Hosted by Michelle Ainsworth

In this final episode Michelle Ainsworth explores why everyone needs strong media and digital literacy skills to help navigate our increasingly messy information ecosystem. She’ll also touch on the importance of civic engagement in a democracy.She’ll talk to experts in media and digital literacy, civics, former US government advisors and leading academics in disinformation. This episode includes interviews with:Leo Pekkala, Deputy Director KAVI, Finland’s National Audio-Visual InstituteMichelle Ciulla Lipkin, former Executive Director of the National Association for Media Literacy EducationMichael Daniel, President Cyber Threat AllianceAssociate Professor Michelle Amazeen, Mass Communication, Boston UniversitySam Stockwell, Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and SecurityProfessor Amy E. Lehrman, Director of the Possibility Lab, UC BerkeleyAbby Kiesa, outgoing deputy director, Centre for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)Professor Jon Roozenbeek, Social Decision-Making Lab, Cambridge University Publications cited:<a href="https://medialiteracy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AML2024_report_final-compressed.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Adult Media Literacy - Australian Media Literacy Alliance</a><a href="https://circle.tufts.edu/circlegrowingvoters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Circle at Tufts University</a><a href="https://namle.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education)</a><a href="https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1947/nov/11/parliament-bill" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sir Winston Churchill democracy speech - UK Hansard 11 Nov 1947</a>

Ep 7 - Media and Digital Literacy

Michelle Ainsworth explores the tools that are being used to tackle misinformation and disinformation, while at the same time keeping a healthy information ecosystem that produces accurate, trustworthy and reliable information, while still exposing people to a variety of ideas.She’ll talk to leading academics who work on pre-bunking initiatives, senior journalists and news executives, information integrity experts and disinformation specialists. This episode includes interviews with:Marty Baron, former Editor of the Washington Post and author of “Collision of Power”Professor Rasmus Nielson, Former Director Reuters Institute for the Study of JournalismLaura Manley, Executive Director Shorenstein Centre on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard UniversitySam Stockwell, Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and SecurityDean Jackson, Democracy, Media and Technology SpecialistNina Jankowicz, founder American Sunlight Project and author of “How to lose the information war”Professor Jon Roozenbeek, Social Decision-Making Lab, Cambridge UniversityProfessor Sander van der Linden, Department of Psychology, Cambridge UniversityTom Rogers, former Australian Electoral Commissioner Publications cited:<a href="https://www.un.org/en/information-integrity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United nations - Information Integrity</a><a href="https://www.sdmlab.psychol.cam.ac.uk/research/bad-news-game" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bad News Game - Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab</a>

Ep 6 - Fact Checking, Prebunking and Debunking

In this episode Michelle Ainsworth looks at why strong public service media organisations and local journalism are vital for keeping democracy in check at a grassroots level. She also explores the challenges facing political journalists who are working in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.She’ll talk to senior journalists and news executives, former US government advisors, information integrity experts and disinformation specialists. This episode includes interviews with:Tina Griego, Colorado News CollaborativeAssociate Professor Michelle Amazeen, Mass Communication, Boston UniversityDean Jackson, Democracy, Media and Technology SpecialistNina Jankowicz, founder American Sunlight Project and author of “How to lose the information war”Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President Poynter Institute and NPR’s Public EditorJay Rosen, Journalism Professor, New York University and author of “The Citizens Agenda”Sam Stockwell, Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and SecurityProfessor Rasmus Nielson, Former Director Reuters Institute for the Study of JournalismProfessor Amy E. Lehrman, Director of the Possibility Lab, UC BerkeleyMarty Baron, former Editor of the Washington Post and author of “Collision of Power”Associate Professor Claire Wardle, Department of Communication, Cornell UniversityTina Rosenberg, journalist and co-founder Solutions Journalism Network Publications cited:<a href="https://colabnews.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colorado News Collaborative</a><a href="https://theconversation.com/new-forms-of-advertising-raise-questions-about-journalism-integrity-173205" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New forms of advertising raise questions about journalism integrity - The Conversation</a><a href="https://www.thecitizensagenda.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Citizens Agenda</a>

Ep 5 - Media and Elections

Michelle Ainsworth explores how the hype around Generative AI and the 2024 year of elections panned out, and why technology guardrails are urgently needed to protect democracy.She’ll talk to experts in Generative AI and digital forensics. She also interviews former US government advisors, Australian election experts and disinformation specialists. This episode includes interviews with:Tom Rogers, former Australian Electoral CommissionerProfessor Helen Margetts, Oxford Internet InstituteSam Stockwell, Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and SecurityProfessor Hany Farid, School of Information, UC BerkeleyDean Jackson, Democracy, Media and Technology SpecialistMichael Daniel, President Cyber Threat AllianceNina Jankowicz, founder American Sunlight Project and author of “How to lose the information war” Publications cited:<a href="https://www.electionanalysis.uk/uk-election-analysis-2024/section-6-the-digital-campaign/the-al-election-that-wasnt-yet/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UK Election Analysis - AI Election</a><a href="https://cetas.turing.ac.uk/publications/ai-enabled-influence-operations-threat-analysis-2024-uk-and-european-elections" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AI-Enabled Influence Operations: Threat Analysis of the 2024 UK and European Elections - CETaS</a>

