The Media Pipeline
Hint: It's Dangerously Corroded
Any meaningful form of democracy requires an informed, educated, and engaged society. Educated does not necessarily mean degreed, however it encompasses the ability to think critically, and to delineate between propaganda, disinformation, and fact-based information. Engaged because once educated and informed, an individual must participate in the process -or else of what use is being educated and informed?
The media pipeline comprised of the methods used to distribute news and information continues to be consolidated and constrained. It is dangerously corroded and delivers propaganda and disinformation to weaken and destroy a required pillar of democracy.
The Pipeline
When I consider the pipeline of news and information there is an event, understanding and reporting on the facts of the event, an editorial process, and then the finished article. Next, the distribution of the article. And finally, the consumer of the article.
Event —> Journalist —> Editorial —> Distribution/Platform(s) —> Consumer.
Ownership
Regardless of who owns what newspaper, cable network, radio station, and/or network, newsworthy events continue to occur. Journalists continue to report on breaking news and events. Editors will continue to shape the stories based upon publication guidelines. And finally, news may then be distributed to consumers (readers/viewers/listeners) via a platform or an array of platforms. The book “Manufacturing Consent” by Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman, and Edward Said is essential reading that outlines the danger posed by the consolidated control of editorial (shaping news stories) and constraining the distribution of vital news and information.
Distribution Platforms & Consolidation
People consume news and information across a variety of platforms. Social media (such as Facebook and the former Twitter) have growing and increasing significance as platforms for news distribution (although the former Twitter has been declining after its acquisition by Elon Musk and one poorly thought-out strategy after another). Well-detailed research about current news consumption is available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/.
As outlined in the chart above, in 1983, 90% of U.S.-based media was owned by 50 companies. Through mergers and acquisitions, by 2012 there were 6.
Reducing competition in this space makes it much easier to constrain news and information distributed to the public, and as a result, it’s much easier to “Manufacture Consent” -spoon-feeding crafted perspectives to the public, such as considering “Trickle-down” as a valid form of economics instead of wealth concentrating fraud. Crafting a perspective and repeating it through a handful of massive media platforms encapsulates opinion masquerading as fact. The result is a society that believes climate change is a liberal hoax, the Department of Justice pursuing a criminal represents “weaponization of government”, that the policies of the GOP which led the United States to the precipice of economic collapse in 2008 (and added $7 trillion dollars of debt during the first Trump administration is “better” at running the U.S. economy, and that crime in major U.S. cities is rampant when factual data states otherwise.
Social Media
As a complex and dynamic world changes rapidly, many consumers demand news in real-time, or close to it. People began to shift from other news sources to social media as a means to read about breaking news, and also gain insight into expert analysis and informed opinions about newsworthy events.
The Betrayal of Trust
Platforms like Facebook have betrayed user trust by allowing external parties to access user information that was intended to be private, for the purposes of advertising and worse.
In the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal, massive amounts of personal user data were provided for sinister political purposes, allowing users to be targeted with propaganda. Such propaganda was effective at either causing a user to vote against their self-interest, or not vote, impacting the 2016 U.S. elections, as well as the U.K.’s “Brexit”/remain voting.
Zuckerberg, Bannon, Trump, Farage, and Cambridge Analytica: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/17/the-cambridge-analytica-scandal-changed-the-world-but-it-didnt-change-facebook
Musk fires trust and safety team: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/12/1142399312/twitter-trust-and-safety-council-elon-musk
Murdoch, Fox News, and Dominion: https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe
The Algorithm
On a massive platform like Meta’s Facebook, millions of people are creating content or sharing existing content from an array of sources every day. Social media uses a mechanism (often referred to as “The Algorithm”) to determine what gets shared and what remains obscure. This represents incredible power in the hands of a few people.
