A Cornell rape case that 'divided America', examined by The News Agents
The episode looks at a frat house Snapchat group, newly released phone transcripts and the president's part in the debate, and it reached far more people than the channel's usual new episode.
The News Agents
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 78,486 views a day, 9.8 times a normal first day on this channel (8,015).
How a ketamine-fuelled gang rape case divided America | The News Agents
The News Agents' latest full episode takes on a rape case at Cornell University that, in the episode's own words, has divided America. Twelve hours after it went up, it had passed 55,000 views. A regular episode on the channel usually ends its whole first day at around 8,000.
The description sets out the questions Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall work through. How did a woman who agreed to sex with one man end up, by the account at the center of the case, with seven? Why was her "availability" shared in a fraternity's Snapchat group? And what do phone transcripts released since then show about the weeks that followed? The hosts also ask how President Trump has once again tried to steer where the country's sympathy lies.
Two shorter clips on the case went up the same day, one on the new evidence and one on Trump's involvement. Each drew a few thousand views. The full conversation drew far more.
In the comments, viewers return again and again to the Snapchat group, to whether someone impaired by drink or drugs can give consent under New York law, and to how the university and investigators handled the case.
The second half of the episode moves to Europe: student protests that have led to clashes with police in France, and housing demands in Spain that have brought about a snap election.
Published on Trari
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- Channel
- The News Agents
- Subscribers
- 255,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 934,020
- Channel views, pace per day
- 85,385 (on a normal day: 98,157)
- Video published
- October 6, 2026
- Video views so far
- 55,034 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 78,486
The numbers
The episode started far faster than the channel's usual new episode, even though the channel's overall daily views are running a little below their normal level.
