move to video has been a logical progression for the work they do with creators like Miami Heat Coach Caron Butler and former NBA players Rex Chapman and Kenyon Martin. But Targeted was conceived as a video-first production, and it is one of the first podcasts that Next Chapter has produced that is using professional studios with the host and guest in the same room as it would be on a talk show.
“We’ve been producing video for years. The only difference is we are now leaving the home studio and entering professional studios around the world to get the best possible quality and meet guests where they are,” Tittle says. “Nothing replaces the face to face, in the same space, conversation on film.”
Tittle says Next Chapter remains a team of audiophiles, but when it came to Trusted they saw an opportunity to bring an extra element to the heart-wrenching stories that the series features.
“Video captures the intensity of the impact of what targeting has done to our guests,” Tittle says. “While a quiver in someone’s voice has a significant impact, there’s nothing like the ability to see a guest’s face as they share the details of their livelihood being threatened on this scale, being forced to move, the impact on their families — all of it.”
Even with the addition of video, Abramowitz says he stayed focused on the conversations themselves and tried to be deeply present listening to people who had faced extraordinary circumstances. “My goal was to create something that would resonate equally well whether someone was watching the visuals or just tuning in to the audio,” he says.
Targeted launches March 26. Watch a preview HERE.
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