For there to be a proper functioning democracy, we need a proper functioning media system – one that’s focused on the democratisation of ideas and robust debate between various viewpoints. However, the hyper-commercial media landscape today couldn’t be further from that. Fake news, half-truths, narrow perspectives, playing to the gallery and rage-baiting culture wars have greatly contributed to the polarisation we see across the world. 

Peter Beattie, who’s a regular guest on this show, wrote a book titled Social Evolution, Political Psychology, and the Media in Democracy which focuses on problems with the media landscape today and what needs to be done to make it better. We unpack his book in this episode. 

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