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A Big Win for Propaganda

Years of brainwashing by the right paid off

Dan Rather and Team Steady Nov 22

Credit: Getty Images

The morning after the election, I was talking with a friend who said something that made me pause: “The American people aren’t buying what the Dems are selling.” At the time I acknowledged the notion but filed it away for closer inspection, once the shock wore off. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party were selling hope and freedom, upholding the rule of law, saving democracy. What’s not to buy? With the benefit of lots of discussion, reading, watching, and thinking over the past 17 days, it became apparent that that analysis is incomplete. 

It isn’t that the American people didn’t buy what Harris was selling; they didn’t know what she was selling. The increasingly powerful right-wing media championed her opponent’s message while distorting hers. And millions of Americans bought it. 

As The New Republic editor Michael Tomasky wrote, “It wasn’t the economy. It wasn’t inflation, or anything else. It was how people perceive those things, which points to one overpowering answer.” The right-wing media now controls the agenda.  

For those of us who grew up on a steady diet of truth-telling, it’s gut-wrenching to see this mega misinformation machine grow into a multi-headed monster.  

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a shock. Gallup says trust in the media is at an all-time low. The most trusted news source according to YouGov is … The Weather Channel. Couple that with exit polls showing people who consume a lot of news from traditional sources voted overwhelmingly for Harris. 

If you only read The New York Times or watch CNN or so-called legacy networks such as CBS News, you might be surprised to learn there is a vast right-wing media ecosystem that goes well beyond Fox News. Founded in 1996, Fox is the granddaddy of the far-right media but has since been joined by Newsmax and One America News Network. This media universe also includes Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns hundreds of radio and TV stations — reaching 40% of the viewing public — and newspapers, including the recently purchased Baltimore Sun; iHeartMedia, which dominates right-wing talk radio and podcasting; Trinity and Bott Radio, two massive Christian broadcasting networks; social media platforms like Trump’s own Truth Social and X, owned by Trump bestie Elon Musk; and a multitude of hugely popular far-right podcasts. 

Collectively, these various and varied media outlets have been feeding growing audiences a constant diet of disinformation for years. They have been fighting and winning an information war Democrats didn’t seem to know existed. The 2024 election may have been the inflection point when the right-wing media’s influence finally eclipsed the mainstream media. That is a major reason a convicted felon won with just under 50% of the popular vote.

The landscape is changing at light speed. Today, traditional media is not where most people get their news. Not so long ago you had to pick up a morning newspaper or turn on a television at a specific time to get news. Now “news” is available 24-7, from hundreds of sources, in tiny bite-sized portions, often without the benefit of context or even fact-checking. Right-wing outlets peddling half truths have learned how to navigate and thus dominate this new landscape.

It is important to note that this battle is being waged between right-leaning media and mainstream media. The combatants are not two ideologues. One group is pushing a hard-right agenda, and the other is striving to report and expose the truth. The social media landscape mirrors this reality. On the right, you have Truth Social and X. On the left, not much. In reaction to the misinformation rampant on its sites during the 2020 election, Meta-owned platforms like Facebook and Instagram removed most political content.

Donald Trump came along at exactly the right time to benefit from the rise of right-wing media. Had Fox News not existed, Trump’s descent on that golden escalator in 2015 might have ended as a political footnote. It has been a symbiotic relationship. Without Trump, Fox and its ilk would not have had the perfect person to drive their ascent.

Fast forward to the run-up to the 2024 election. Trump did not conduct one interview with a traditional media outlet — no local or national broadcast TV or newspapers. He stuck with his friends at Fox and like-minded podcasters like Joe Rogan. And it worked.

Some have suggested that legacy media is dead. Not so fast. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater just means everyone gets wet. All journalists, no matter where they post or publish or air, still need to hold those in power accountable. Now more than ever.

Case in point: Today, Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration to become the U.S. attorney general. Since Trump announced this pick, reporters have been relentlessly covering the story, pushing for information to be released, talking to sources, and questioning senators who would vote on confirmation. The Fourth Estate may be diminished, but it is still alive and imperative to the health of our democracy.

Recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it. Democrats need to come to terms with the fact that the right-wing is cleaning its clock when it comes to messaging and communications. To combat this reality, they need to learn how to play by new rules. It pains me to say it, but for the survival of our country, Democrats need to do a better job reaching voters who don’t consume mainstream media, who don’t seek out political news. For journalists, we now have two jobs: reporting the news and combating the lies so many Americans are hearing. It’s a battle that must be joined, and quickly. 

To support my team’s efforts to protect our democracy through the power of independent journalism, please consider joining as a paid subscriber. It keeps Steady sustainable and accessible for all. Thank you.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading.

Stay Steady,

Dan

Stunning discovery found in Trump storage unit

 

It's Our Democracy!

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BREAKING NEWS


Search by ‘outside firm’ found more classified documents in Trump storage unit, report says
A search of former president Donald Trump’s properties by a third-party firm retained by his legal team reportedly discovered at least two documents bearing classification markings in a storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida used by the twice-impeached ex-president.… [more]

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Trump screws over GOP responding to Hunter Biden laptop saga
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen: Not a smart move.

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Right-wing billionaires are destroying America's newsrooms
Courier Newsroom: With our small-town newsrooms being turned into Trump's propaganda outlets by Sinclair Broadcasting, it's harder than ever to find factual, value-based news coverage at the local level. Courier Newsroom is leading the fight against right-wing misinformation and conspiracies by building the largest left-leaning local news network in the country. Can you chip in to help keep our democracy healthy and put a stop to Trump's dangerous conspiracies?

