election — Podcast Transcripts

Transcript for “Combating Media and Institutional Mistrust” with Tara McGowan

Most Americans do not trust traditional media. Some do not believe in our elections. The growing spread of mistrust in our country's institutions impacts civic engagement and our democracy. As a former journalist and political strategist, Tara McGowan provides insights into this crisis and what we can do to counter America’s lack of faith in the pillars that make our democracy tick.

In this conversation, Tara discusses the extent of the disinformation problem in the United States and where it is concentrated, what individuals and organizations are creating it, why people are drawn to outrageous news stories, and the health of societies that suffer from rampant disinformation. She goes on to talk about the incredible progress the United States has made in advancing human rights, where people can go to find trustworthy news sources, and she finishes with what fills her with a sense of optimism.

Tara McGowan is the founder and publisher of COURIER, a fast-growing left-leaning news network with local newsrooms in eleven states. COURIER is building a more informed, engaged, and representative democracy by reaching tens of millions of Americans where they are online with factual, values-driven news that inspires civic participation. A former journalist and political strategist, Tara has seen firsthand how America’s growing information chasm has contributed to increased polarization and the rising threat of authoritarianism. Earlier in her career, Tara led some of the largest digital advertising and marketing programs supporting progressive causes and candidates in U.S. politics, including at ACRONYM, Priorities USA, NextGen Climate, and as a digital strategist on President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.

Transcript for “A Media Literacy Diet for Elections” with Dr. Geoffrey Baym

The blurred lines between journalism, advertising, and entertainment have contributed to a lack of media literacy in today’s audiences. So, how do we discern when we have all the facts, particularly as we gear up toward an election? In this interview, Dr. Geoffrey Baym explains the history of political content in media and how we can practice better media literacy in the lead-up to the 2024 election.

Dr. Geoffrey Baym is a professor of media studies and directs the PhD program in Media and Communication at Temple University. A former TV news producer, Dr. Baym explores the shifting styles and standards of broadcast journalism, public affairs media, and political discourse. His work particularly examines the melding of news, entertainment, politics, and popular culture. His publications include the award-winning From Cronkite to Colbert: The Evolution of Broadcast News and the edited collection News Parody and Political Satire Across the Globe.

Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.

Politics, Election, The Futuredon macphersonSeptember 3, 2024politics, conflict, election, media, fake news, bias, Election, Democracy

Transcript for “Countering Culture Wars and Political Conflict" with Amanda Ripley

Political violence and threats of political attacks, from the national to community level, have soared in recent years. Political conflict and culture wars dominate headlines, causing Americans a sense of dread and despair, leading 42% to actively avoid the news. How can we turn the heat down while we choose our next leaders? In this interview, investigative reporter and conflict mediator Amanda Ripley explains her research to understand better the political conflicts that turn into violent threats and attacks. Her insights teach us to focus on “good” conflict to lessen our perception gaps of each other and provide conflict hacks that can help us break free from the cycle of outrage and blame.

Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author and the co-founder of Good Conflict, a company that creates workshops and original content to help people get more thoughtful about how they fight. Amanda’s recent book is High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out. In her books and magazine writing, Amanda combines storytelling with data to help illuminate challenging problems—and solutions. She follows people who have been through some kind of a transformation—including the survivors of hurricanes and plane crashes, American teenagers who have experienced high school in other countries, and politicians and gang members who were bewitched by toxic conflicts and managed to break free.

Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.