Media Reform | ResourcesForLife.com

Cognitive Bias and Conspiracy Theories on the Internet (Deutsche Welle, 2 Jul 2020)

by Gregory Johnson | Jul 2, 2020 | Activism, Media Reform, Politics, Public Interest, Technology

Conspiracy theories are spreading rapidly on the Internet. And they find an audience that believes them. Scientists are studying why people have a tendency to believe nonsense is true. The Internet has profoundly changed our thinking in less than two decades. No other...

MEDIA REFORM: The Des Moines Register Responds to Public Protest Over Carson King Profile Story

by Gregory Johnson | Oct 2, 2019 | Activism, Media Reform, Public Interest

Introduction The Des Moines Register is an award-winning Iowa newspaper, having received 16 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding achievements and public service. At the time of its most recent acquisition by Gannette in 1985, it was second to the New York Times in the...

Promoting Alcohol and Tobacco by Advertising to High School Students

by Gregory Johnson | Jun 25, 2019 | Activism, Advertising, Consumer News, Health, Media Reform

It’s getting more difficult for companies to advertise tobacco and alcohol products. Tobacco ads are no longer permitted on television.(1) On websites and YouTube, age verification is required to view content purportedly targeting an adult audience. The tobacco...

MEDIA REFORM – Here’s how VICE Media is helping save journalism and independent news reporting.

by Gregory Johnson | Nov 13, 2018 | Activism, Media Reform, Politics, Public Interest

At a time when journalists and news media agencies are is being harshly criticized for being too biased (to the right or left), Vice Media is standing out as a mostly impartial news reporting group helping to empower and advance the media reform movement. When...

MEDIA REFORM – Saturday Night Live with Guest Dan Crenshaw – Big Progress Toward Media Renewal

by Gregory Johnson | Nov 12, 2018 | Activism, Media Reform, Public Interest

In recent years, daytime talk shows, nighttime talk shows, comedians, journalists, the entertainment industry, and news media outlets have been perceived to be left-leaning and supportive of Democratic Party candidates and policies. Some of these perceptions are well...

Media Reform: Associated Press Does the Right Thing in Deleting Ambiguous “Animals” Tweet

by Gregory Johnson | May 17, 2018 | Activism, Media Reform, Politics

News media outlets have increasingly been under scrutiny for producing stories that are labeled “Fake News” which could be broadly described as stories that provide exaggerated, biased, misleading, or false information. In some cases, the stories are...