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PS — Please consider a small monthly contribution of as little as $5 to help us elect Democrats and fight back against the Trump-Republican agenda. We can't do it without you. Keep fighting the good fight!

 @advocacy | 1002 Hull St., Louisville, KY 40204

Misinformation on virus is proving highly contagious

By David Klepper ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted Jul 29, 2020

Experts worry glut of bad information undermines efforts to fight virus

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight to the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry that the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, which has been blamed for about 150,000 deaths in the U.S. and over a half-million more around the world.

“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem., said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and able to mutate when confronted with contradictory facts.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video on Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. Immanuel has made even more bizarre medical pronouncements in the past, saying in a 2013 sermon that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One hoax from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant microchips in all 7 billion humans on the planet.

Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim that Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets, canned the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to avoid problems but doesn’t believe it is necessary.

“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC poll found that 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain. A video of a woman attacking a mask display at an Arizona Target received almost 84,000 likes on Twitter.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the U.S. surgeon general urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically.

Trump did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks. “When you can, use a mask,” he said, only to later retweet Immanuel’s video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged on an interview with NPR this month.

“The message early on became confusing,” he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection by viruses. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects or otherwise cheated during the demonstration.

That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.

Associated Press writers Beatrice Dupuy in New York, Eric Tucker in Washington, and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

The Iron Snowflake

“Sinclair spokesman Michael Padovano said Sinclair hopes to add context and other viewpoints and still air the controversial segment on the next week’s edition of “America This Week.”

https://www.snopes.com/ap/2020/07/25/sinclair-pulls-show-where-plandemic-conspiracy-theory-is-aired/

Article: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/24/media/sinclair-fauci-conspiracy-bolling/index.html

Sinclair Pulls Show Where ‘Plandemic’ Conspiracy Theory Is Aired

The Sinclair Broadcast Group said it is pulling from the air an edition of its “America This Week” program that discusses a conspiracy theory involving Dr. Anthony Fauci and the coronavirus.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Sinclair Broadcast Group said Saturday it is pulling from the air an edition of its “America This Week” program that discusses a conspiracy theory involving Dr. Anthony Fauci and the coronavirus.

Sinclair spokesman Michael Padovano said Sinclair hopes to add context and other viewpoints and still air the controversial segment on the next week’s edition of “America This Week.”

Meanwhile, Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, talked in detail in a new podcast about the “serious threats” and hate mail directed his way.

“America This Week” is hosted by Eric Bolling, a former Fox News Channel personality, and sent to stations Sinclair owns in 81 markets. The show it initially distributed for this weekend’s show featured an interview with Judy Mikovits, maker of the widely discredited “Plandemic” video, and her lawyer, Larry Klayman.

Mikovits, an anti-vaccine activist, said she believed that Fauci manufactured the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and shipped it to China. There has been no evidence that the virus was produced in a lab, much less any of Fauci’s involvement.

Bolling did not push back on the claim, or show any evidence of checking its veracity. He followed up with a segment interviewing radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News contributor, who said she thought Fauci “in no way, shape or form has been involved in the manufacture of this virus.”

During the segment, first revealed by Media Matters for America, a chyron on the bottom of the screen read “Did Dr. Fauci create coronavirus?”

Bolling told CNN Business that he wasn’t even aware of the “Plandemic” video before his bookers arranged for Mikovits’ appearance. He told CNN that “frankly, I was shocked when she made the accusation.” He said he brought Saphier on to challenge what he called a “hefty” charge.

The 26-minute “Plandemic” video emerged this spring and promoted a series of questionable, false and potentially dangerous theories. Online platforms Facebook, YouTube and Twitter took actions to slow its distribution.

Kelly McBride, a senior vice president and ethics expert for the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank, said Saturday that such controversial theories should only be presented if accompanied by thorough reporting on their accuracy.

“One has the responsibility to vet the information that they’re putting in front of an audience,” McBride said. “There’s no way to put information out like that responsibly because it’s so far-fetched.”

Before pulling the episode, Sinclair had tweeted that it did not endorse Mikovits’ theory. But the company said, “We’re a supporter of free speech and a marketplace of ideas and viewpoints, even if incredibly controversial.”

A hero to some for his blunt talk about COVID-19, Fauci has been the target of criticism by President Donald Trump and his supporters. It was revealed this spring that he was given security after receiving threats, and he talked about it in some detail on “The Axe Files” podcast with former Obama aide David Axelrod this past week.

Fauci said he’s seen a side of society that is disturbing, with a far greater level of anger than he heard in the 1980s when he was working to combat HIV.

Fauci says he is receiving “not only hate mail, but actual serious threats against me.”

“I mean against my family, my daughters, my wife,” he said. “There are people who get really angry at thinking that I’m interfering with their life because I’m pushing a public health agenda.”

When it comes to hate mail and serious threats against him and his family, Fauci said, “I don’t really see how society does that.”

“I could understand, very well, that you have to be careful because of the negative consequences of things like shutting down,” he said. “That’s understandable, which is the reason we’re all trying to open up America again in a way that is safe, that we can do it in a measured fashion. But the hostility against public health issues is difficult to not only understand, but difficult to even process.”

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Local TV stations across the country set to air discredited 'Plandemic' researcher's conspiracy theory about Fauci

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