(By Jeff McHugh) Some say that “any press is good press.” Joe Rogan has been in the news for spreading harmful misinformation on his Spotify podcast. Our advice for broadcasters and podcasters in 2022 is the trend is toward truth.
Mark Twain once said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” We call that a little lie; small embellishments that add entertainment value and cause no harm.
A big lie is one that could cause harm if people believe it and act on it. Misinformation is unintentional and mistakes happen. Disinformation is intentional.
During the 2020 forest fires in my home state of Oregon, Joe Rogan and other hosts claimed “left-wing activists” were setting the fires. Even as the FBI tried to stop the rumor, armed listeners began marching into the fires to hunt non-existent Antifa, risking their lives and those of firefighters sent in to save them.
If meteorologists sent an urgent tornado warning for your town, no responsible broadcaster would say, “Ignore those so-called scientists! It’s political! Defend your freedom – go golf, let your kids play outside!”
During the pandemic, hosts like Sean Hannity downplayed coronavirus dangers and there were increased deaths and infections in areas where Hannity’s show had higher ratings. Other hosts who spread similar lies died of the virus themselves.
Joe Rogan is funny, provocative, charismatic, engaging, naturally curious and a great storyteller. If Joe focused on those strengths and left out the falsehoods his podcast would be more popular and would attract more advertisers in the long run.
Here are guidelines we share with radio and podcast hosts for avoiding misstatements that limit career options and cause advertisers to flee in droves.
- Avoid stating emotions as facts. You might be fearful about flying but, “I get nervous on planes” is not the same as ranting, “those jetliners are flaming death traps!”
- Do not interview trolls. Hate speech is a form of disinformation. Joe Rogan gave airtime to someone claiming that Black people have a “proclivity to violence.” Your guests reflect on you.
- Record and edit all interviews. Kooks count on a live microphone for generating outrage. Review what guests say before airing and provide context.
- Build a panel of experts. Have speed dials set for a trustworthy lawyer, physician, scientist, journalist from a respected mainstream outlet, law enforcement, fire department, etc.
- Reliable news sites like USA Today Associated Press Reuters The Washington Post NPR BBC NBC ABC and CBS. If they are a little late reporting on breaking news, it is likely because they are checking facts before reporting.
- Bookmark fact-check sites like Politifact, FactCheck.org, and Poynter Institute.
We encourage personalities that “if you think it, say it.” Being unfiltered, outspoken, and opinionated is key. But none of that matters if you lose trust, which is the foundation of the relationship with your audience.
Jeff McHugh is known for developing remarkable talent for both morning and afternoon drive. He brings an uncommon mix of positivity, creativity, and strategy to the shows that he coaches. He is a member of the team at the Randy Lane Company. Reach Jeff at [email protected]
The fact that people are so upset over Joe Rogan is more indicative of where listeners are…spoiler alert: It’s not on radio and most certainly on “morning drive”.
I’ll bet Jeff is one of the many radio hacks still saying, “we reach 93% of the population every day.”, or we need to “be more local”.
People stopped caring about terrestrial radio 10 years ago…FACT
Is Rogan actually spreading harmful mis-information? Or is he just talking to people that the MSM and the power players in Washington don’t want us to hear? What about the Johns Hopkins report that seems to say the number of Covid casualties saved by lockdowns, etc. was about two-tenths of one percent? Why aren’t more outlets reporting that? Is that misinformation? Johns Hopkins had credibility last I heard. Everybody and their sister wants Rogan canceled for having an opinion and for having guests that fly in the face of the latest edicts from the ruling class. Freedom of speech, freedom of choice, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are all on the ropes. Here and in Canada. The communists of China, Russia, Cuba and their ilk are having a good laugh at our expense. They knew if they held on long enough, and bought enough politicians, they would win. You want that?
Yes, indeed, the Chinese Communists most assuredly bought and corrupted the Biden family.
In that, I think some very big shoes will be falling…
The Johns Hopkins report was not a medical report. It was also not put out by Johns Hopkins. It was put out by an economist who is anti-mandate. If you read the medical analysis of that report, you’ll see it’s all misinformation.
