Separating facts from bias in the news is harder than ever, so this week's episode is all about media literacy.I break down a Stuff article on “the healthiest type of milk” as an example of just how subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) media bias can be. Spoiler: It’s not about which milk is best. It’s about how language, framing, and missing context can manipulate your perception without you even realising it.We can’t rely on many places to report actual facts anymore, so now we need to get better at spotting nonsense ourselves.In this episode I share: How to spot bias in articles - even when it’s subtle Why nostalgic framing makes you feel like things were better in the past The sneaky power of word choices (e.g., “humble” cow’s milk vs. “trendy” plant milk) Why omitting key facts is just as bad as misinformation The way experts are used (or misused) to push an agenda How to fact-check bold claims with actual data Why being “processed” doesn’t automatically make food bad The real story behind plant milk sales and industry trendsKey Quotes"This article spends 80% of the time talking about cow’s milk in glowing terms and barely mentions plant milk - but claims it's a fair comparison. That’s not analysis; it’s marketing.""The phrase ‘full of oil, flavourings, and stabilisers’ sounds scary - but when you break it down, it’s just... milk. Plant milk goes through almost the exact same process as cow’s milk. The difference? One has better PR.""We’ve stopped valuing expertise and started giving the loudest voices the biggest platforms. Media isn't always the villain here - lazy, irresponsible marketing plays a much bigger role than we realise."You can get involved with the podcast onlineFind our full podcast via the website here: https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen/You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related