What the Media?!!?: Recent Episodes
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The average American consumes 11 hours a day of electronic mass media! Learning to analyze media messages regardless of who sends them is a 21st century survival skill (in Missouri they're considering adding it to the school curriculum). What the Media ?!!? will explore topics like "How to spot a bot" and "why memes work". We speak with local Media Literacy professors and authors as our experts in addition to the anchors and reporters in our newsroom. A good comparison is a food critic - they look at how the food is prepared, who the chef is, how the food is presented, the texture etc. We will do the same for Media!
Florida Republicans propose laws that would make it easier to sue media outlets for defamation and repeal journalist privilege. Megan Lynch gets details from KMOX Legal Analyst, Attorney Brad Young of Harris, Dowell, Fisher, and Young.
"It's a war for attention," and Axios Co-founder, CEO, and Chair Jim Vandehei has a strategy. KMOX's Megan Lynch talks to him about the Axios philosophy of communication and the book Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less.
The prison press goes back to 1800. In the 1960's there were more than 250 prison newspapers across the US, but that number has dwindled.
What the Media's Megan Lynch and Julie Smith talk with Kate McQueen, Editor at Prison Journalism Project, about efforts to find and document prison newspapers, and train new journalists working behind bars.
Around the world, explicit images of children and teens are circulating on the web. Sometimes they're willingly shared with a girlfriend or boyfriend, other times kids are tricked into sharing nude photos by a perpetrator. Now there's a new tool to help young people get some of them removed. KMOX's Megan Lynch and author Julie Smith talk with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children spokesman Gavin Portnoy about Take It Down.
Two cases being heard by the US Supreme Court could change whether social media platforms and other online companies are shielded from liability for content posted by users. Megan Lynch gets insight on what the justices are considering with KMOX Radio Legal Analyst Brad Young.
"It can produce the natural human language information based off of structured data, but that does not mean that it understands the value of what it's producing. Newsworthiness is still a human capacity role." - Chad Owsley, PhD Candidate in the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri
A study from the University of Missouri finds that many Americans are unaware that Artificial Intelligence is creating news content. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch talks with the study author Chad Owsley and his research advisor, Associate Professor, Dr. Keith Greenwood.
"There are many ways to experience Blackness."
Megan Lynch and Julie Smith talk with Northeastern University's, Dr. Meredith D. Clark about her participation in and study of Black Twitter - the online, social media community creating connection and action. (She even teaches a class on it!)
Clark is an Associate Professor in Northwestern's College of Arts, Media and Design and is the Founding Director of the Center for Communication, Media Innovation and Social Change.
Julie Smith, author of Master the Media: How Teaching Media Literacy can Save our Plugged-In World joins KMOX Radio for News Literacy Week to talk about where we get our news, why getting it from social media may come with pitfalls, and how we can be smart about checking sources.
Professor Nikki Usher says if we're going to solve issues involving journalism and the trust of Americans, "we need to also look within the news industry". Usher has some suggestions that might be hard for veteran journalists to swallow. She talks with KMOX's Megan Lynch and media literacy author Julie Smith about her book News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism.
Tik Tok is wildly popular, yet it's come under increasing scrutiny in the United States, not only for its influence but for it's potential reach into our personal data. KMOX's Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith talk about the reach of the video sharing platform.
Donald Trump is running for President in the 2024 election. His previous campaigns have been punctuated by conflict with the press. How should journalists and media outlets cover his latest run for the White House? Megan Lynch and Julie Smith asked Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism Associate Professor Jon Marshall.
By early next year, Missouri residents will be able to buy marijuana for recreational use.
Missouri is the latest state to approve recreational pot. But you won't hear ads for marijuana dispensaries or other related businesses on our station -- KMOX -- or other stations, for that matter.
Megan Lynch spoke with David Oxenford, Media Law attorney with Wilkinson, Barker, and Knauer in Washington D-C, about why media outlets will abstain from taking money from the recreational marijuana industry.
"Since probably there was politics, there has been disinformation or misinformation." KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch talks with Kyle Dell, President of Vote Smart. Vote Smart was launched in the 1980's with the goal of providing free, factual, non-partisan information about political candidates.
"What the Media?!!?" hosts Megan Lynch and Julie Smith talk with Jason Piscia, Director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois - Springfield about the future of journalism in an age of campaign misinformation.
