Nowadays, the term ‘rhetoric’ seems to insinuate something meaningless, irrational, or harmful, much like the Platonic views on the concept. However, according to Thomas DeGirolami, there is one perspective on rhetoric that we ought to revisit in our increasingly politically-divided world: Cicero’s. Cicero placed rhetoric within the larger framework of “oratory”, which was the tool for dispersing wisdom to the general public. In a way, oratory was seen as the medium by which philosophy could be deployed to bridge social classes, uphold the law, and keep the public memory alive. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
