Nolan Higdon & Mickey Huff: United States of Distraction

KPFA Radio 94.1 FM presents

Nolan Higdon & Mickey Huff
United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America

Advance tickets: $12: T: 800-838-3006 or Pegasus Books (3 sites), Books Inc (Berkeley), Moe's, Walden Pond Bookstore, East Bay Books, Mrs. Dalloway's, $15 door, benefits KPFA Radio 94.1FM. Info: kpfa.org/events

"Higdon and Huff have produced the best short introduction to the nature of Trump-era journalism and how the 'post-truth' media world is inimical to a democratic society."
-Robert W. McChesney, author of Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communication Politics in Dubious Times

The role of news media in a free society is to investigate, inform, and provide a crucial check on political power. But does it actually do any of these things? It's no secret that the goal of corporate-owned media is to increase the profits of the few, not to empower the many. As a result, people are increasingly immersed in an information system structured to reinforce their social biases and market to their buying preferences. Journalism's essential role has been dramatically compromised, and Donald Trump's repeated claims of "fake news" and framing the media as "an enemy of the people" have made a bad scenario worse.

"Mickey Huff and Nolan Higdon emphasize what we can do today to restore the power of facts, truth, and fair, inclusive journalism as tools for people, to keep political and corporate power subordinate to the engaged citizenry and the common good." -Ralph Nader

Dr. Nolan Higdon is a lecturer of history and media studies at California State University, East Bay, and the University of San Francisco. He is co-host of the podcast Along the Line, and author of numerous articles, blog posts, and book chapters.

Mickey Huff is the current Director of Project Censored and president of the nonprofit Media Freedom Foundation.

$12 advance, $15 door.