Let’s look at a couple of “theoretical” examples:
Perhaps the Big Oil and Coal industry wants to run a $100 million dollar campaign describing climate change as a liberal hoax. They are concerned that too many news stories delivered and shared on the platform are based upon peer-reviewed scientific analysis stating climate change is a real and immediate threat to humanity and calling for bold action now. They “ask” that while running their campaign, “perhaps” stories about climate change can be throttled. Suddenly user Greta is sharing important climate stories, however, only 3 of her 4,919 connections are receiving them in their feed.
Maybe a candidate is campaigning for office. Widespread news reports that he has been involved in highly questionable activity with a foreign adversary. His campaign team might reach out and buy millions of dollars of ads on the platform, and also “ask” to throttle the sharing of negative news stories while promoting content describing him as a shrewd negotiator (perhaps despite several bankruptcies and settlements for fraud).
According to (thankfully) dead economist Milton Friedman - a company has no social responsibility to the public or society; its only responsibility is to its shareholders. This means that the spread of propaganda, disinformation, and even hate speech if it generates revenue and profit, is not only acceptable -if it results in greater revenue and profitability -it’s core to the business.
Citizen Journalism via Social Media
Citizen journalism has gained popularity due to the rise of social media and user-generated content platforms, which allow individuals to share news and perspectives outside of traditional media outlets. Platforms such as Substack, Medium, and Ghost provide a range of options for independent creators, journalists, and writers who want to engage with audiences and potentially monetize their work.
Immediacy, Distrust, and Societal Attention Deficit Disorder
Obtaining news and information via social media continues to be popular, despite some of the major flaws listed above. Obtaining real-time (or near real-time information) from eyewitnesses, rapid analysis from influencers and thought leaders, no paywall barriers, and a growing distrust of conventional news sources are all factors in the growth of social platform news consumption.
Broadcast News
Television and Radio news are broadcast over public airwaves. Years ago, major networks viewed their news anchors and broadcasts as the “crown jewels” of a network. By providing a compelling and fact-based news broadcast, viewers were more likely to remain on the network for prime-time programming yielding significant advertising revenue for a network and justifying the costs associated with a premier news organization. As more focus was placed upon profitability throughout a network, news content has shifted toward entertainment and sensationalism. Just as Clear Channel began buying radio stations and airing deplorable hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sinclair Broadcasting bought up TV stations and flooded the airwaves with radical right-wing content masquerading as news and thoughtful opinion.
We went from Network News and Journalism
To Right Wing Propaganda, Disinformation, and Hate Speech
Cable News
The introduction of Cable News such as CNN and a 24x7 news cycle has led to dramatic changes in news programming. With the 24x7 cycle has come a shift from accuracy in reporting to speed, repetition of sensational and breaking news stories, opinion and commentary masquerading as news coverage, the insidious insulation of viewers based upon political perspective (for example moderates and CNN, liberals, and MSNBC, and people who prefer lies, disinformation, and propaganda there is Fox “News”).
Newspapers
In-depth news reporting and journalism have been overwhelmed by shrinking advertising revenue, rising costs, and private equity. Without journalists and print media, Nixon’s Watergate and the Pentagon Papers would likely have been hidden from view, and important investigative reports on the Panama and Paradise Papers, the Catholic Church Abuse Scandal, and the Edward Snowden/NSA Leaks might not have seen the light of day. And yes, call me old, but I still enjoy the feel of reading a newspaper with my morning coffee.
News Magazines
Yielding analysis, perspectives, and opinions about news events, magazines are known for their long-form journalism and investigative reporting. They have broken several major stories that have had lasting impacts on politics, culture, and public opinion. Stories such as CIA Torture, the murder of Matthew Shepard, and the later debunked and redacted story about the correlation of Autism and Vaccines written by RFK Jr., supposedly before his brain worm invasion.
