What is True?

We. Are Back. This is part 2 of our deep dive into journalism and disinformation. The old news model has broken and new models are making it hard to verify the truth. Objectivity is impossible, and really not the point of journalism. Rather, good journalists care about getting their facts right, being aware of their biases, and ensuring that their sources are crdible. Canada’s Online News Act (Bil...

Diane and Nina turn the tables! Alexa and Chris are both journalism school graduates and they try to answer questions about how journalism both fights and falls victim to disinformation. Journalism and news have evolved over time, particularly in the context of the internet and social media. Changing business models and consumer expectations have put a strain on journalists while allowing people w...

When you don't know anything, you're likely to think you know everything. Chris didn't know that this is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. So people who know nothing often make confident claims that are lies or at least incorrect. So how do we make sure we know who is telling us what's true? It's all about critical thinking. The group discusses ways to verify or debunk information on your own.

Alexa and Chris dig in with media literacy experts Nina Verishagen and Diane Zerr, exploring the historical roots and modern evolution of disinformation. Did you know that disinformation played a role in naming the Spanish Flu? That "carrots are good for your eyes" comes from British war propoganda? In the modern age, advanced technologies, like AI and deepfakes, make distinguishing truth from fal...

Alexa Battler and Chris Garbutt tackle the pervasive issue of disinformation in the digital age. They are joined by media literacy experts Nina Verishagen and Diane Zerr from Saskatchewan Polytechnic, who share their insights and experiences in distinguishing between misinformation and disinformation. Nina and Diane discuss the importance of critical thinking, provide practical tools for identifyi...

In this episode of 'What Is True,' hosts Alexa Battler and Chris Garbutt discuss the challenge of distinguishing fact from fiction in today's digital age, starting off with the classic Canadian 'House Hippo' ad campaign. The episode features librarians Nina Verishagen and Diane Zerr, who share insights from their text 'Disinformation: Dealing With the Disaster.' They explore historical and current...

Join us as we dive into the dark side of the 'Information Age' and how it's totally transformed how we live, work, and connect. How can we filter what's real from the slop? Who is lying to us and who is telling us the truth?