Trump Demands Patriotic Coverage of the War in Iran. Or Else….
3/20/202650 min
President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are demanding “more patriotic” coverage of the widening war in Iran. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the Pentagon is cracking down on its publication, Stars and Stripes. Plus, fake AI images of the Iran war are proliferating, and they're getting more convincing.
[01:00] Host Micah Loewinger breaks down the calls from the Trump administration for the media to produce “patriotic” coverage of the war in Iran. Plus, a closer look at the reporting by legacy outlets with journalist Minnah Arshad. Arshad analyzed The New York Times’ early coverage of the war, and found that Iranian victims were underrepresented. Next, Micah sits down with scholar Mahsa Alimardani to discuss fake AI images of the Iran conflict, and how AI detection tools are being used to discredit authentic footage.
[22:30] Micah speaks with Samantha Gross, the director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the Brookings Institution, to dissect the developing energy crisis being caused by the disruption of oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
[37:54] Host Brooke Gladstone talks to Erik Slavin, Editor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes, the independent, award-winning newspaper that has served the military for roughly a century, about the Pentagon’s plan to crack down on their reporting and refocus their content away from “woke distractions.”
Further reading / watching:
- “First Draft: How the Media Manufactures Consent for War,” by Minnah Arshad and Andrew Perez
- “How AI Content Detection is Being Weaponized in the Iran War,” by Shirin Anlen and Mahsa Alimardani
- “The Fake Images of a Real Strike on a School,” by Mahsa Alimardani
- “Why Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz matters,” by Samantha Gross, Caitlin Talmadge, and Melanie W. Sisson
- “Pentagon says it will ‘refocus’ Stars and Stripes content,” by Corey Dickstein
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPete Hegseth· Soundbite0:00
A dishonest and anti-Trump press will stop at nothing to downplay progress, amplify every cost, and call into question every step.
Micah Loewinger· Host0:10
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is waging war abroad and scuffling with the press at home. From WNYC in New York, this is On The Media. I'm Micah Loewinger. Also on this week's show, when it comes to the Iranian regime's media output...
Brendan Carr· Soundbite0:25
You have to hold two truths at the same time. US and Israeli bombs are killing Iranian civilians, and the regime will want to use this for propaganda.
Micah Loewinger· Host0:37
Plus, with the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian control, the world is cut off from its supply of black gold.
Samantha Gross· Guest0:44
If this goes on and on, what I anticipate are spectacularly high prices at the pump. This is a bigger shock than the 1970s were.
Micah Loewinger· Host0:54
It's all coming up after this. On The Media is supported by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the Name Your Price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. From WNYC in New York, this is On The Media. Brooke Gladstone is out this week. I'm Micah Loewinger. This week, Defense