[grc] Questions about network radio and disinformation

Ann Garrison anniegarrison at gmail.com
Wed Oct 20 11:02:10 PDT 2021 

I read Katie's entire message and it did not trigger "an aggressive
response." I am not defending any religiously fanatical outlets.

However, the "misinformation" label is highly politicized and again,
absolute truth that does not exist is often asserted.   I think any
discussion of media misinforming the public should take note of this.

I'm a weekly contributor to Black Agenda Report, where I have published a
number of interviews with Tracy about surveillance issues, but when Twitter
users click on my BAR posts there, they will sometimes get a message
warning them that the content might be misinformation. BAR was on the "Prop
or Not" list that the Washington Post published without attribution and
Google has pretty well buried it since.

On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 10:49 AM riva enteen via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org>
wrote:

> First year nursing students are taught that natural immunity is better than
> any vaccine.
>
> Tracy, give me a cite.  You can't just throw out the word "disinformation."
>
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 10:44 AM Tracy Rosenberg <tracy at media-alliance.org
> >
> wrote:
>
> > Yes, it is disinformation, Riva.
> >
> > The price of "natural immunity" is death for the elderly and vulnerable.
> > That is not and has never been morally okay.
> >
> > 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
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> 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
>


-- 
Sincerely,
@AnnGarrison <https://twitter.com/AnnGarrison?lang=en>
Independent Journalist,
SKYPE: Ann Garrison, Oakland
415-503-7487

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