We The People Are Changing Podcasting For The Better [S3E36]

It should come as a surprise to no one that the media we consume is polluted by misinformation and disinformation. Podcasting is part of that media mix, which means that podcasting has a similar level of misinformation and disinformation propagating through the podosphere. Though I’m reticent to assign blame and am quite aware that correlation does not equal causation, there’s an argument to be made that the perceived increase in falsifiable claims in podcasting and all forms of media is due, at least in part, to a privileged class feeling threatened. There may not be (and there isn’t) a smoky dark room where monied old white men decide what podcasts get the most attention. But there are organizations with a vested interest (and power, and money, and influence) in keeping the status quo the status quo, if only to profit from others who also want the world to remain static. Or roll backward. And once again, podcasting is not immune. When those threatened have a podcast, they shout louder. They become more reactionary. And willingly or unwillingly, they perpetuate the misinformation and disinformation. It’s in their immediate financial interest to do so.  There's an old saying attributed to Theodore Parker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Parker) that I, like many before me, am going to bastardize for my own purposes. Here it is: “The arc of the moral universe is often crooked, but it bends towards justice.” That means that bad things happen. There are setbacks. New atrocities will be dreamed up and inflicted upon groups of people. Yes, those things are true. But when examined in totality and on a long enough timescale, things tend to get better. Not all at once. And not for all people. Sometimes it takes years, decades, or centuries. But the trend towards justice does seem to exist. And so while podcasting currently has (and always has had) a fair amount of misinformation and disinformation in it, and a fair amount of privileged class members feeling threatened by changes they are just now picking up on that have been rolling through society for some time; it is (or will be) trending towards justice. There’s a growing movement inside the podcasting landscape working to curtail the misinformation and disinformation that permeates our medium. They certainly won’t make any friends with the privileged class, but they aren’t trying to make friends. They’re taking a stand against the misinformation and disinformation often disguised by the privileged class as “opinions” or “just asking questions”. They're stepping up saying, “No, we won’t be a part of this”. They're banding together and taking their grievances up the ladder, trying to convince shareholders and stakeholders why misinformation and disinformation is damaging to the platform and organizational brand. And they’re seeing results.  (https://www.instagram.com/p/CFSYnUFA8Fb/) The activism we’re seeing in podcasting isn’t going away. This trend towards responsibility is a grassroots effort that will continue, as it has been continuing. So what are you going to do about it? I see one of three choices you have to make. You can help. You can help straighten the crooked path. You can actively fight the spread of misinformation and disinformation by simply not spreading it on your show. You can speak up when others in your sphere of influence fall short of that. You can work to change podcasting for the better. You can get out of the way. Not everyone has the stomach for fighting. We need lots of podcasters making great content that has nothing to do with “the fight”. So yes, you can choose to not engage and step out of the way.  You can get run over. The purveyors of misinformation and disinformation aren’t going to stop. But those actively fighting it will get better in their ability to detect falsehoods. They’ll be better equipped with more options to take action against shows and hosts who continue to distribute misinformation. So sure, you Support this podcast