by Jen Lynds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UTIMES <\/em>Advisor<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following a successful inaugural season, the crew behind \u201cThe Writer\u2019s Room\u201d podcast ignited the microphones last week to record season two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The episode is titled, “The Meaning of Freedom.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Belen Dougherty, editor of The University Times,<\/em> hosted the second season\u2019s premiere episode. She was joined by UTimes <\/em>advisor and English\/Communication\/Journalism Professor Jen Lynds, and Dr. Tomasz Herzog, professor of social foundations of education and social studies education at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The session examined how freedom is viewed in light of emerging hazards to democracy and autonomy. The trio weighed whether rising disinformation, tyranny, and partisanship were eroding collective liberty. This is disseminated through social media, podcasts, and news outlets. This exacerbates political manipulation, particularly during election cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every episode of \u201cThe Writer\u2019s Room\u201d examines trends influencing the media landscape, including misinformation, bias, social media, and citizen journalism. Previous episodes centered on the campaign for “web first” news and the impact of “The Drudge Report” on internet media during the 1990s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n