Beyond Pixels (In Development)
A hard-news, systems-thinking podcast about technology, power, and the stories beneath the hype.
Beyond Pixels is a forthcoming podcast that treats technology less like a product-review cycle and more like an investigative beat. Instead of reacting to headlines or launch events, the show uses a systems-thinking, journalism-informed lens to ask deeper questions: Who is innovation really for? What structures mediate our digital experiences? And what does "progress" actually mean in a world where more technology doesn't always translate to better lives?
- Host Blessing Mangwiro
- Format Investigative Narrative
- Focus Technology, Power, Society
- Approach Systems Thinking × Journalism
- Status Season 1 In Pre-Production
About the Podcast
Beyond Pixels blends journalism, human–computer interaction, and systems thinking. It approaches technology not as a consumer object, but as a set of systems shaping identity, labor, behavior, and society. The podcast combines rigorous analysis with storytelling that is accessible, critique-driven, and still deeply human.
Season 1 is currently in development. It will function like an investigative narrative: beginning with the illusion of progress, peeling back layers of interfaces, automation, surveillance, "tech for good" mythology, and AI systems, then ending with a framework for reclaiming agency.
This isn't tech hype. It's tech journalism—the kind that asks uncomfortable questions and follows them wherever they lead.
About the Host
I'm Blessing Mangwiro (Beena Mang), host of Beyond Pixels. My work spans NeuroNav (assistive navigation for blind pedestrians), Pathic MR (empathy training in mixed reality), Carbon Compass (behavioral design for sustainability), and AnonVision (privacy-preserving computer vision)—all grounded in rigorous HCI research and real-world user testing.
With a background in Journalism & Media Production from the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe and an M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction from Iowa State University, I bring a perspective that combines technical depth with narrative clarity. I understand how systems work—and I understand how to explain why they matter.
My goal with Beyond Pixels is to cut through the noise and be a voice of reason in our increasingly tech-saturated world. We'll explore the systems, interfaces, and human factors that shape our relationship with technology—examining not just what we build, but why we build it and for whom.
Season 1 Preview
Season 1 of Beyond Pixels is designed as a ten-part investigative sequence. Each episode stands alone, but together they operate like a slow reveal:
We begin with the assumption that "more technology = better life." We interrogate the systems beneath that belief. We peel away layers of hype, surveillance, automation, and design persuasion. We conclude with a framework for reclaiming agency in a digital world.
The season is structured like an investigative documentary series. We start with the illusion of progress, peel back the architectures and incentives of digital life, and end with a practice-driven model for reclaiming control beyond screens—and beyond pixels.
Coming Soon
Season 1 is in pre-production. Episode structure and narrative arc are complete; recording and release are forthcoming.
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