TED Talk Outline

Topic: Evolving Media Practices and Impact on Political Culture

Purpose: The purpose of this TED Talk is to educate audience on how alternative media’s rise has adversely impacted civic life.

Thesis Statement: Due to the technologically spurred shift towards alternative media, much of mass media has been weaponized to propagate ideologies rather than inform. As a result, society is increasingly radicalized, angrier, and less productive civically.

1. Introduction
   1. Introduce relationship between mass media’s rise and increase in political engagement.
   2. Acknowledge that information has become more widely available, however at the detriment of trust.
   3. Cite Pew Research Center study that 5 in 10 Americans rely on social media for information, argue social media’s lack of credibility (Source 1, see content sources)
   4. Intro garners audience attention by beginning with a topic audience is likely familiar with to extent (presence of relationship between mass media and civic life), before zooming in on specific topic of misinformation and information accessibility.
2. Thesis
   1. Identify damaging effects of paradigm shift
      1. Due to the technologically spurred shift towards alternative media, much of mass media has been weaponized to propagate ideologies rather than inform.
      2. As a result, society is increasingly radicalized, angrier, and less productive civically.

Body Content

3. Short Background
   1. First mass media, Television, changing campaign practice (Source 4, see content sources)
      1. Helped to frame societal issues in national context.
4.  Transition to Fairness Doctrine
   1. However, despite nationwide evolution in mass media, there was still a universal respect for ethics and fairness (Source 2, see content sources)
5.  Describe Fairness Doctrine and Dissolution
   1. Briefly tell Fairness Doctrine story (Source 2, see content sources)
      1. In the early ages of television, information supply constrained to three public broadcasting networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC
         1. Fairness doctrine established so these corporation didn’t abuse monopoly on information
            1. Established precedent that broadcast must feature opposing viewpoints of any political issue
         2. Dissolved in 1987 due to free speech concerns
6.  Effects of Fairness Doctrine Dissolution
   1. Rise of cable news channels like Fox News, CNN (Source 4, see content sources)
   2. Traditional political reporting mixed with opinion-based commentary.
   3. Caused political sorting based off ideology in media consumption.
7. Rise of alternative media and para-social relationships
   1. Fairness Doctrine dissolution coincided with tech’s rise in popularity
      1. Define alternative media (podcasts, blogs, channels, social media, etc…)
      2. Introduce idea that alternate media routinely engages in media malpractice
         1. Para-social relationships (Source 3, see content sources)
            1. Define para-social relationships
               1. One-sided relationship between media personality and media consumer
            2. Para-social relationships ripen opportunity for misinformation
               1. Alex Jones example (Source 3, see content sources)
                  1. Cultivation of para-social relationship to build credibility amongst audience
                  2. Abuse of this relationship to pummel fake news
         2.  Rise in subversive campaigning
            1. Define subversive campaigning (Source 4, see content sources)
               1. Subversive Campaigning: aims to evoke anger rather than offer solutions
            2. Reiterate that para-social relationships, and by extension subversive campaigning, are principal byproducts of alternate media’s rise, and that these trends have only damaged political environment and opportunity for discussion.
8.  Effects of shift on civic life (1 minute)
   1. Identify alternate media as a detriment to political culture
      1. Reiterate that alternate media is by nature prone to misinformation
         1. Alternate media is a radicalizing force
9.  Offer solution:
   1. Concede that alternate media is a widely established information source and thus the current damaging trends are difficult to stem.
   2. Solutions
      1. Reestablish Fairness Doctrine
         1. Would maintain distinction in information quality between traditional news sources and alternative counterparts
      2. Intensified instruction on healthy information-consumption practices in schools
10.   Conclusion
    1. Through reform and the promotion of reliable news sources, our society will be able to enjoy the convenience of our world’s greater technological advancement, while sustaining a fruitful civic life.

Selected Order of Images for PowerPoint supplement and Image Sources

• Opening Slide – N/A
• Slide 1 – This is how many Americans get their news from social media (msn.com)
• Slide 2 – 1950s-Family-blank-lo-res.jpg (1500×980) (studybreaks.com)
• Slide 3 – cnn-fox-news-msnbc-02-4×3-2018.jpg (800×600)
• Slide 4 – video-dashboard1.png (1600×689) (reviewsandbonus.club)

Selected Content Sources:

Source 1: This is how many Americans get their news from social media (msn.com)

Source 2: Fairness Doctrine | Ronald Reagan (reaganlibrary.gov)

Source 3: “My Superpower is Being Honest:” Perceived Credibility and Parasocial Relationships with Alex Jones | Southwestern Mass Communication Journal (tdl.org)

Source 4: Roemmele, A., & Gibson, R. (2020). Scientific and subversive: The two faces of the fourth era of political campaigning. New Media & Society, 22(4), 595–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819893979