A Media Literacy Strategy for Dems to Win the U.S. Senate Runoff in Georgia

Voters are more likely to elect candidates who educate and empower them rather than try to trick them. If the Warnock campaign applies this principle in Georgia, they can neutralize GOP propaganda and earn the trust of Peach State voters to boost a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate.

In practice, the proposed media literacy strategy entails a series of TV, radio and print ads with each spot divided into three segments:

Opening tagline:
“In Georgia’s runoff races for the U.S. Senate, trust facts not propaganda.”

1. Name and describe a propaganda trick (e.g., Big Lie, Demonization).

2. Identify how the GOP is using that specific trick in the Senate race.

3. Present facts on the Senate candidates that disprove the propaganda.

Closing Call to Action:
“See through the tricks and lies. Educate yourself. Vote Wisely. Send Warnock and Ossoff (or Ossoff and Warnock) to the U.S. Senate.”

Strategy tips:

In these media spots, keep the visuals and language plain and simple. Convery trustworthiness. Slick cleverness will be counter-productive. Use the tone of a straight news report or an honorable educator.

In segments 1 and 2, highlight whichever propaganda tricks the GOP are using, and nullify these with the voter education in segment 3.

Below are some of the most common propaganda tricks:
Ad Hominem, Appeal to Fear, Appeal to Prejudice, Bandwagon, Big Lie, Doublespeak, Exageratioon, False Dilema, Demonizing, Disinformation, False Accusations, Gaslighting, Guilt By Association, Half-Truths, Loaded Language, Name Calling, Oversimplification, Red Herring, Scapegoating, Smears, Unstated Assumption, Whataboutism.

This media literacy strategy for the Senate races in Georgia would enhance not replace the media campaigns already in progress.

If you agree this media literacy strategy can help win the January 5 runoff elections in Georgia, please forward links for this article to the two Georgia candidate campaigns and the active grassroots voter outreach campaigns.

* * *

Judah Freed, is a seasoned media and politics journalist as well as an award-winning author of social change books. His latest book, Making Global Sense, offers grounded hope for the 21st century inspired by Thomas Paine’s pivotal essay, Common Sense. He has helped conduct or manage public education and political campaigns in Colorado, Illinois, and Hawaii. He further has spoken internationally on “deep media literacy.”