Ep 4 - AI and Elections

Michelle Ainsworth explores how social media has enabled misinformation and disinformation to disrupt democracies around the world.She’ll talk to digital forensics and disinformation experts, senior journalists, and academics who focus on information integrity. This episode includes interviews with:Professor Hany Farid, School of Information, UC BerkeleyMarty Baron, former Editor of the Washington Post and author of “Collision of Power”Professor Amy E. Lehrman, Director of the Possibility Lab, UC BerkeleyLaura Manley, Executive Director Shorenstein Centre on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard UniversityAssociate Professor Michelle Amazeen, Mass Communication, Boston UniversityRenee DiResta, researcher into online manipulation and author of “Invisible Rulers”&nbsp;Nina Jankowicz, founder American Sunlight Project and author of “How to lose the information war”Associate Professor Kelly Greenhill, Tufts University and author of “Weapons of Mass Migration” Publications cited:<a href="https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/dnr-executive-summary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2024 Digital News Report - Reuters Institute</a><a href="https://www.un.org/en/information-integrity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United Nations - Information Integrity</a>

Ep 3 - Misinformation and Disinformation

In this episode Michelle Ainsworth explores the impact of rising polarisation in the media and the political landscape, and the impact that’s having on trust in democracy.She talks to senior journalists, academics who teach journalism and others who are experts in information integrity. This episode includes interviews with:Dr Jan Voelkel, “Strengthening Democracy Challenge” Polarization and Change Lab, Standford UniversityProfessor Amy E. Lehrman, Director of the Possibility Lab, UC BerkeleyAgustina Callegari, Global Coalition for Digital Safety, World Economic ForumAssociate Professor Clare Wardle, Department of Communication, Cornell University and co-founder of First DraftTina Rosenberg, journalist and co-founder Solutions Journalism NetworkProfessor Sue Robinson, Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJay Rosen, Journalism Professor, New York University and author of “The Citizens Agenda”Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President Poynter Institute and NPR’s Public EditorLaura Manley, Executive Director Shorenstein Centre on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard UniversityTom Rogers, former Australian Electoral Commissioner Publications cited:<a href="https://www.strengtheningdemocracychallenge.org/paper" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Strengthening Democracy Challenge - Stanford University</a><a href="https://www.thecitizensagenda.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Citizens Agenda</a><a href="https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Solutions Journalism Network</a><a href="https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/program/complicating-the-narratives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Complicating the Narratives Framework - SJN</a>

Ep 2 - Polarisation

Australia’s democracy is the 6th oldest in the world yet despite having an independent electoral system that’s the envy of the western world, vulnerabilities are beginning to crack.2024 was dubbed a “super election year”, with more than half the world’s population eligible to vote in elections. Former political editor Michelle Ainsworth travelled on a Winston Churchill Fellowship to the US, the UK and Finland. She hoped to explore why trust in democracy was declining while audiences are turning away from traditional news sources. This is the first episode of Truth, Trust and Democracy, a new seven-part series that examines polarisation in politics and the media, the spread of misinformation and disinformation via social media and the impact of generative AI in elections. Later episodes will look at the role of publicly funded broadcasters and local journalism, fact checking and media literacy. This episode includes interviews with:Marty Baron, former Editor of the Washington Post and author of “Collision of Power”Agustina Callegari, Global Coalition for Digital Safety, World Economic ForumTom Rogers, former Australian Electoral CommissionerPublications cited:<a href="https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2025-01/2025%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer_Final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edelman Trust Barometer 2025</a><a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/global-risks-report-2025-bleak-predictions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WEF 2025 Global Risks Report</a><a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us-subsite/files/strengthening-australian-democracy.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Strengthening Australian Democracy - Dept of Home Affairs</a><a href="https://education.aec.gov.au/democracy-rules/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AEC Democracy Rules website</a>

Ep 1 - Democracy in decline

Polarization, Disinformation, AI and the Media

Truth, Trust and Democracy is a new podcast series that examines polarization in politics and the media, the spread of misinformation and disinformation via social media and the impact of generative AI in elections.&nbsp;It also examines the role of the media and the importance of digital literacy and civics.

Truth, Trust and Democracy

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Michelle Ainsworth