Have you heard a campaign ad you know is stretching the truth -- or worse, intentionally misleading voters? Why do radio and TV stations air them? In some cases, they have no choice. "What the Media?!!?" host Megan Lynch talks with Sandy Davidson, attorney and Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Journalism about rules for election ads.
In this collection of KMOX Media Minutes, Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch tells us what "Pink Slime" publications are, looks at campaign ad rules for broadcasters, and gets advice on how to break out of our search engine bubbles.
Misinformation and disinformation have spread rapidly in recent elections. Experts say the 2022 midterm elections are no different. KMOX's Megan Lynch talks with Darragh Worland of the News Literacy Project about what she's seeing and simple actions listeners can take to find accurate information.
He laid out his 5 year plan to make money, playing the SIMS, when he was in 8th grade. Stephen Works, known as SpringSIMS tells Megan Lynch and Julie Smith how he monetizes digital content and offers some advice for anyone who wants to be an influencer.
You can find thousands of mental health apps, including hundreds that link you to counseling. What do we know about these apps and services??? Megan Lynch and Julie Smith explore the pros and cons of counseling apps with Licensed Professional Counselor Michelle Russo Steeg.
In complaints with federal agencies, Twitter's former head of security alleges the company misled regulators about poor cybersecurity defenses and negligence in rooting out fake accounts that spread disinformation. Megan Lynch and Julie Smith pop into the studio to discuss these latest developments for the social media platform. (Recorded 8-24-2022)
From support groups, to survivor stories, to online obituaries, grief is a common topic online and on social media. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor and Media Literacy expert and author Julie Smith talk with Dr. Jocelyn DeGroot, Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Applied Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville about grieving online.
$44B at stake in Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter. The on-again, off-again deal is being played out in court and on the social media platform itself. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith get insight and perspective from Bloomberg Reporter Kurt Wagner.
Digital analytics give media companies a direct lens into the behaviors of everyone who logs on. Audacy-St. Louis General Sales Manager Rob Kramer tells KMOX's Megan Lynch and Media Literacy Author Julie Smith, that means broadcasters can have a very narrow focus when they need to target listeners.
You saw what Uncle Joe posted this year on social media. Now you have to see him at the holidays. Do you confront him about misinformation? Author Julie Smith has some advice.
You have many content curators to choose from. Do they really help you get the best rundown of the day's news?
Find out why advertisers turned to podcasts during the pandemic to spread their messages.
A preliminary study suggests not all information presented in political podcasts is accurate.
After two decades in TV news, Marc Cox is now a successful conservative radio host. Why this “baby of the Reagan revolution” left journalism, what he loves about talk radio and why he tells his listeners – don’t you dare just use my show as your only source of information. Megan Lynch and Julie Smith host, as they continue to pull back the curtain on the media in Season 2.
In the fall of 2021 schools were hit with viral stunts -- ones that spurred students to vandalize bathrooms and steal from classrooms. Megan Lynch talks with on St. Louis area administrator about the challenge for young people and school officials when it comes to social media notoriety.
KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith talk about whether new regulations on social media would help eliminate misinformation.
KMOX Radio Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch sits down with author and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith to ask whether we have a responsibility to call out questionable content in the media.
Anyone can be a content creator in this digital age, but that means consumers have to be more cautious about messages than ever. Megan Lynch and Julie Smith discuss.
Everyone has a voice and now that we have unlimited access to apps and online platforms in the digital realm, we can express ourselves in new ways. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and author, instructor and public speaker Julie Smith talk about some of the new digital outlets as part of Media Literacy Week 2021.
KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith look at the business model for social media platforms and ask whether more controls should be in place to manage content.
Media Literacy expert and author Julie Smith reminds us if we're using an app or website for free "we're not the customer, we're the product being sold.
No one wants to be left out, so that drives many people to spend hours on various forms of media. KMOX's Megan Lynch and author Julie Smith talk about the questions we need to ask to be smarter consumers of media.
Studies show use of media impacts us cognitively, affects our belief system, and can influence our attitudes. KMOX's Megan Lynch and author Julie Smith continue their discussion of Media Literacy Week.
"What the Media?!!?" podcast hosts Megan Lynch of KMOX and Media Literacy expert and author Julie Smith continue their discussion of access to information. They talk about the pros and cons of the flow of information in this digital age.
