The MAGA media outlets

20-45 min

In this lesson the pupils will watch the news video from CNN journalist, Donie O'Sullivan, and discuss the claims made by media outlets in the MAGA movement.

Sist oppdatert 6. nov. 2024.

Preperation

Review the presentation and prepare to show it to your pupils after you have shown the news video. Let your pupils work in pairs.

Guided practice

Before showing the news video to your pupils, introduce the learning objectives for this lesson.

The pupils are able to

describe the claims made by supporters of the MAGA movement in this news video
reflect on and discuss the possible consequences of spreading unfounded claims

Watch the video

This video from CNN documents a reporter spending 24 hours consuming MAGA media.

Before showing the video, make sure your pupils know what MAGA is. Tell them to take notes while watching.

Millions of Americans get most, or all, of their news and information (or misinformation) from the hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-Trump MAGA media outlets. All these outlets are claiming there’s no way Trump can lose if the election is fair. CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan spent 24 hours in it. (03:40)

Presentation

Discuss the questions in this presentation with your pupils.

Presentasjon: The MAGA media outlets

Question guide

What is this news video about?

This video shows CNN reporter, Donie O'Sullivan, spending the day in the MAGA media universe. Millions of Americans get most, or all, of their news and information (or misinformation) from the hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-Trump MAGA media outlets.  All these outlets are claiming there’s no way Trump can lose if the election is fair.

What type of misinformation did you find in the news video?

The MAGA media is telling its audience to expect the election to be stolen. Several different people in these media outlets are telling its audience that there have been rigged and stolen elections previously, which is unfounded and not true.
One example is a video that has gone viral on social media, which shows a voter claiming that his vote was different on the video screen and on the paper receipt he received after voting, meaning that he meant to vote for one candidate, and that another candidate's name was on the paper ballot. This was sorted, and the election officials explained that the "original ballot was spoiled, and the voter re-marked a new ballot with his preferred choice reflected." The journalist marks that this is the entire point of getting receipts, so that you can check that you cast your vote correctly.

Why did election officials have a hard time correcting the misinformation that spread online?

They tried using social media, but the post they shared, which explained how the other claims were false and misinformation, got a lot less traction and reach than all the content spreading the misinformation.
This is a common problem. Misinformation often gets far more attention, which in turn gives the content far bigger reach, than the attempts at correcting them do.

"Clearly, one thing that is being pushed really, really hard is that Trump is definitely going to win. And if he doesn't win, it is because of fraud" Why do you think these claims were being pushed?

These claims were being pushed to show the American people what several pro-Trump supporters and politicians perceived the days before the election, that Trump was leading on different set of polls and parameters.
If Donald J. Trump had lost the election, he and his campaign could have claimed voter fraud due to the this narrative. The people who support him or voted for him, might have believed this to be true without any credible evidence to back up this claim.
Another reason why this claim might have been pushed, was to appeal to people's sense of justice, because they wanted people to go out and vote, and try to make a difference in the election. These claims could also have been a part of a strategy to get people, who normally does not participate in an election, to go out and vote.

What could be possible consequences of such claims?

If people believe that their votes do not matter, they might not believe that there can be democratic solutions to the problems they see around them, which could impact a democracy. A lack of trust in election processes might cause people not to vote at all.
Before the 2024 election, there were concerns about a new January 6th. On January 6th in 2021 a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Congress in Washington D.C. This was a direct result of Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen. This shows a certain willingness within some groups to use violence when doubting the integrity and fairness of an election.
If Trump had lost in 2024, and people believed that that election was rigged, it might have lead to a even more divided and polarised society, but is does not automatically lead to violence.

Additional resources

If you want to show your pupils how misinformation spreads, you can have a look at the lesson "Who is spreading fake news?"

For further information, check out an article by CNN, "Sell the Steal: How Michael Flynn built a business and MAGA following out of election denialism", the fact-check done by Politifact, "Trump's claim that 2,600 'votes' were 'caught' in Lancaster, Pa., distorts registration probe" or Wall Street Journal's news video, "How Social Videos Are Already Spreading to Cast Doubt on Election Integrity".

Opplegg: Who is spreading fake news?Link: Sell the Steal: How Michael Flynn built a busi...Link: Trump's claim that 2,600 'votes' were 'caught'...Link: How Social Videos Are Already Spreading to Cast...

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