Topic: Ground Truth

A health official discusses the transparency of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak. The official mentions accepting an invitation from the Chinese government to deploy a team of experts to get "ground truth" and study the virus's contagiousness. The hosts flag a verbal slip where the official mentions helping "prevent the spread" while also mentioning the "global threat."

The hosts perform a knighting ceremony for "Sir Idiot of Atlas McDowell," who donated $432.10. The donor provides a humorous take on the term "ground truth" and requests a custom ringtone mix featuring show catchphrases like "Buy more kale" and "You will obey."

An investigation into the Ground Truth Project reveals its ties to Global Post and funding from major organizations like the Ford and Kaiser Family Foundations. The project aims to train a new generation of foreign correspondents but is scrutinized for its "media partners" including NPR, PBS, and RYOT News. The hosts describe RYOT News as a non-serious organization run by "hipsters."

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden discusses the need to "flood the zone" with intelligence to combat ISIS. He specifically mentions the need for "ground truth" to enable targeted operations, which the hosts link to the Ground Truth Project organization. A linguistic confusion arises over Hayden's use of the phrase "human penetration" in the context of intelligence gathering.

General Martin Dempsey and Secretary Chuck Hagel emphasized the need for "ground truth" and "exquisite intelligence" to conduct targeted operations in Syria. Meanwhile, the media focus has shifted away from German-born terrorists to American citizens fighting with ISIS. This shift in narrative is viewed as a way to maintain pressure on European allies to support sanctions against Russia despite domestic economic pushback.

The Global Post is supported by the "Ground Truth Project," which receives funding from major organizations including the Ford Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. CEO Philip Balboni, a veteran media executive with ties to the Hearst Corporation and NECN, oversees these partnerships. This high-level financial backing contrasts with the "rinky-dink" appearance of the Global Post's public-facing news operations.

A government official at the journalism forum accidentally uses the phrase "editorial restriction" before correcting it to "observation" or "restraint." The hosts argue this proves the media and government are working together to manage the flow of information. The State Department official is seen praising the New York Times for its "responsible" handling of leaked data.