Play now!Episode 2: Conslicked of Interest concerns a recent scandal from Canada. When people who report the news also make money from the people who are often discussed in the news, shouldn't the reporters admit as much and disclose this possible conflict of interest? A growing number of people in Canadian media think so, especially after Jesse Brown of the Canadaland podcast broke the story. This, of course, raises another interesting question . . . which I'll save for listeners.
The Canadaland episodes in question: Rex Murphy is Paid by the Oil Sands and the CBC Won’t Disclose or Discuss it, followed by Jonathan Kay Defends Rex Murphy, followed by the triumphant Mansbridge's Oil Pay Makes the News. I excerpt a bit from each for the show.
I read from this article regarding the danger automobiles pose to children.
Middle Music: Wurliztraction, "The Manitoba Sprat Cat".
Closing tunage: Omyiga, "Skip the Happy Ending".
I apologize for the late release of this episode of Attack Ads!, due to a technical issue. Technically, yesterday I forgot to release it.
That bit about how Americans completely ignore the drawbacks of all that driving when worrying about children is one I always find infuriating, and that article is a good look at the issue. The book (and the blog) Free Range Kids has a lot about how American reasoning about children and risk has been completely distorted, and says a lot about the relationship between between that and the need to draw eyeballs (for advertisers) for the 24-hour cable news cycle. I don't remember whether it speculated about the connection between the particular interests of advertisers and what risks are ignored/exaggerated, though, as opposed to just the desire to attract attention in general.
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