Raised on the Divide Episode 2: "Growing up logged on"

This is the second episode of a new docuseries “Raised on the Divide” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison which explores what it’s been like for Gen Z growing up in America’s most polarized state. “Growing up logged on” begins with a seminal moment for Gen Z: Watching the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in real time though its social media feeds. Educators and political leaders trace the evolution of the news media and social media into what’s been dubbed “the division-industrial complex” fueling toxic polarization, leading one student to compare social media to cigarettes. Hosted by Kristin Brey of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the docuseries team traveled across Wisconsin interviewing more than 100 high school and college students, educators, researchers and journalists to hear firsthand how these experiences have defined this generation. Remaining episodes of season one will cover Wisconsin's unique place in the national story of polarization, and what young people in the state believe the future holds for their generation. A second season, which comes out spring 2027, will explore a growing movement of motivated young Wisconsinites hoping to reverse trends and bridge divides