James Corden and the Dangers of Likability
From Jason Zinoman at The New York Times No one knows what an egg yolk omelet is, but we all know that TV hosts should be relatable. Or should they? That didn’t do Ellen DeGeneres any favors. Not since Humpty Dumpty has an egg made such a mess. Last night, one week and countless […]
Prebunking is Effective at Fighting Misinfo, Study Finds
By Seth Smalley for Poynter A study that dropped last week strongly suggests “prebunking” is an effective way to counter the propaganda techniques at the center of mis- and disinformation. Prebunk is a frequently used term used in the fact-checking space. It’s derived from debunk and means to preemptively refute expected false narratives, misinformation or manipulation techniques. […]
Social Media Made Spreading Disinformation Easy
By Kate Cray for The Atlantic Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum, an expert on Eastern Europe, has long watched social media’s power with great concern. Yesterday, at Disinformation and the Erosion of Democracy, a conference hosted by The Atlantic and the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, she spoke with David Axelrod, the founding director of the Institute […]
5 Media Literacy Tips to Avoid Election Misinformation
By Alex Perez and Alex Mahadevan for Poynter Carl Azuz isn’t dead. That’s a fact. Despite some tweets about the beloved former CNN 10 host’s mortal status, Azuz is alive and focused on fighting misinformation ahead of the midterm elections. With the midterm elections looming, Azuz and TikTok influencer Hasley Pitman are kicking off their MediaWise ambassadorships to […]
The Bruce Willis Deepfake Is Everyone’s Problem
By Will Bedingfield for WIRED JEAN-LUC GODARD ONCE claimed, regarding cinema, “When I die, it will be the end.” Godard passed away last month; film perseveres. Yet artificial intelligence has raised a kindred specter: that humans may go obsolete long before their artistic mediums do. Novels scribed by GPT-3; art conjured by DALL·E—machines could be […]
How Social Media Amplifies Misinformation More Than Information
By Steven Lee Myers for The New York Times It is well known that social media amplifies misinformation and other harmful content. The Integrity Institute, an advocacy group, is now trying to measure exactly how much — and on Thursday it began publishing results that it plans to update each week through the midterm elections […]
Shifting Pitching Tactics Yields Positive Results for Communicators
By Nicole Schuman for PRNews A recent survey conducted by Propel, a PR management platform, revealed positive news for media relations pros. The Q4 2022 Propel Media Barometer found journalists are responding to pitches more often. Zach Cutler, Propel co-founder, CEO & chairman, and former PR agency owner, believes this uptick stems from changing PR strategies. “We’ve […]
Tips for Creating Powerful, Pithy and Publishable Soundbites
By Jonah Bryson for PRNews The 24-hour news cycle drowns countless stories that deserve attention. Stories cannot land press coverage without a tasty soundbite, as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson describes them. Hence it is paramount to design, deliver and circulate soundbites strategically. Here are two that have stood the test of time: “The only thing we have to […]
Explainer: What Does ‘Off the Record’ Mean?
Note from Hennes Communications: Certainly, the information below is accurate. However, we often warn our clients that going ‘off the record’ is fraught with danger. It is particularly not advised if you don’t have a prior relationship with the reporter or if you don’t have previous experience using this technique. What you see on TV […]
How to Vote: A Quick and Easy Guide
By Asia Fields for ProPublica You have the right to vote even if you don’t speak or read English. This guide will tell you about your right to ask for help, how to vote and what to do if you have problems. ProPublica is a group of reporters. We do not tell you who or […]