Once again nobody, including Neil Young, is saying Rogan should be canceled. Including the writer of this article.
Radio Ink: You drastically and very noticeably lower your standards by including a clearly biased hack like Jeff McHugh. His glaring, left-wing bias contributes nothing, in an objective and credible way, to the fundamental topic, of lies and disinformation.
It is McHugh who is engaging in DISinformation in the misleading ways in which he describes Hannity and Rogan. Hannity has never “downplayed” the COVID pandemic. In fact, to this day, Hannity ceaselessly advocates for Americans to get vaccinated; and he pushes proven treatments for those who come down with a more serious COVID affliction.
As for Rogan, all he did was discuss how he took particular treatments that quickly brought him back to good health. Thousands upon thousands of other Americans have taken the same “alternative” treatments that Rogan did, to successful effect. That is information, not “lies” or “disinformation”.
So, that makes McHugh yet another leftie who would seek to cancel and silence those he disagrees with. I think such a stance falls very far below your standards, does it not, Radio Ink?
“As for Rogan, all he did was discuss how he took particular treatments that quickly brought him back to good health.”
You obviously didn’t listen to what Rogan said. He said “Healthy people don’t need vaccines.” That would be news to Phil Valentine, who was healthy until he got covid and died. He then went on to talk about the serious side effects of the vaccine. Almost a million people have died from covid. A couple hundred have died from the vaccine. Those are the facts. He said the vaccines are “gene therapy.” He then went on to say “Ivermectin alone is capable of driving this infection to extinction.” That isn’t true. There is no scientific data that shows any benefit from ivermectin. The chances of it killing you are the same as the vaccine. You’re correct that thousands of people have taken it and survived. But there is no proof that it contributed anything to their survival. And it’s not like people aren’t studying it. But Joe Rogan isn’t an expert, and people should not get their medical advice from talk show hosts.
McHugh simply suggests bringing in experts, which is what Rogan says he will do. No harm, no foul. Nothing biased about that. Rogan hasn’t been “canceled.” No one is demanding he get canceled. He’s still there now.
Stop it, “BigA”!
There is a long list of folks, starting with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who want Rogan at least cancelled from Spotify. But, they’ll never be satisfied with just that, as horrible as that would be, and we all know it.
Much harm, much foul in what is supposed to be our free speech nation. One does not have to be an expert to offer one’s opinion, as you and I are doing right here and now. Those to whom we offer our opinion can then accept said opinion, or not. Correct?
What McHugh is saying is people in the media shouldn’t offer their opinion as fact. That’s good advice. This isn’t about free speech. This is a radio consultant advising radio stations to be careful what their hosts say on the radio, because they can get sued. Alex Jones got sued for millions of dollars because of his opinion. You & I are offering both sides to this story, which is more than what Rogan did.
Not a good look for the author of this article. Need I say more?
The contributor claims Hannity “downplayed” the virus, and basically accuses him of causing people’s deaths. Really? So, could the writer be more specific of how it was downplayed, and supply the data on the ratings vs deaths and prove the causation? Then another general comment about “lies” causing deaths, but no specific examples. The irony of this article is the use of that tired non specific “misinformation” accusation, while revealing a political bias that in itself is misinformed.
Jeff McHugh, the author of this pitiful excuse of an article, should not be able to host his absurd, leftist rantings on RadioInk. Maybe he can get a job writing opinion pieces for NPR, one of his favorite “reliable news sites”.
Wow!! Biased much!?!? Calling out Joe Rogan and Sean Hannity implies that its the conservative side of the argument that is spreading misinformation. What about when Nancy walked around in China town in the summer of 2020 with the MSM in tow talking about how safe it was to walk around, that we didn’t need a mask or to be afraid!?!? Was that misinformation!?!? What about conservative news sources like Newsmax? And politifact is far from being a objective fact checker.
You are right, your guests reflect you. Just like this article reflects you!!!