ARGUMENTS OVER FACT CHECKING – WHOSE FACT AND FROM WHAT SOURCE
COMPILATION AND COMMENTARY
BY LUCY WARNER
MARCH 28, 2017


FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE IN THE USA HAVE SO OFTEN BEEN SPOON-FED PRECHEWED “FACTS” UP TO THE END OF HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE DIDN’T DEVELOP A VERY HIGH ABILITY TO REASON; AND AFTER WE GRADUATE, WE WILL VERY LIKELY RETAIN THOSE IDEAS UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS TO JAR OUR MIND OUT OF COMPLACENCY. FOR MANY OF US THAT EVENT WAS THE VIETNAM WAR, THE TREACHEROUS RICHARD NIXON, AND THE WHOLE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL FERMENT THAT WAS THE 1960S AND 70S. IN THAT TIME I LEARNED TO ASK “WHO’S TRUTH?” I ALSO LEARNED TO EXPLORE, TO FEEL, TO EVALUATE MY WORLD AND MAKE JUDGMENTS BASED ON THAT PROCESS. I AM DELIGHTED THAT I REACHED MY FULL MATURITY DURING THOSE YEARS, BECAUSE IT FULFILLED ME IN SO MANY WAYS THAT I CAN SAFELY SAY I HAVE NOT “LIVED IN VAIN.”

DONALD TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY CHALLENGED AMERICANS TO FIND OUT WHO OR WHAT IS ACTUALLY THE “FAKE NEWS,” WITH A STRONG LEANING TOWARD THE WHO QUESTION. OF COURSE, HIS SOLUTION TO THAT IS THAT WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY AND TOTALLY BELIEVE HIM, BREITBART OR FOX NEWS IN THAT ORDER. I PERSONALLY TRUST MY OWN HUMBLE REASONING AND RESEARCH, AIDED BY THE MORE RESPECTED FACT FINDING SITES. SO, IF TRUMP DOESN’T TRUST THE MSN,” OR “MAINSTREAM NEWS,” WHO DOES HE TRUST? THE SECOND ARTICLE IS ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THOSE FACT CHECKING SITES THEMSELVES; AND THAT IS A CLOSELY RELATED SIDE ISSUE WHICH I DISCOVERED WHILE SEARCHING AN NPR ARTICLE, BUT WITH ALL THIS “FAKE NEWS” BUSINESS, IT IS IMPORTANT HERE.

WE MUST TRY TO SIFT FOR OURSELVES THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF, UNLESS WE ALMOST TOTALLY LIMIT THE INTERNET TO SOME KIND OF GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED BODY; AND THAT WOULD TOTALLY KILL ITS’ VALUE TO GET AT THOSE THINGS WHICH OUR MASTERS, THE BILLIONAIRES, WOULD NOT HAVE US LEARN, WHICH WOULD BE A TRAGEDY. MOST OF YOU WILL KNOW THAT “RT” IS “RUSSIA TIMES,” A PUBLICATION OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND A KNOWN SOURCE OF UNTRUE STORIES, OR “DISINFORMATION.” TRUMP, HOWEVER, BEGS TO DIFFER. THIS APPEARS TO ME AS EVIDENCE THAT TRUMP IS, INDEED, TIED TO RUSSIAN INFLUENCES AND VERY LIKELY TO PUTIN HIMSELF TO A DANGEROUS DEGREE.

PERHAPS WE SHOULD DELVE INTO THE BACKING BEHIND THAT OLD FAVORITE OF TRUMP’S, BREITBART, FOR RUSSIAN INFLUENCES THERE, AND EVEN INTO THE NEONAZI-WHITE SUPREMACIST SITES. THEY ALL HATE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE DEMOCRACY. IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT PUTIN LIKES TO DO, IT IS TO SOW CONFLICT AMONG HIS ENEMIES; AND THE USA IS DEFINITELY HIS ENEMY, AS LONG AS WE DO WISH TO RETAIN A MOSTLY FAIR CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT HERE. PUTIN WOULD VERY LIKELY BE HAPPY TO HAVE A GREEDY, UNSCRUPULOUS, AND FAIRLY LIKELY INSANE AUTHORITARIAN AS OUR HEAD OF STATE. THEY WOULD WITHOUT QUESTION SEE EYE TO EYE ON MANY THINGS.

