Episodes

  • Episode 17: The Weaponization of Polls

    Episode 17: The Weaponization of Polls
    Jul 31 2024
    From now until the election, expect an unprecedented onslaught of daily reports about political polls -- many of them designed to manipulate you. Fear, dread, hopelessness, and anger get you to click and “doomscroll.” Today, Josh explains why President Biden’s decision to drop out made sense, but the polls also don’t indicate what will happen in November. He shows how the Trump team wants to sow divisions among Democrats, and why polls could become a tool in that effort. Also, a listener asks about polls showing Palestinians overwhelmingly support the October 7 terrorist massacres against Israelis. Plus: If you’re trying to get the truth out during an interview with a news agency that frequently lies about you or an entity that you represent, what do you do? Josh interviews a woman who faces that challenge frequently: the Israeli consul general to the Southeast. Sign up to receive the free newsletter packed with links, images and more: joshlevs.com/newsletter See reports you want fact checked? Paid subscribers can post in the newsletter; others can submit a question or comment via joshlevs.com.A free way to help the show: Rate and review it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Episode 16: The Myth of Invincibility

    Episode 16: The Myth of Invincibility
    Jul 24 2024
    When conspiracy theories grow, there's a crucial step that news organizations should take. They should run those theories past the myth of invincibility. Today, Josh explains how that applies to coverage of many of the biggest news stories of our time, from the current presidential race to terrorist attacks and more. Plus, now that President Biden has dropped out of the presidential race, Josh explains what we should watch out for in the news, and the role that Americans desperately need the media to play. And he shows how news organizations allowed hypocrisy to go unchecked in coverage of the assassination attempt at a Trump rally, and left out crucial context. Meanwhile, big news on another front has made early episodes of this show as timely and important as ever. Josh explains how an opinion from the International Court of Justice relates to media failures in coverage of Israel, particularly involving “occupation” and “international law.” And one of the nation’s best known newspapers actually pulled something because it was so blatantly offensive against Israel and the parents of a hostage.
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    27 mins
  • Episode 15: Media & the Fight for Democracy

    Episode 15: Media & the Fight for Democracy
    Jul 17 2024
    When big news happens, media organizations clamor for your attention -- even if they don’t have any new, concrete information to share with you. This breeds mistakes, hypocrisy, and more. In this episode, Josh explains what he’s watching out for in the coverage of the shooting at a Trump event, described by authorities as an attempted assassination. Political violence operates against democracy. Inspired by his interview on a conservative radio show, Josh looked into the news media’s role in the fight for democracy, and discovered something: The media’s effect on anti-democratic forces is different in America from what it is in Europe. In this episode, how TV news and apps are fueling anti-democratic efforts on both the right and the left. Also, how the media ignore the fact that Israel is one of the world’s oldest democracies, and that democracies are necessities for journalism. Plus, you’ll hear from Henry Kissinger and famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow.
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    30 mins
  • Episode 14: Editorial Boards and Crystal Balls

    Episode 14: Editorial Boards and Crystal Balls
    Jul 10 2024
    It took only hours for the biggest political story to become a media story too, as news agencies rushed to cover the New York Times’ call for Biden to leave the race. In this episode, Josh explains that the media often treats the Times’ editorial board like the “great and powerful” Oz. In reality, it’s a group of 14 people with opinions. He explains that the media should contextualize this and show that another editorial board, from the biggest paper in an actual swing state, argued the opposite. Also, welcome to new sponsor MIT45! In this episode, you’ll hear from CEO Ryan Niddel, who will discuss kratomresearchinstitute.org.
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    30 mins
  • Episode 13: A Law to Ban Politicians Lying

    Episode 13: A Law to Ban Politicians Lying
    Jul 3 2024
    There's an irony and media failure at the core of the national freakout over the recent presidential debate. The media’s fixation on President Biden’s demeanor is so much bigger than the focus on former President Trump’s long list of lies. It raises a question at the heart of American democracy this July 4th: Do we value truth? In this episode, Josh dissects the media reactions and discusses a law being considered by another democratic government to ban lies by politicians. He explains that while the First Amendment protects all sorts of speech here, it actually is illegal for Americans to lie in numerous contexts -- including to the federal government. Would it be such a stretch to say they can’t lie to us either? Josh explains how this connects to U.S. war heroes, a guy being screamed at for what he was wearing in a store, and Superman. Plus, a listener asks Josh why the media has rules requiring anti-Israel bias. He explains a devious tactic antisemites use to keep those rules in place.
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    29 mins
  • Episode 12: Media Need a ‘Hypocrisy Meter’

    Episode 12: Media Need a ‘Hypocrisy Meter’
    Jun 26 2024
    A listener asks Josh to fact check media coverage of Republicans’ attacks against Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan D.A. who successfully prosecuted Trump. It highlights a big issue: How the media's lack of self-awareness severely damages our political scene. Today, how the media washes its hands of responsibility for creating a narrative. Also, why the media needs a “hypocrisy meter” so that it points out when powerful people and entities are “engaging in a level of hypocrisy that is so obvious it can basically be seen from space.” Josh explores how allowing hypocrisy to go unchecked damages not only politics but also global conflicts. He shows how it applies to media coverage of the Middle East, including a “journalist” accused of having held Israeli hostages captive.
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    29 mins
  • Episode 11: Whitewashing Al Jazeera

    Episode 11: Whitewashing Al Jazeera
    Jun 19 2024
    From the way the mainstream media often describes it, you wouldn't know Al Jazeera is a state-owned propaganda outlet of the Qatari government. And the problem isn't just that the news organizations hide its identity. They go further, and praise it. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera praises and celebrates terrorists. On this episode of They Stand Corrected, Josh exposes the hypocrisy of news organizations, particularly NPR, that complained about Twitter’s handling of state media labels while refusing to follow their own rules for Al Jazeera. Plus, someone from inside Al Jazeera who blew the whistle on how it shills for the Qatari government. And how the media’s obsession with adoring Al Jazeera has led news organizations to relatively downplay or even outright ignore the deaths of journalists in dangerous situations all over the world.
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    32 mins
  • Episode 10: Your Questions Answered: Hamas Numbers, ‘Clear’ Science, Dads’ Heart Health

    Episode 10: Your Questions Answered: Hamas Numbers, ‘Clear’ Science, Dads’ Heart Health
    Jun 12 2024
    To mark the tenth episode, Josh answers your questions and shares your comments. First, a viral story that the media got wrong, embarrassing a man who was unfairly sent to jail. Then, the topic of your biggest question of all: casualty figures from Gaza. Josh explains that even after the number of women and children allegedly killed dropped dramatically, media are still trusting Hamas -- and trying to cover up the drop. Then, a study that claims “the science is clear” -- even though it isn’t. Josh explains the problems with that term, and why this report could make it harder for people to believe news about climate change and concussions among football players. You’ll hear from NFL icon Ronnie Lott. And finally, do dads have worse heart health but also live longer lives? Josh breaks down a new study, just in time for Father’s Day.
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    27 mins