We talk with Peter Pomerantsev, whose new book, How to Win an Information War, is about the man he describes as the "forgotten genius" of propaganda. Throughout WWII, Sefton Delmer ran propaganda campaigns for the British against Hitler's regime. Some of those efforts bordered on pornography. We'll also talk about witnessing Putin's use of disinformation when Pomerantsev worked in Russia, and his work as the co-founder of a project documenting Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the TEd radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people.
Where they will say to me, but.
It can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is.
The history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is fresh air.
I'm Terry Gross.
When it comes to counteracting contemporary propaganda, fact checking doesn't stand a chance.
My guest, Peter Pomerantsev, writes that in his new book, he goes on to say gutsy fact checkers who sometimes at great personal risk strive to establish the truth, are ignored by millions of people who dont want to hear the truth.
Worthy, well researched journalism crumbles in the face of suspicion that the media are actually enemies of the people.
Thats one of the conclusions Pomerantsev has reached.
He researches and writes about contemporary propaganda, including in the US, where he now lives.
Lives.
His new book, how to win an information war, is about the man he describes as the forgotten genius of propaganda, Sefton Delmer.
During World War Two, Delmer became head of special operations for the political warfare executive.
He ran propaganda operations for the British against the Hitler regime.
He created radio shows broadcast into Germany designed to sound like shows hosted by Germans.
And they were, they featured former german cabaret writers and stars who were now refugees in England.