6 chapters across the catalog
Milwaukee Police News Clip Authenticity, NBC News Reporting
A previously aired news segment featuring a Milwaukee police officer was criticized for containing staged clips and sweetened audio. While the underlying story was verified as legitimate by local research, the production methods used by NBC News were highlighted as an example of poor journalistic standards.
Project Veritas, CBS News Staged Testing Line
Project Veritas released undercover footage and whistleblower testimony alleging that CBS News staged a line of cars at a Michigan testing site to make it appear busier than it was. The report claims that hospital staff and interns were told to line up their vehicles for the camera, causing actual patients to wait longer for tests. The hosts cite this as an example of why mainstream media credibility is declining.
The "value-for-value" model is proposed as the only sustainable future for local and interest-based media. Meanwhile, independent video reports on YouTube claim to show empty hospitals that contradict mainstream media reports of "war zones." An anecdote from a news magazine reporter describes the effort required to find empty streets in Los Angeles to stage "ghost town" shots for television segments.
Croatian War Anecdote, Staged Media Reports and Conspiracy Badges
A donor from the Netherlands shares a story from a friend who lived through the war in Croatia and witnessed a staged media event. Men set fire to a pile of tires in front of a hospital to create black smoke for a news report claiming the hospital was under attack by Serbs. This anecdote supports the hosts' skepticism of mainstream media narratives and their willingness to accept the "conspiracy theorist" label as a badge of honor.
An ABC News report featuring Martha Raddatz in the Strait of Hormuz is criticized as being pre-packaged and staged. The hosts cite reports that networks have been rehearsing war scenarios for weeks, suggesting a "Wag the Dog" style media operation is underway.
Republican Debate Staging, Candidate Positioning Strategy
The hosts simulate a production meeting to determine the optimal stage placement for candidates in the next debate. They discuss positioning Mitt Romney in the center, flanked by Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich to maximize conflict. The strategy involves marginalizing Ron Paul and Rick Perry on the ends of the stage while debating whether to include Jon Huntsman.