SO WHO DOES DONALD TRUMP TRUST? THE FOLLOWING IS A SIDE ISSUE WHICH I DISCOVERED WHILE SEARCHING AN NPR ARTICLE, BUT WITH ALL THIS “FAKE NEWS” BUSINESS, IT IS IMPORTANT HERE. MOST OF YOU WILL KNOW THAT “RT” IS “RUSSIA TIMES,” A PUBLICATION OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND A KNOWN SOURCE OF UNTRUE STORIES. TRUMP, HOWEVER, BEGS TO DIFFER. THIS APPEARS TO ME AS EVIDENCE THAT TRUMP IS INDEED TIED TO RUSSIAN INFLUENCES AND VERY LIKELY TO PUTIN HIMSELF.

PERHAPS WE SHOULD DELVE INTO THE BACKING OF THAT OLD FAVORITE OF TRUMP’S, AS WELL, BREITBART, FOR RUSSIAN INFLUENCES, AND EVEN INTO THE NEONAZI-WHITE SUPREMACIST SITES. IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT PUTIN LIKES TO DO, IT IS TO SOW CONFLICT AMONG HIS ENEMIES; AND THE USA IS DEFINITELY HIS ENEMY, AS LONG AS WE WISH TO RETAIN A FAIR CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT HERE. PUTIN WOULD VERY LIKELY BE HAPPY TO HAVE A GREEDY, UNSCRUPULOUS, AND FAIRLY LIKELY INSANE AUTHORITARIAN AS OUR HEAD OF STATE. THEY WOULD WITHOUT QUESTION SEE EYE TO EYE.



SUPPOSE WE MADE A LAW MAKING IT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO PUBLISH LIES IN ANY SITUATION WITHOUT PRESENTING THEM CLEARLY AS FICTION, SPECULATION OR OPINION? WE WOULD HAVE TO, FIRST, CHANGE THE LEGAL STANCE THAT THE BUSINESS PRACTICE WHICH MY LAW BOOK CALLED “PUFFERY” IS NOT ILLEGAL, BUT AN ALLOWABLE WAY TO INCREASE PROFITS. THE REASONING BEHIND THAT IS A PRINCIPLE CALLED “LET THE BUYER BEWARE.” IN OTHER WORDS, THERE’S NO PENALTY FOR LYING UNLESS YOU DO GET SUED FOR IT, OR THE AUTHORITIES CAN PROVE A PLOT TO DEFRAUD. FRAUD IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. SIMPLY LYING IS JUST A SIN.

I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE MENTALLY LAZY, SOCIALLY TIMID, TRULY INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED OR SIMPLY UNDEREDUCATED PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFUSED BY CLEVER ARGUMENTS, AND WHO SO OFTEN WANT A STORY TO BE TRUE THAT THEY WILL “CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IT.” DO I TRUST BERNIE SANDERS TO THE DEGREE THAT I WOULD “BELIEVE” A FISHY SMELLING STATEMENT FROM HIS LIPS JUST BECAUSE I HAVE FORMED A HABIT OF TRUSTING HIM? I DO HOPE NOT. “TRUST, BUT VERIFY,” IS THE ONLY STATEMENT BY RONALD REAGAN THAT I APPROVE. THE “TRICKLE DOWN THEORY,” NOT SO MUCH.

AS FOR THE INTERNET, ITSELF, I THINK IT IS NO MORE FULL OF LIES THAN SO MANY SALES SPIELS OR POLITICAL SPEECHES. LET THE BUYER BEWARE. READ THE DARNED STORY, DECIDE WHETHER IT SOUNDS REASONABLE OR NOT, AND THEN RESEARCH IT ON THE NET THROUGH THE FACT CHECKING WEBSITES WHICH DO THAT ALL THE TIME FOR PEOPLE. THEY’RE FREE OF CHARGE, AND WILL ANSWER IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE WHICH NEARLY ALL READERS WILL UNDERSTAND. THEY ALSO ARE NOT, WITHIN MY KNOWLEDGE, THE TOOLS OF A POLITICALLY BIASED GROUP WHO WILL SPONSOR LIES PURPOSELY.

