How to Spot Media BS: A Crash Course in Media Literacy

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 trends

Key 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."

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