[grc] Questions about network radio and disinformation

riva enteen rivaenteen at gmail.com
Wed Oct 20 15:57:56 PDT 2021 

Very reliable:

In review, OffGuardian reports news with a pro-Russian bias. Many articles
are very critical of Ukraine, such as this Ukraine admitted to interfering
in the 2016 US election on Clinton’s side
<https://off-guardian.org/2019/04/14/ukraine-admitted-to-interfering-in-the-2016-us-election-on-clintons-side/>.
This story does not offer hyperlinked sourcing but rather translations of
documents. OffGuardian also frequently promotes conspiracy theories
regarding GMOs
<https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/pseudoscience-dictionary-gmo-dangers/> such
as Post-Brexit Farming, Glyphosate, and GMOs
<https://off-guardian.org/2019/05/09/post-brexit-farming-glyphosate-and-gmos/>.
Although this story utilizes some credible sources, it also cites Mercola
<https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/mercola/>, a website promoting
quackery-level pseudoscience. They also promote 9/11 conspiracies such as The
Fakest Fake News: The U.S. Government’s 9/11 Conspiracy Theory
<https://off-guardian.org/2018/09/10/the-fakest-fake-news-the-u-s-governments-9-11-conspiracy-theory/>.
They frequently cover False Flags
<https://off-guardian.org/?s=false+flag&submit=Search> and the US Deep State
<https://off-guardian.org/2017/03/01/theres-a-deep-state-in-america/>
conspiracy
as well as anti-vaccination propaganda.
<https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/pseudoscience-dictionary-anti-vaccination-anti-vax/>

So people who ask questions about 9-11, GMOs and the deep state are all
conspiracy nuts.
BTW, Ukraine is filled with neo-Nazis.
If a piece cites some "credible sources," maybe those sources can be looked
at.
I am not anti-vax.  I am a vaccine safety advocate, so I ask questions.

On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 3:32 PM David Devereaux-Weber <president at wortfm.org>
wrote:

>
> "*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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>> >
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>

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