Episode 83: The Unchecked Conservative Ideology of US Media's 'Fact-Check' Verticals
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Show Notes
"Three Pinocchios!" rates The Washington Post. "Pants On Fire!" declares PolitiFact. "True, but misleading," assess The New York Times.
In a media environment overwhelmed with information, misinformation, disinformation and so-called "fake news," a cottage industry has emerged to "fact-check" the content coming across our screens. Prestige, corporate media outlets tell us if a viral meme, a politician's statement or a pundit's controversial claims is indeed "factually correct."
But who fact-checks the fact-checkers? And what do mainstream media's particular hyper-literal, decontextualized approach to "facts" and "truth" say about how the press views its role as ideological gate keeper?
We are joined by writer Andrew Hart.