[grc] Questions about network radio and disinformation
Doug McVay
dougmcvay at gmail.com
Wed Oct 20 10:48:20 PDT 2021
Riva,
Yes, RFK Jr's nonprofit is a major source of misinformation.
In case anyone's interested here's some reading material:
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-pseudoscience/anti-vaccine-propaganda-robert-f-kennedy-jr
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/06/08/1004214189/anti-vaccine-film-targeted-to-black-americans-spreads-false-information
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-robert-f-kennedy-jr-distorted-vaccine-science1/
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2021/08/06/vaccine-misinformation-and-a-look-inside-the-disinformation-dozen
Cheers,
Doug
On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 10:39 AM riva enteen via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org>
wrote:
> Tracy, nothing sounded aggressive to me.
>
> Is this misinformation?
>
> https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/research-natural-immunity-covid-brownstone-institute/?utm_source=salsa&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=5aeeba93-2b92-49f5-8856-83ae2da8f359
>
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 10:32 AM Tracy Rosenberg via grc <
> grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:
>
> > These aggressive reactions towards Katie seem inappropriate to me. Maybe
> > best to read her full message before issuing triggered responses. There
> is
> > a problem with Covid disinformation and in addition to causing the
> > unnecessary loss of lives, it has extended the pandemic period causing a
> > great deal of dislocation and stress. It's perfectly valid to look into
> > that and how people are trying to fight back against it.
> >
> > She stated her areas of interest: "There are a few networks about which
> I'm
> > particularly curious. Do you have any stations in your town/city/area
> that
> > are run by Salem Media Network? Alternatively, are any stations in your
> > town/city/area run by the Bott Radio Network, CSN (Christian Satellite
> > Network or American Family Radio?"
> >
> > These are rightwing Christian stations that for a long time have gobbled
> up
> > radio licenses and kept them away from community broadcasters like those
> on
> > this list.
> >
> > There is no particular reason to aggressively defend them. They are a
> > source of much misinformation and hatred toward those that do not fit
> into
> > their narrow definitions of normality.
> >
> > - Tracy
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 10:13 AM Ann Garrison via grc <
> > grc at maillist.peak.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I hope you'll consider the fact that the truth is often elusive,
> > chameleon,
> > > and highly politicized. The words "denial" or "denialism" are often
> used
> > to
> > > impose absolute truths that don't exist.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 9:07 AM Katie Thornton via grc <
> > > grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > *Hi GRC folks! *
> > > >
> > > > My name is Katie Thornton, and I'm a
> > > > longtime-community-radio-person-turned-independent-reporter out of
> > > > Minneapolis. (Recent work has been run on/in the BBC, 99% Invisible,
> > > > Washington Post, Minnesota Public Radio, NPR, WNYC, National
> > Geographic,
> > > > Atlas Obscura, KFAI, etc.). I started volunteering at KFAI in my home
> > > city
> > > > of Minneapolis as a teenager, interned at Prometheus back in 2013
> > (during
> > > > the LPFM window!), and went on to work at and with multiple different
> > > > community, college, and LPFM stations (and had the joy of attending
> at
> > > > least one GRC!) before transitioning over to freelance journalism and
> > > > writing work.
> > > >
> > > > I'm posting here because I'm currently working on a
> part-investigative,
> > > > part-narrative mini-series about disinformation on network
> terrestrial
> > > > radio. The series seeks to uncover how the profitability of
> > > disinformation
> > > > and ideological motivations -- paired with the FCC’s ongoing
> > deregulation
> > > > of the airwaves’ content and ownership -- have made the radio dial
> > > fertile
> > > > ground for the spread of disinformation. To do this, the series will
> > look
> > > > at examples of how these large-scale issues play out for individuals;
> > it
> > > > will share the intersecting personal stories of Americans on all
> sides
> > of
> > > > the radio dial: a citizen (or group of citizens!) trying to stop the
> > > spread
> > > > of on-air conspiracies, executives and hosts from a large national
> > radio
> > > > network rife with disinformation, and listeners who consume and are
> > > > occasionally driven to action by untruths heard over the airwaves.
> I've
> > > > been fortunate enough to get some support from an organization that
> > helps
> > > > independent investigative journalists, as well as an NPR affiliate
> > > station
> > > > who will ultimately distribute the series.
