Is the media actually biased? Or do we just think it is?

In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg examines decades of research on media bias, political polarization, cable news and the psychology of news consumption. From Fox News and CNN to newspapers, social media and more, she explores what researchers have found about bias in news coverage and how people on opposite sides of an issue can see the same story completely differently.

Do the politicians yelling #FakeNews have a point?

Find out in this week's UnSpun.

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**DrSturg wrote a book that makes YOU smarter about the news with information and exercises taken from real news stories. Find it here: https://amzn.to/3CLyvGr

This week's paper, from Sweden, answers an important question: when politicians dogwhistle racism, can it make them MORE popular?

In this episode, DrSturg breaks down clearly what a dog whistle is and the clever way this paper studied the matter. She ends with advice on what YOU can do to not fall victim and a message for journalists.

Here is the original paper.

DrSturg's book, Detecting Deception: Tools to Fight Fake News is on sale! It also teaches you how to identify this kind of shady language yourself, using real examples from the news.

Here are three places you can find directories of dogwhistles:

American Jewish Committee

Anti-Defamation League

Southern Poverty Law Center

This week is Stephen Colbert’s final on CBS, and it's part of a larger story behind modern media: consolidation. When a few companies own more of the places you get information, it affects how much corruption there is, how much you know about yourself and your neighbors and the fabric of society itself.

So much of the information we get now feels overwhelming but strangely thin. You'll learn why, as well as how local journalism was never just content. It was civic infrastructure.

Today's Front Pages Gallery mentioned in the episode.

Check out Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to tell when newsmakers are trying to deceive you.

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In this UnSpun Journal Club episode, Dr Sturg looks at a recent paper on what malicious AI swarms could mean for democracy, public debate, and social media itself. They could borrow from the older playbook of harassment and sealioning, made worse as agentic AI systems can imitate people, flood conversations, and manufacture the appearance of consensus.

The question is not just whether AI can generate convincing content. It is whether it can reshape what people think is real.

Find the paper here.

Check out Dr. Sturg's book with tips on how you can spot fake news.

Follow Dr. Sturg on Bluesky

Find short videos on detecting deception from Dr. Sturg

What happens when a handful of very wealthy control what gets reported and how/

In this UnSpun rewind, we look at the role of the press in an oligarchy—a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. From media ownership by figures like Jeff Bezos and David Ellison to global examples like Venezuela and Russia, this episode explores how information can be shaped or even suppressed.

You’ll learn how partisan media ecosystems create entirely different realities, why journalists face increasing pressure and risk, and what happens when regulation,and even truth itself are influenced by elite power.

We also look at what everyday can do to push back. Because when information is controlled, so are you. .

In this episode of UnSpun, learn the hidden manipulation behind the news.

From TV journalism of the '80s, with “if it bleeds, it leads,” to today’s algorithm-driven outrage, news has evolved into a system designed to capture attention.

I walk through the research on clickbait and emotional manipulation to explain how it shapes not what you believe and how you act.

Topics include:

• The psychology of clickbait and the “curiosity gap.”
• Why outrage spreads faster than information
• How fear and anger drive engagement
• The illusion of knowledge in modern media
• What sensationalism does to democracy
• Practical ways to take back control of your information diet

Stay sharp, truth seekers!

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Check out DrSturg's book that teaches YOU how to get played less by the media for less than $25.

Episode art by Mike Licht.

Do social media algorithms actually change what you believe?

In this episode of UnSpun, we break down new research from on the political effects of X’s feed algorithm. Using a real-world experiment with X users, the study tests what happens when people switch between chronological and algorithmic feeds.

We also examine the legacy of Cambridge Analytica and the broader concerns about filter bubbles, misinformation,and algorithmic influence.

It's more complicated than the headlines suggest.

Algorithms may not change your identity—but they can shape what you see, who you follow, and how you interpret the world.

More about the paper here.

Check out Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to identify double-talking politicians.

In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets trusted? Who gets heard? And what does it mean when more people get their news from personalities instead of institutions?

I explore how influencers shape political knowledge, why they are so effective, how platform incentives affect what gets said, and what YOU can do to evaluate information more carefully.

Topics include:

• Trump’s appearances on influencer platforms
• Pew Research on news influencers
• Parasocial relationships and authenticity
• Why legacy media trust keeps slipping
• How to make your feed more reliable

Stay sharp, truth seekers.

Here's the episode on Uses and Gratifications.

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Be smarter with Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to detect fake news.