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by Amanda Sturgill
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- Today24 min
When large companies own news media, people know less about themselves
This week is Stephen Colbert’s final on CBS, and it's part of a larger story behind modern media: consolidation. When a few companies own more of the places you get information, it affects how much corruption there is, how much you know about yourself and your neighbors and the fabric of society itself. So much of the information we get now feels overwhelming but strangely thin. You'll learn why, as well as how local journalism was never just content. It was civic infrastructure.Today's Front Pages Gallery mentioned in the episode. Check out Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to tell when newsmakers are trying to deceive you. Follow Dr. Sturg on Bluesky. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- 1 weeks ago18 min
How AI Swarms Could Make Social Media Intolerable | UnSpun Journal Club
In this UnSpun Journal Club episode, Dr Sturg looks at a recent paper on what malicious AI swarms could mean for democracy, public debate, and social media itself. They could borrow from the older playbook of harassment and sealioning, made worse as agentic AI systems can imitate people, flood conversations, and manufacture the appearance of consensus.The question is not just whether AI can generate convincing content. It is whether it can reshape what people think is real.Find the paper here. Check out Dr. Sturg's book with tips on how you can spot fake news. Follow Dr. Sturg on BlueskyFind short videos on detecting deception from Dr. SturgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- 2 weeks ago23 min
Is it bad for blllionaires to control the news? Unspun Rewind
What happens when a handful of very wealthy control what gets reported and how/In this UnSpun rewind, we look at the role of the press in an oligarchy—a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. From media ownership by figures like Jeff Bezos and David Ellison to global examples like Venezuela and Russia, this episode explores how information can be shaped or even suppressed.You’ll learn how partisan media ecosystems create entirely different realities, why journalists face increasing pressure and risk, and what happens when regulation,and even truth itself are influenced by elite power.We also look at what everyday can do to push back. Because when information is controlled, so are you. .Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Why the News Feels So Overwhelming (And What It’s Doing to You
In this episode of UnSpun, learn the hidden manipulation behind the news.From TV journalism of the '80s, with “if it bleeds, it leads,” to today’s algorithm-driven outrage, news has evolved into a system designed to capture attention. I walk through the research on clickbait and emotional manipulation to explain how it shapes not what you believe and how you act.Topics include:The psychology of clickbait and the “curiosity gap.”Why outrage spreads faster than informationHow fear and anger drive engagementThe illusion of knowledge in modern mediaWhat sensationalism does to democracyPractical ways to take back control of your information dietStay sharp, truth seekers!Follow DrSturg on BlueskyCheck out DrSturg's book that teaches YOU how to get played less by the media for less than $25.Episode art by Mike Licht. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- 4 weeks ago19 min
Do social media algorithms change your mind? - Unspun Journal Club
Do social media algorithms actually change what you believe?In this episode of UnSpun, we break down new research from on the political effects of X’s feed algorithm. Using a real-world experiment with X users, the study tests what happens when people switch between chronological and algorithmic feeds.We also examine the legacy of Cambridge Analytica and the broader concerns about filter bubbles, misinformation,and algorithmic influence.It's more complicated than the headlines suggest.Algorithms may not change your identity—but they can shape what you see, who you follow, and how you interpret the world.More about the paper here.Check out Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to identify double-talking politicians.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- Apr 14, 202625 min
Influencers, Politics, and the New Information Economy
In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets trusted? Who gets heard? And what does it mean when more people get their news from personalities instead of institutions?I explore how influencers shape political knowledge, why they are so effective, how platform incentives affect what gets said, and what YOU can do to evaluate information more carefully.Topics include:Trump’s appearances on influencer platformsPew Research on news influencersParasocial relationships and authenticityWhy legacy media trust keeps slippingHow to make your feed more reliableStay sharp, truth seekers.Here's the episode on Uses and Gratifications.Find Dr. Sturg on SubstackFind Dr. Sturg on BlueSkyBe smarter with Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to detect fake news. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- Apr 7, 202616 min
Nightmare fuel: Rapid-fire convincing disinformation without the data center
Welcome to Journal Club 6, which is about how it's gotten easy and inexpensive to make seemingly limitless disinformation ready to go straight into your feeds. Back in Roman times, it took control of the money mint to create and scale harmful propaganda. in this week's episode, Dr. Sturg looks at a paper that tested if it's possible to create convincing fake news without even having to pay for Chat GPT compute credits. The findings are not good news, but better to know. Find this week's paper here. And you can get better at finding fake news yourself with Dr. Sturg's book. Find it here or your favorite online bookseller. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
- Mar 31, 202622 min
Why are politicians swearing more and does it matter?
Why do politicians swear—and why does it work?In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg examines how profanity functions as a political tool. From viral moments like Biden’s hot mic comment abotu Peter Doocy to the Trump Access Hollywood tape and John Fetterman’s “jagoff” controversy, explore how vulgar language captures attention and, for some, signals authenticity.But there’s a trade-off.Research shows that while profanity can help mobilize supporters, for others it can also erode trust, deepen polarization and even divert attention away from substantive issues.Find out what happens when the system we're all a part of rewards what spreads instead of what informs?*****The episode starts with a logical fallacy, and DrSturg actually wrote a book about that where you can learn how to spot when newsmakers are using langauge to fool you with fun, real world examples. Find it here.And join the conversation on Bluesky!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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About Unspun
Unspun is critical thinking about the news. Hear real examples, past and present, of newsmakers attempting to mislead you and understand how they manipulate the truth. Learn how to avoid being swayed by fake news and misinformation. Get Unspun, because you deserve the truth.
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It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Unspun as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
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