[grc] Questions about network radio and disinformation

David Devereaux-Weber president at wortfm.org
Wed Oct 20 15:32:05 PDT 2021 

"*Overall, we rate OffGuardian a Strong Conspiracy and Strong Pseudoscience
website that frequently promotes unproven conspiracy theories and false
information regarding the Coronavirus."*

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/offguardian/


Dave

David Devereaux-Weber
President, WORT Board of Directors
president at wortfm.org <President at wortfm.org>
(608)576-2599


On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 5:15 PM riva enteen via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org>
wrote:

> For anybody interested:
>
>
> https://off-guardian.org/2021/09/22/30-facts-you-need-to-know-your-covid-cribsheet/
>
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 2:08 PM Kali via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org>
> wrote:
>
> > yes.  yes that is misinformation.
> >
> > On 10/20/2021 10:39 AM, riva enteen via grc 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 attracy.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
> > _______________________________________________
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> > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> >
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