HN Academy

> I see journalists trying to push an ideology all the time.

Nowadays propaganda is being pushed so hard to the public, and manipulation tactics are being so in demand, that there are even MOOCs teaching how to push propaganda tactics into journalism to blatantly manipulate the audience.

Take, for example, the edx course euphemistically called "journalism for social change"

https://www.edx.org/course/journalism-social-change-uc-berke...

This shit is a clear sign that the entire free world is being enthusiastically carted away from democracy and right into the middle of authoritarian dictatorships, and everyone in charge seems eager to either play along with this change or even use it to their advantage.

⬐ sintaxi

Holy shit this is nuts. This is clearly a course on how to create propaganda. The saddest part of this are the many out there who will emerge from a course like this thinking they are some sort of moral crusader doing good not realizing they are everything they claim to despise.

⬐ sverige

I think you just described graduates of journalism school. (Before you downvote, check the curriculum of your favorite J-school.)

⬐ Spivak

Is there an ethical line between learning how to make a persuasive argument and manipulation/propaganda?

⬐ geezerjay

If you're reporting on something and you feel the need "to make a persuasive argument", you've already crossed the line between journalism and manipulation/propaganda.

A writer either report the facts and lets the audience arrive at their conclusions, or pushes his agenda in an attempt to stop the audience to arrive at their own conclusions.