"What the Media?!!?" podcast hosts Megan Lynch of KMOX and Media Literacy expert and author Julie Smith talk about the incredible access our society has to information in this digital age.
Music Engineer Carl Nappa has worked with David Bowie, Madonna and Michael Jackson. He’s had a hand in the sale and distribution of over 85.5 million records. In this episode of "What the Media?!!", Nappa talks with hosts Megan Lynch and Julie Smith about beautiful musical flaws, why studios look so cold and stark, and how he can ‘Play God’ to make anything sound good. Plus he talks about the business side of the music industry, and how the way artists make money has changed dramatically. Don’t get Red Light Fever - listen to this podcast now!
An eye witness account is shared over and over on social media. What happens when other people dispute the facts?
A documentary filmmaker can invest years in a project without knowing what the end result will look like. Their subjects have to invest even more, trusting that filmmaker to tell their story with integrity. Megan Lynch and Julie Smith take you inside the process, with with AJ Schnack. His most recent project, Long Gone Summer, an ESPN 30 for 30 film, about the the 1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase.
Verification is at the core of one Joseph Pulitzer founded newspaper, especially as it evolves into a multi-media company. "What the Media?!!?" co-hosts Megan Lynch and Julie Smith go to the newsroom of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to talk to Editor Gilbert Bailon, who says digital platforms give print media new ways to "show their work".
Self-published authors have greater access to the book industry than ever before. Dave Burgess turned his popular "Teach Like a PIRATE" seminars into a book, launching a publishing company from his kitchen table. He tells Megan Lynch and Julie Smith what's changed to make it possible for authors to successfully break away from traditional publishers.
Federal reports show people under the age of 20 are falling victim to social media scams.
Talk is work. We might think it's easy to sit in a studio and just chat for hours on end. Talk radio veteran Dave Glover tells Megan Lynch and Julie Smith that listeners would be surprised how difficult it is to host a daily show. Glover says there's no magic formula for knowing what's going to be a hit for listeners.
Rush Limbaugh brought in ratings as he shaped conservative views across the United States. His death in early 2021 left a void for loyal listeners, as well as hundreds of radio stations. Megan Lynch and Julie Smith talk with one radio programmer who had to to rethink midday talk after Limbaugh's passing. Program director for more than 2 decades, Steve Moore, talks about what made Rush Limbaugh legendary, and pulls back the curtain about his decision to replace a long running syndicated show with local programming in St. Louis.
Researchers at five major universities tested people on their ability to spot false news and report, "Although Americans believe the confusion caused by false news is extensive, relatively few indicate having seen or shared it -- a discrepancy suggesting that members of the public may not only have a hard time identifying false news but fail to recognize their own deficiencies at doing so."
They're the articles that dangle in front of you, so that you bite on that link. Media Literacy expert Julie smith offers some examples.
Beyond who, what, why, where, when and how. What are the questions we need to ask about media messages?
Do you feel a connection with your favorite TV anchors, actors, sports figures, or radio personalities? It's a normal part of the media experience. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith talk about parasocial relationships.
For decades, Gallup has been polling Americans about their trust in mass media. Basically, the majority of Americans have little trust in newspapers, TV and radio. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith look at possible reasons why and what might be done to restore some accountability -- and trust.
The latest research shows most Americans spend 20 hours a week on social media. Yet the latest Pew studies show few people trust the information they get on social media platforms. In the first of what will certainly be ongoing discussions, KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith consider whether anyone -- whether it's the government or private sector -- should regulate content.
We have access to more fact checking sites and services than ever. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith look at the options and discuss how you can double-check fact checking accuracy.
Advocates are pushing for more media literacy in the US and across the world. What is media literacy and why is it so important? KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith talk about tools for better understanding the messages you receive.
Conspiracy theories thrive online. How can you unravel them to get to the truth? KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith discuss.
Memes are a popular way to communicate and connect, but they can also have tremendous influence because of the power of memorable images. KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith explore how memes are used to quickly and widely spread a message.
Most people are consuming a ton of information a day in small, bite-size bits, such as alerts and headlines. What we don't get is a full, sit-down meal. In this episode, KMOX Virtual Consumer Editor Megan Lynch and Media Literacy expert Julie Smith talk about the challenge of trying to digest all of that data.