> > > >
> > > > I've been incredibly grateful that folks have been eager to share
> their
> > > > experiences and expertise with me thus far. However, I know that
> there
> > > are
> > > > many people doing work in this field, directly or indirectly, with
> > whom I
> > > > have not yet been in touch. Given that LPFMs and NCEs have been a
> major
> > > way
> > > > that communities have been able to retain a degree of local control
> > over
> > > > media as more and more of us lose local outlets, I wanted to turn to
> > you
> > > > all with some questions. If you know of anyone who might be able to
> > shed
> > > > some light on some of these questions -- or if you personally would
> > like
> > > to
> > > > talk more -- I would love to speak with you. I'd love to hear from
> > folks
> > > in
> > > > cities, small towns, or rural areas; however, given the prominence of
> > > > network stations in non-coastal regions and smaller markets (as well
> as
> > > my
> > > > own experience as a lifelong Midwesterner), I am especially hoping to
> > > hear
> > > > from folks in middle America and areas outside of major coastal
> cities.
> > > > Here are some of the questions I am hoping to hear from folks about
> > right
> > > > now:
> > > >
> > > > - Do you hear information you know to be false on the airwaves
> > > > (especially on network stations)? Specifically, have you heard
> > > > disinformation about COVID-19 spread on the airwaves? How has talk
> > > radio
> > > > influenced people's response to COVID where you live?
> > > > - Have you heard speech that you would describe as hate speech
> over
> > > the
> > > > airwaves?
> > > > - Do you know of anyone (individuals or groups) -- or have you
> > > > personally -- been trying to fight disinformation or hate speech
> you
> > > > hear
> > > > on the airwaves? How have you/they gone about this? Have you/they
> > had
> > > > any
> > > > luck? For example, I recently spoke with someone in Montana who
> has
> > > been
> > > > personally petitioning the FCC to try to stop the spread of
> > > > disinformation on the airwaves. But I have a feeling she is not
> the
> > > only
> > > > one out there.
> > > > - Is your radio station doing any explicit work to combat the
> > > > disinformation that may spread on other radio stations?
> > > > - Has anyone in your life been driven to extreme ideological
> beliefs
> > > > and/or action thanks to the influence of talk radio?
> > > > - There are a few networks about which I'm particularly curious.
> Do
> > > you
> > > > have any stations in your town/city/area that are run by Salem
> Media
> > > > Network? Alternatively, are any stations in your town/city/area
> run
> > by
> > > > the
> > > > Bott Radio Network, CSN (Christian Satellite Network), or American
> > > > Family
> > > > Radio?
> > > > - Has your community had a locally-run station bought out and
> > replaced
> > > > by a station run by a large media network (such as one of those
> > listed
> > > > above)? If so, I'd love to ask you more about that change.
> > > >
> > > > Thank you all so much. I'm really looking forward to hearing from
> you.
> > > > Please feel free to send me an email if you'd like to talk further --
> > or
> > > if
> > > > you'd like to ask me any questions about the project, my background,
> > etc.
> > > >
> > > > Thank you all again. I'm looking forward to talking. Take good care,
> > > >
> > > > Katie
> > > >
> > > > *Katie Thornton*
> > > > *Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellow*
> > > > *www.itskatiethornton.com* <http://www.itskatiethornton.com>
> > > >
> > > > *IG: @itskatiethornton <https://www.instagram.com/itskatiethornton/
> >*
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > grc mailing list
> > > > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Sincerely,
> > > @AnnGarrison <https://twitter.com/AnnGarrison?lang=en>
> > > Independent Journalist,
> > > SKYPE: Ann Garrison, Oakland
> > > 415-503-7487
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > grc mailing list
> > > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Tracy Rosenberg
> > Executive Director
> > Media Alliance
> > 2830 20th Street Suite 201
> > San Francisco, CA 94110
> > www.media-alliance.org
> > 415-746-9475
> > 510-684-6853 Cell
> > Encrypted email at tracy.rosenberg at protonmail.com
> > Text via Signal
> > Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
> >
> > -
> > _______________________________________________
> > grc mailing list
> > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> >
> _______________________________________________
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>
--
Doug McVay
Host/Producer, Century of Lies https://www.drugtruth.net/century-of-lies
and Free Culture Radio https://kboo.fm/program/free-culture-radio
Editor, Health Systems Facts https://healthsystemsfacts.org/ and Drug
Policy Facts https://www.drugpolicyfacts.org/
cel: 717.940.2154
twitter: @dougmcvay
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