American broadcasting’s communist, fascist, socialist pasts

American broadcasting has always been closely intertwined with American politics [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 5 April 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Sinclair Broadcast Group’s orchestrated warning about “biased and false news” appeared to purposely echo President Trump’s complaints about the media and has sparked calls for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine to ensure that broadcast news is politically balanced. But as media historian Michael J. Socolow argues, [there never was “a golden age of civil political discussion”]( in the U.S. Just look at the 1930s when fascists, communists, socialists and anti-Semites all duked it out over the radio waves. A trade war between the U.S. and China seems to be in full swing after Chinese authorities announced additional tariffs yesterday targeting American goods, with soybeans topping the list. That’s no surprise to Ohio State agricultural economist Ian Sheldon, who [explains why the commodity is such an important U.S. export](. For more context on [tariffs and trade wars](, see our special section on the dispute below. And, as all 2 billion Facebook users around the world come to terms with the fact that their data has likely been shared with app developers, without their knowledge or consent, we present a brief roundup of [what happened, what it means and what might be next]( – for people, for the company and for democracy. Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society Top Stories Louisiana’s populist politician Huey Long, giving an address on CBS Radio in 1934. Louisiana State University [American broadcasting has always been closely intertwined with American politics]( Michael J. Socolow, University of Maine Sinclair network anchors decrying 'fake stories' have been condemned for giving biased support to President Trump. But nostalgic calls to restore civil political discussion on the air ignore history. What will Mark Zuckerberg say to Congress? AP Photo/Noah Berger [Understanding Facebook's data crisis: 5 essential reads]( Jeff Inglis, The Conversation Scholars discuss the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal: what happened, what's at stake, how to fix it, and what could come next. US-Chinese Tariffs [George W. Bush tried steel tariffs. It didn't work]( William Hauk, University of South Carolina President Trump slapped steep tariffs on steel imports, echoing protectionist measures taken by Bush in 2002. ['Trade wars are good'? 3 past conflicts tell a very different story]( Marc-William Palen, University of Exeter President Trump says 'trade wars are good,' but history tells a very different story. [What is a tariff? An economist explains]( Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology A global trade war seems well underway as China and the US exchange targeted tariff attacks. An economist explains what they are, how they work and why they matter. [Economic history shows why Trump's 'America First' tariff policy is so dangerous]( Charles Hankla, Georgia State University The president's tariffs on steel and China mirror the misguided trade policies that helped precipitate the Great Depression. Economy + Business - [Sinclair-style employment contracts that require payment for quitting are very uncommon. Here's why]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon A purported contract between Sinclair and an anchor demanded a huge penalty if the employee quit. While many asked if that's legal, a more interesting question is why more companies don't do the same thing. - [Why China's soybean tariffs matter]( Ian Sheldon, The Ohio State University There's a good reason China took aim at US soybean exports when it announced its latest list of retaliatory tariffs. Environment + Energy - [Stronger fuel standards make sense, even when gas prices are low]( John DeCicco, University of Michigan Manufacturers always have to make trade-offs when they design new cars, balancing the need to protect public health and the environment with their urge to wow customers. Education - [A scholar answers 3 questions about the Howard University student protest]( Marybeth Gasman, University of Pennsylvania As the student protest over conditions at Howard University continues, a scholar weighs in on what the fallout means for historically black colleges and universities. Ethics + Religion - [Why the Christian right opposes pornography but still supports Trump]( Kelsy Burke, University of Nebraska-Lincoln The Christian right's response to pornography in recent history is complicated. The moral conviction against porn remains strong, but there is also sympathy for its consumers. Politics + Society - [Behind the scenes of Venezuela's deadly prison fire]( Rebecca Hanson, University of Florida; Leonard Gómez Núñez, Universidad Nacional Experimental de Seguridad (UNES), Venezuela After a fire killed 66 inmates at a Venezuelan jail in March, news stories portrayed the country's prisons as lawless. The real backstory of this deadly riot is more complex — and maybe a bit scarier. - [Gaza's nonviolent protesters exploited by Hamas, but feared by Israel]( Dov Waxman, Northeastern University The violence that led to the deaths of 18 Palestinians last week in Gaza dominated the headlines. But that's not the real story from that day: The nonviolence of thousands of other demonstrators is. Arts + Culture - [Fewer and fewer Americans are fixing their noses]( Laurie Essig, Middlebury College People who’ve gotten nose jobs are also trying to revert to a more natural look. Science + Technology - [Look up – it's a satellite!]( Christopher Palma, Pennsylvania State University A couple thousand satellites are orbiting Earth right now. Under the right conditions, your naked eye can spot these human-made objects in the night sky. Trending on Site - [Why you stink at fact-checking]( Lisa Fazio, Vanderbilt University Cognitive psychologists know the way our minds work means we not only don't notice errors and misinformation we know are wrong, we also then remember them as true. - [How Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook targeting model really worked – according to the person who built it]( Matthew Hindman, George Washington University An email from Aleksandr Kogan sheds light on exactly how much your Facebook data reveals about you, and what data scientists can actually do with that information. - [Why Denmark dominates the World Happiness Report rankings year after year]( Marie Helweg-Larsen, Dickinson College Their culture places a high value on something many Americans don't. Today’s quote [Christian opposition to pornography has long been connected to larger efforts to impose Protestant morality onto American politics and culture.]( [Why the Christian right opposes pornography but still supports Trump]( Kelsy Burke University of Nebraska-Lincoln [Kelsy Burke] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111