Unspun

Latest Episodes:

How newsmakers using fear affects how you see the world: UnSpun Rewind (feat. Dr. Seth Norrholm Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

UnSpun Rewind in honor of the political convention in the US this week. Are things as bad as the politicians say? Are they the only ones who can save us? Dr. Sturg breaks down the Appeal to Fear trick and guest Dr. Seth Norrholm talks about what being made afraid does to your thinking and judgment.

"Nothing happened" doesn't make for much of a headline, and newsmakers know it. When they want to get your attention or get you to do something, sometimes they deliberately use fear. Dr. Sturg talks about how how the powerful use fear deceptively to keep their followers engaged.

Then, she and Dr. Seth Norrhom, a psychiatry professor and fear researcher, discuss how your brain interacts with the news that you get, both from media and from social media.

Follow Dr. Norrholm:

On Slate.com

Seth Norrholm on Twitter

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter - Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites - Sturg says | Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

We are #AltGov

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538162095/We-Are-#ALTGOV-Social-Media-Resistance-from-the-Inside

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

https://www.amazon.com/Detecting-Deception-Tools-Fight-Fake/dp/1538141027

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Christian Spiritual Warfare Becoming Political Violence (Episode 22 feat: Dr. Matt Taylor) Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

What's a "good" parent or a "true" member of a political party? In this week'e episode, Dr. Sturg runs down the Appeal to Purity as a way of creating us vs. them. Then, she and guest Dr. Matt Taylor talk about how a substantial religious movement is trying to remake American culture in their own image, why they might support political violence around the election and how the media is doing a poor job of understanding and covering it.

NC Lt. Governor's full speech at Lake Church in NC.

Follow Dr. Matt Taylor

Matt's excellent podcast series

Matt's forthcoming book

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

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Why journalists do a bad job moderating debates (Episode 21.5) Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

If debates make you cringe, you aren't alone1 Dr. Sturg breaks down how the way televised debates are structured benefits media and benefits candidates, but generally isn't that great for the audience. Journalists can't do a good job as both a journalist and a moderator at the same time, and the financial model for news doesn't incentivize them to try. And for candidates, using misleading tactics like the Gish Gallop and throwing barbs makes it more likely that they will stay in the news for longer. Learn her suggestion for getting the most out of debates in this week's episode.

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Using rules as a weapon (Episode 21 feat. Ajay Parasram and Alex Khasnabish ) Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

We learn as children to follow the rules, but sometimes people use the rules deceptively to avoid addressing uncomfortable topics. Dr. Sturg goes through examples of misplaced focus and talks with Ajay Parasram and Alex Khasnabish, hosts of a YouTube series called "Frequently Asked White Questions."

Check out Frequently Asked White Questions

Follow Ajay Parasram

Follow Alex Khasnabish

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 20.5 Why do people pay attention to the news? Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

You have a lot of choices about how to spend your time, so how and why do you choose to spend it with certain media? In this episode, Dr. Sturg breaks down the things that make media appealing and shows how deceptive newsmakers can use these human tendencies against you.

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 20: Data journalism (feat. Ben Welsh) Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

From COVID to presidential sex scandals, newsmakers use distraction to tell the story they want and take your attention from the story you *need*. Dr. Sturg breaks down this common issues with several examples of politician deception for you to try your skills.

Then, she and award-winning journalist Ben Welsh talk about data journalism. Data stories are some of the most popular that journalists do, letting them get first-hand truth and create fun interactive pieces like election maps and more.

Follow Ben Welsh

Follow Ben on social media

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 19.5 - How news interviews work Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

How does the news decide who to interview, and what do they do with people who just don't want to answer the questions? Dr. Sturg breaks it down in this week's mini-sode of UnSpun.

Here's an example of a newsmaker being evasive in an interview.

Send us your questions and comments at theunspunpodcast@gmail.com and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter - Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Website - TheUnspunPodCast@substack.com

The Book - We are #AltGov
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538162095/We-Are-#ALTGOV-Social-Media-Resistance-from-the-Inside

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Episode 19: Courts and media coverage (feat. Asha Rangappa and Renato Mariotti) May 28, 2024

Show notes

Do attorneys plan for media coverage as a part of a trial? Do reporters covering courts do a good job, or are they missing things. Asha Rangappa and Renato Mariotti answer questions about the intersection between the courts and the media in this episode of UnSpun. Asha Rangappa and Renato Mariotti have a ton of experience in different parts of the justice system and host the It's Complicated podcast that's part of MSW Media. They talk about how lawyers see the reporters who cover courts and what they think about defendants who want to speak to the public.

Listen to It's Complicated.

Follow Asha Rangappa

Follow Renato Mariotti

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

UnSpun Rewind - Getting along with difficult people May 21, 2024

Show notes

They are name-calling in congressional committees and judges don't like it when witnesses roll their eyes. It's summer travel time in North America, and as we get ready to go see those relatives we really disagree with, we're re-airing an episode on getting along across difference.

Dr. Sturg breaks down the research on how you can get along and maybe even help someone change their mind.

Send us your questions and comments at theunspunpodcast@gmail.com and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter - Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Website - Sturg says

The Book - We are #AltGov
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538162095/We-Are-#ALTGOV-Social-Media-Resistance-from-the-Inside

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 18.5: Headlines for news are changing May 14, 2024

Show notes

Headlines are a changing art, as the pressures of digital algorithms are forcing news makers to emphasize the popular over the important. In this minisode of UnSpun, Dr. Sturg explains how headlines come to be and shares the latest research on how that affects you, the audience.

Tweet about NYT article with buried lede.

Follow Dr. Sturg

Twitter -Prof. Amanda Sturgill (@DrSturg) / X
Websites -Sturg says|Unspun’s Substack

Questions and Tips

TheUnspunPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sturg’s Books

Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News

We are #AltGov: Inside the Resistance on Social Media

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