Media Spin, and How to Think Critically About News
Episode notes
On Redacted Opinions, Luciano Cedrone and Brian Claman discuss how journalism can influence audiences through story selection, terminology, headlines, and expert framing, sparked by an internal CBC memo instructing journalists covering the 9/11 anniversary not to use the word “terrorism” unless attributed. They argue 9/11 fits the definition of terrorism and criticize legacy outlets for political correctness, blurred language (e.g., “terrorists” vs “militants”), and agenda-driven coverage, citing examples including October 7 and outlets like BBC, CNN, and Fox. They explore how commercial incentives, 24-hour news, and the Gulf War accelerated sensationalism, and how social media both enables independent voices and fuels clickbait via algorithms that reward anger. They urge viewers to separate news from opinion, facts from claims, look beyond headlines, cross-check sources, and think critically