Facts, Bias, and Survival
Subscription Models versus Advertising Revenue Models
There is significant competition for our money and attention. While “free” is a favored word and “paywall” has become a four-letter word, if we care about democracy, justice, and equality -we must be informed. Quality investigative reporting (not “I saw this guy on the internet”), but important investigations into wealth and power require experienced journalists expending great effort, research, persistence and time. After developing an important story, it must be distributed/published so it can be consumed. For example, producing the final copy, positioning it into a newspaper or magazine along with other stories, printing tens of thousands of them, and then delivering them to homes, or newsstands comes at a cost. Similarly, the software development and operations necessary to distribute digital copy to platforms or through social media also have a cost. Will a platform like the former Twitter mass-distribute a story about Tesla’s safety record and recall issues to Twitter users? Will stories about the betrayal of user trust in the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica/Trump/Brexit scandal be distributed to every Facebook user? If Big Oil and Coal pay massive advertising fees for a news publishing empire, will stories about climate change be caught and killed, or combined with stories about “unsettled science?” The unfortunate reality is that the source of revenue will continue to have significance in the information we consume. This is why an advertising-free subscription model increases the possibility that we, society, will be able to consume fact-based information and stories unfettered by the toxic and dangerous opinions of an industry lobby entity, sinister political groups, foreign adversarial influence, or the uninformed toxic opinions of Elon Musk.
Emerging Sources for Independent Fact Checking
There are current and emerging sources dedicated to reviewing and vetting news and information. Entities such as PolitiFact, Snopes, FactCheck.org, AFP Fact Check, and more. The challenge is similar to the crafting of news stories themselves and their distribution mechanisms can be greatly influenced by funding source(s), so can fact-checking. Furthermore, numerous media sources are committed to, at least, the perception of balance between liberal and conservative perspectives (which is a huge part of the problem because facts, evidence, and peer-reviewed science don’t have a “political-side”). Sites like Facebook use an array of fact-checking sources across political ideologies which is predicated upon not upsetting Facebook investors, Facebook advertisers, and political operatives -as opposed to a commitment to accuracy and truth.
Understanding Bias
A factual account of a news event is simply an account of “Who, what, where, and when”. Bias can influence the reporting (and editing) of the account of a news event, the article title, the article’s position in a publication, how many stories are published/distributed that are similar or equivalent to the news event, and also speculation about the “Why” of the event.
For example, a right-wing biased news organization might run a series of stories about crimes committed by undocumented immigrants (which are then cited in political ads and campaigns). They won’t report on the numerous studies and analyses that immigrants (documented and undocumented) are far less likely to commit violent crimes than native-born citizens. They want to provide a frame to validate the pre-existing perspectives of their readers/viewers (confirmation bias) that immigrants are bad, and native-born citizens are good.
False Equivalence and Reverse Bias
Historically the “Pipeline” does not want you to see the corrosion and decay. This may no longer be true, as the number of viewers who faithfully watch Fox “News” after they have settled near billion-dollar lawsuits for propagating false stories long after they were proven to be lies. Nevertheless the greater the perceived bias, the less a consumer can claim to be informed by relying on a particular news source. An example of false equivalence would be a report on a new, peer-reviewed scientific study on vaccines and mRNA. The reporting source may interview a leading member and subject-matter expert about the report for two minutes. Then they might interview an anti-vaccine individual selected from a vaccine protest who will provide a countervailing and uninformed perspective for two minutes. The news source will claim they are “fair and balanced” and consumers of the information will be confused, lose confidence in scientific analysis, and then spread more anti-vaccine propaganda. This is not only irresponsible, however anti-vaccine sentiment has caused additional and prolonged waves of contagious, dangerous diseases and has even led to a resurgence of measles in the United States. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/measles-what-you-should-know
Similar news “Pipeline” false equivalency techniques have been used when reporting on climate change, comparing candidates for office, and drawing policy distinctions.