SEE ALSO THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES FOR MORE PERTINENT AND INTERESTING INFORMATION --

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/10/144974110/political-fact-checking-under-fire.
TALK SHOW OF THE NATION
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
January 10, 2012·1:00 PM ET


http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/12/22/144136535/with-lie-of-the-year-controversy-fact-checking-comes-under-scrutiny
With 'Lie Of The Year' Controversy, Fact Checking Comes Under Scrutiny
December 22, 2011·5:19 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
David Folkenflik - Square


2017 ARTICLES


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-fake-news-60-minutes-producers-investigate/
What's "fake news"? 60 Minutes producers investigate
What surprised 60 Minutes producers who reported on "stories that are provably false" -- and why arguing about it "is like going down the rabbit hole"
Mar 26, 2017

What does the phrase “fake news” mean? It depends who you ask. The term has become so loaded that when a team of 60 Minutes producers began to investigate fake news, the producers first had to agree on a definition.

“We weren’t interested in doing a story about the ‘fake news’ that is invoked by politicians against the media for stories that they don’t like or for comments that they don’t like,” explains producer Michael Radutzky in the 60 Minutes Overtime video above. “We’re using the term ‘fake news’ to describe stories that are provably false, have enormous traction in the culture, and are consumed by millions of people.”

Photograph -- ot-fakenews.jpg, “60 Minutes” producer Michael Radutzky CBS NEWS

“What we are talking about are stories that are fabricated out of thin air,” says 60 Minutes producer Guy Campanile. “By most measures, deliberately, and by any definition, that’s a lie.”

The 60 Minutes team found that people who fabricate stories do it for different reasons. For Jestin Coler, the man behind the fake news sites National Report and Denver Guardian, making up the news was “fun.”

One of his successful stories was about an Ebola outbreak in Texas that never happened. He admits he was trying to get readers to believe it actually occurred — and wound up acquiring 6-8 million page views on a series of related stories, which he referred to as the “Fearbola campaign.”

For Coler, watching his audience grow and the website hits accumulate was gratifying.

“He said he did it because it was like an addiction,” Radutzky says. “The more hits he got, the more of a rush it was.”

Photograph -- ot-fakenewsx.jpg, Jestin Coler, on the left, compares his work writing fake news to the work of fiction writers. “Writing fiction is not a crime,” he says. CBS NEWS

“I kinda get a rush from watching the real-time analytics on Google,” Coler told Pelley in the 60 Minutes interview.

“It’s powerful, right?” Radutzky says. “To create something out of whole cloth and have people believe that it’s true.”

If writing about things that never happened sounds like writing fiction, Coler would agree. He compared his stint as a fake news writer to the work of fiction writers.

“You know, there are a lot of people that sell fiction,” he tells correspondent Scott Pelley. “Writing fiction is not a crime. What I was doing was not a crime.” But, ultimately, Coler decided to leave the fake news business, and he said he agreed to tell his story to 60 Minutes as a cautionary tale for unsuspecting readers.

The 60 Minutes team also paid a visit to Michael Cernovich.

Photograph -- ot-fakenewsv.jpg, Michael Cernovich, who publishes Danger & Play

Cernovich is a southern California lawyer who runs the website Danger & Play. He describes himself as “right of center politically,” and 60 Minutes reported that Cernovich has become “a magnet for readers with a taste for stories with no basis in fact.” Cernovich’s online articles include a bogus report that Hillary Clinton has Parkinson’s disease and a fake sex cult story about Hillary Clinton’s “inner circle.”

Cernovich told 60 Minutes, however, that he believes everything he publishes is true.

“They’re definitely not fake,” he tells Pelley of his stories. “One hundred percent true.”

Photograph -- ot-fakenewsr.jpg, Scott Pelley and Michael Cernovich during a 60 Minutes interview. CBS NEWS

During the interview with Cernovich, the 60 Minutes team realized that the very definitions of words like “true” and “false” were not agreed upon by everyone in the room.

“Getting into an argument about it is like going down the rabbit hole,” Radutzky says. “And it wasn’t our job to go down the rabbit hole. It was our job to interview him and understand how he makes the decisions he makes.”

The editorial decisions Cernovich makes apparently have a broad influence, thanks to his daily commentary streams and social media posts. He reached Twitter users 83 million times last month alone.

“One of the issues with this story, with this topic, is that there is a basic fundamental disagreement right now in the country about what is false information,” Campanile says. “And that is a place where really we haven’t gone before.”

The video above was produced by Ann Silvio and Lisa Orlando, and edited by Lisa Orlando.

