MEDIA BIAS: Manipulation by Words and Numbers | Understanding Media

​Trust in media? At a historic low – especially among young people.

​70 % in the USA, 55 % in Germany, 60 % in Europe – that’s how many people distrust the news because they no longer perceive it as neutral and balanced.

​On November 6, we open the next session of Understanding Media and dive into the tools of manipulation – with words and with numbers.

​Part 1: The Power of Language – and How It’s Misused
Johannes Wiek (interim Head of CODE STS, journalist & media strategist) presents the landscape & toolbox of narrative manipulation: Framing, Loaded Language, False Balance, Cherry-Picking.

​His thesis: Those who know the weapons can defend themselves against manipulation – from all sides.

​Part 2: “Every Number Is Wrong!” – When Polls Turn into Opinion-Making
Thorsten Thierhoff, Managing Director of forsa, one of Germany’s most influential polling institutes (including the famous Sonntagsfrage: “If there were a federal election next Sunday, which of the following parties would you vote for?”), joins us.

​We’ll ask him:

• ​Where do the pitfalls lie in sampling, question wording, and weighting?

• ​How do you stay neutral when numbers influence elections?

• ​How can citizens tell whether they can trust numbers in the media?

​Afterward: Open discussion with all of you.
Bring your questions, your doubts, your examples.

​For CODE students, staff & everyone interested.
The session is interactive, provocative, and hands-on.

​Be there. Expose the tricks. Become immune to manipulation.

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​Understanding Media is an academic event series at CODE and part of the STS (Science, Technology & Society) program. We discuss how media shape our individual and collective consciousness—and who controls this immense power. This event series is organized together with Universität Witten / Herdecke. Every week, there will be a guest expert.