Author: bobo

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Conversations Media Society

Conversation about media as gatekeepers and how our personal bias limits us

Brian and Colin discuss the difficulty in identifying the truth. We tend to use our personal experience and ideology to decide whether we acknowledge or deny the value of some piece of information. The focus of this conversation revolves around the data on Hunter Biden’s laptop and whether it should be reported on. We cover the history of the laptop and why it was such a controversial topic in the news leading up to the 2020 election. We discuss why there was so much distrust about the story, why there was a strong backlash against those promoting the story and whether either view was valid.

Link to the YouTube video.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation about media as gatekeepers and how our personal bias limits us
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Categories
Conversations Media Society

Conversation on the message and the medium

Returning to the old format of Brian & Colin discussing a topic, they take on the use of graphics in media, how it can help or distort. The motivation for the conversation came from a tweet that Colin shared that consisted of a chart showing the dramatic rise in median income globally and Brian took issue with it. Colin begins the conversation by addressing confirmation bias when we receive information from the media, both in affirming what we already believe and dismissing that which we don’t. Brian discusses the context of the information we receive and how we need to consider very carefully the medium which we want to give the message. Some media are better suited for different messages. They address how we treat content differently when we trust the provider or we don’t.

Link to the YouTube video.

Some of the resources that we addressed in the conversation:

The book: Factfulness by Hans Rosling

The blog: The Grump Economist – John Cochran

News source fairly balanced and slightly to the right: The Dispatch

The chart that we used in the beginning of the conversation:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/daily-median-income?time=1981..2017&country=~OWID_WRL
Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation on the message and the medium
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Categories
Analysis Media

Disagreements are a sign of a healthy media

We can use the media environment in Russia during the assault on the Ukraine, to better understand the value of differing viewpoints. While we may find the current situation in the media in the US frustrating, let’s compare it to a government controlled media. Doing so, it becomes clear that media outlets that disagree is an indicator that our media environment is healthier.

You can view the YouTube video by following the link.

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Strategies

Conversation Strategies – The long list

When we have a strong opinion on a topic, we often will offer our perspectives in a deluge on information instead of one point at a time. This doesn’t allow for a conversation, instead it feels like a speech. One point at a time allows the opportunity for the person we are talking to the time to respond.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation Strategies - The long list
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Categories
Analysis Society

Analysis – Institute a plan, analyze the impact and adjust

We look back at a snippet of a conversation when Colin addressed the idea that we should be constantly reassessing to ensure that our intended outcome is being achieved and the we avoid the unintended consequences.

Here, you can find a link to the YouTube video.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Analysis - Institute a plan, analyze the impact and adjust
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Analysis Media

Analysis – Corrections indicate a reputable news source

When news providers point out their corrections and ensure that every reader will see the correction, then you know that you have found a reputable news source.

You can find a link to the YouTube video.

Washington Post correction
Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Analysis - Corrections indicate a reputable news source
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Conversations Media Society

Conversation about content filtering of social media companies

Do social media companies have a responsibility to control the content that we see? Should they be managing the content that is deemed violent, offensive, demeaning or aggressive by the users? Colin & Brian both agree that in our present state, there is too much expectation placed on the social media companies to police the content we are exposed to. Remember when our feed was filled entirely with our friends and family. In the effort to monetize, the social media companies changed that experience. They use behavioral reinforcement psychology to keep us interacting and ultimately are motivated by profits.

Link to the YouTube video.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation about content filtering of social media companies
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Categories
Analysis

Analysis – Washington Post misleads with the article title

If you have watched the videos on Media and Media Bias, you may have heard Brian praise the Washington Post. In this post, Brian castigates them for a misleading headline that distorts the truth.

You can find the YouTube video here.

Links to images that are referenced in the podcast:

Headline from the article referenced in the post
Article referenced in the podcast
Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Analysis - Washington Post misleads with the article title
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Categories
Analysis Conversations Strategies

Conversation about the challenges of having these conversations

When someone does not recognize the validity of our argument, it does not always mean that we have failed, but it can be disappointing. It can feel like we are not being heard. It can feel like our opponent is too close-minded to hear what we are saying. Many people (including us) tend to hold onto our original views and are reluctant to concede points to other people. We should not be surprised or disappointed when someone walks away without having agreed with us. If that is your goal, you will never achieve it. But, if you present an idea skillfully and the other person is receptive to the idea, then it is possible that the idea can settle in to their world view and be incorporated at a later date. We also go back and look at some of the topics that we have discussed in the past such as media bias. At the end we agree to a more proactive approach to our conversations we can be better prepared to respond to each other’s points.

Here is a link to the YouTube video.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation about the challenges of having these conversations
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Categories
Conversations Strategies

Conversation Strategies – Distract to Win

This is a very common strategy and one that we often do not notice happening. The response to our point is often related but not relevant and so we respond to their response and allow the conversation to veer away from the point that we made.

Link to YouTube Video.

Brother VS. Brother
Brother VS. Brother
Conversation Strategies - Distract to Win
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