Will Croxton and Rebecca Chertok Gonsalves contributed to this report.



http://www.npr.org/2016/12/15/505751335/-rt-america-the-one-news-outlet-for-which-trump-retains-an-unexpected-affinity
'RT America': The One News Outlet For Which Trump Retains An Unexpected Affinity
December 15, 2016 5:19 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
David Folkenflik - Square


During the election, Donald Trump gave interviews to 'RT' — an English language network owned by the Russian government. NPR looks at the Trump Camp relationship with the Russian propaganda channel.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

For all of the vitriol Donald Trump aimed at the press during the campaign, there's one news outlet that he and others in his inner circle seem to be comfortable with. It's RT America, originally known as Russia Today. In the U.S., it's widely seen as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, which owns and funds it. NPR's David Folkenflik looks at RT's ties to the incoming administration.

DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: American TV networks are broadcasting searing tales from the Syrian city of Aleppo, home to some of the worst fighting in that country's civil war - this from ABC News.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "ABC NEWS")

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world and one that the next American president will have to deal with on day one.

FOLKENFLIK: A different tenor prevails at RT America.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MARIA FINOSHINA: But we start with Aleppo of course.

PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Yeah.

FOLKENFLIK: RT's Maria Finoshina landed a rare interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and she offered a sympathetic hearing.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

FINOSHINA: But the Western politicians and Western media have been largely negative about your army's advance. Why you think this is happening? Do they take it as their Rome defeat?

FOLKENFLIK: RT America has a modest audience, exploring stories of dissent, injustice and poverty within the U.S. that it says American news outlets ignore. Former MSNBC host Ed Schultz joined the network back in January.

ED SCHULTZ: Our mission is to be fair and factual, to go deeper than the soundbite of 20 seconds, to have a broader scope and to get both sides.

FOLKENFLIK: Schultz made a mark as an outspoken liberal on radio and MSNBC for years. He is now RT America's chief news anchor.

SCHULTZ: And I'm very proud of the fact that I anchor a newscast that does just that.

FOLKENFLIK: Many American analysts call RT's work outright propaganda for a country now accused of trying to tamper with the 2016 presidential elections.

JAMES MILLER: RT has played a key role in sort of advancing a narrative that the Russian government is fundamentally trustworthy, whereas the American government is fundamentally untrustworthy.

FOLKENFLIK: James Miller is managing editor of The Interpreter, a site covering Russian foreign and domestic policy.

MILLER: RT sort of kicks up dust on stories like what's going on in Syria. They don't as much convince people that their version of the story is true as much as they do sort of implant doubt as to whether or not the truth can be known at all.

FOLKENFLIK: Liz Wahl was a correspondent, an anchor for RT America for several years. Over time, she says, the network increasingly amplified the Kremlin's agenda in places like Ukraine and Syria.

LIZ WAHL: We were not meant to deliver the truth but to skew what was happening there. I think RT is just part of a greater Russian disinformation machine.

FOLKENFLIK: Wahl ultimately resigned live on the air. Several figures with ties to Trump have appeared on RT's shows, such as Trump's incoming national security adviser, retired General Michael Flynn, a former military intelligence chief.

Last December at a banquet celebrating RT's 10th anniversary in Moscow, Flynn sat next to RT's top editor and just two seats away from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Flynn participated in a Q&A there, an appearance for which he was paid by RT.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MICHAEL FLYNN: First of all, thank you so much for inviting me and having me here.

FOLKENFLIK: Trump himself appeared on RT back in September on former CNN talk show host Larry King's program.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LARRY KING NOW")

DONALD TRUMP: The media has been unbelievably dishonest. I mean they'll take a statement that you make which is perfect, and they'll cut it up and chop it up.

FOLKENFLIK: Trump's camp said he was misled into thinking he was just speaking for King's podcast, yet Trump has praised Putin lavishly and repeatedly as a decisive leader and as a counterpoint to President Barack Obama. On MSNBC, Ed Schultz mocked conservatives for making a hero of Putin. Here's what Schultz told me this week.

SCHULTZ: I view Putin as a protector of the country. There's been a lot of bad history and a lot of bad actors on Russia in the past, and I think that he doesn't want to repeat that history. And I think that's his concern.

FOLKENFLIK: Schultz has also previously called Donald Trump a racist. Now...

SCHULTZ: He is the change agent that America has been looking for.

FOLKENFLIK: For now, the incoming American president is enjoying a warm reception from the Russian president's American news channel. David Folkenflik, NPR News.

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