While there is growth among fact-checking commercial and academic entities, Ad Fontes Media is now tracking and reporting on bias. Fact-checking is one aspect of evolving the integrity of news and reporting. More about the methods used by Ad Fontes Media in tracking bias is available here: https://adfontesmedia.com/methodology/
One other example I can provide about bias is a story for which I have direct knowledge. An article appeared in Forbes about Wal*Mart workers costing American taxpayers $6.2 Billion in public assistance. When you scan the article it’s easy to think -I don’t want my tax dollars used for lazy workers -why don’t they get another job or jobs? Some of my background is in understanding egregious corporate behavior and a hidden (and what should be illegal) tax we all pay when corporations shift their costs to all of us -so they can produce more profit. I wrote to the author and asked why they published the article with the title “Report: Walmart Workers Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion In Public Assistance”? I said at the same time Wal*Mart was paying workers so little they were below federal poverty levels, Wal*Mart was paying stock dividends of $6.8 Billion to shareholders (and the Walton family then owned about 50% of the stock) -the title should have been “Report: Wal*Mart Heirs Cost Taxpayers $6.2 Billion…”. The author said it was published in Forbes.
So yes, media bias is an absolute thing -and must be coupled with fact-checking to gain more comprehensive insight when we read/view/listen to news reports.
Other important organizations that address bias in reporting are:
Media Matters: https://www.mediamatters.org/
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR): https://fair.org/
Unplugging Twitter/X
It generally takes a significant amount of time for an author, a news source, or a columnist (or anyone) to develop a following on any social media platform. It was a painstaking decision to terminate my personal Twitter account, and the civ.works account after growing a following. Nevertheless, after Elon Musk led the acquisition of the former Twitter, and turned it into a cesspool of hate speech, propaganda, and disinformation, I could no longer justify the former Twitter using my posts and interactions to generate advertising revenue. As Musk restored the accounts of far-right extremists and conspiracy lunatics there was a significant rise in hate speech -racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic.
From a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate:
Musk misleading election claims viewed 1.2bn times on X – with no fact checks
Elon Musk is spreading harmful election disinformation on X, breaking his platform's own guidelines
New analysis shows that Elon Musk’s false or misleading claims about the US elections have been viewed nearly 1.2 billion times on X. None of the posts displayed a Community Note, X’s name for user-generated fact-checks that Musk claims are “a clear and immediate way to refute anything false” posted to X.
Platforms of the Future -a Shameless Plug for the Civic Works project: https://civ.works
As the number of people who want to receive news and information via social media platforms grows -I’m continuing to dedicate my efforts toward evolving the Civic Works project (aside from writing, occasional public speaking, and monthly media commentary on Hudson River Radio’s “The Many Shades of Green” with Maxine Margo).
The core concept of Civic Works is to provide an advertising-free, subscriber-funded, social network built for civic action in support of participatory democracy and participatory budgeting. A platform that is built to support respectful conversations and friendships across ideological boundaries predicated upon facts, evidence, and science. We want to promote a competition of ideas to improve the quality of life for all in which can lead to agreements that can then be codified into law and policy.
While there is a very early pilot available at https://social.civ.works, the roadmap includes news/information ratings from trusted and emerging sources, local, regional, national, and global news revenue-sharing partnerships, information about elected officials and candidates from trusted entities such as OpenSecrets.org, elected member-constituent engagement through our partnership with PlaceSpeak.com, and aside from general social content, opportunities for effective civic action at the local, regional, state, national, and global levels.
The project is currently organized as a 501c3 non-profit organization.
You can learn more about the Civic Works effort here -
Four minute civ.works background film.
And seek resources, volunteers, and completing the initial concept: https://civ.works/moonshot/
Thank you to all who have contributed and continue to contribute to the Civic Works effort.
We’ve seen the danger to society when the news and information pipeline is abdicated to people like Murdoch, Musk, Zuckerberg, and Trump. It’s well past time for a social network to protect subscriber data, and offer data portability (so subscribers own their posts, photos, comments, and connections), and the platform serves to strengthen democracy through trusted information, civic education, and societal civic action.
What a thorough (and sobering) analyzis. I missed The Guardian in the Media Bias chart, that's often my news source after I cancelled NYTimes. And good to see Bellingcat almost at the top -- I learned about them when I saw the "Navalny" documentary. They're awesome.
Absolutely beautifully covered! The same conditions have existed before...and democracy lost. Hopefully we can sort out our media choices and make some clear paths forward...
https://barrygander.substack.com/p/preview-americas-deadliest-election