Resources
Books, research, and videos on news manipulation, media literacy, and the psychology of information. Curated for readers who want to go deeper.
Books
Don't Think of an Elephant!
George Lakoff (2004/2014)
The book on linguistic framing — how word choice activates mental structures that shape interpretation before readers are even aware of it.
Flat Earth News
Nick Davies (2008)
A veteran Guardian journalist exposes "churnalism" — how news factories produce distorted content through quote recycling and editorial shortcuts.
Trust Me, I'm Lying
Ryan Holiday (2012/2017)
A media manipulator's confession — how narratives are shaped, quotes are cherry-picked, and headlines are engineered for engagement.
Network Propaganda
Yochai Benkler, Robert Faris & Hal Roberts (2018)
Data-driven analysis of millions of online stories showing how quoting patterns, source selection, and framing create systematic bias.
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Neil Postman (1985)
How entertainment culture reshapes news — prophetic analysis of media's shift from information to spectacle.
The Elements of Journalism
Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenstiel
Core principles of quality journalism — the standard against which manipulation can be measured.
Influence
Robert Cialdini (2006)
The psychology of persuasion — six principles that explain why manipulative framing works.
Merchants of Doubt
Naomi Oreskes & Erik Conway (2010)
How misinformation campaigns work — the playbook for manufacturing uncertainty.
Research & Academic Work
The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice
Tversky & Kahneman (1981)
The foundational study on how framing effects change decision-making — even when the facts are identical.
Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm
Robert Entman (1993)
Foundational framing theory — how selection and salience in media shape public interpretation.
Media's Role in Broadcasting Acute Stress Following the Boston Marathon Bombings
Holman, Garfin & Silver (2014)
Media exposure to collective trauma triggers acute stress responses even in people not directly affected.
Is Anyone Responsible?
Shanto Iyengar (1991)
How episodic vs. thematic news framing changes who the public blames for social problems.
Media Effects on Well-Being
Valkenburg, Peter & Walther (2016)
Comprehensive review of how news consumption affects psychological well-being through framing mechanisms.
Videos & Documentaries
The Social Dilemma
Netflix (2020)
Documentary on the attention economy — how platforms engineer engagement through emotional manipulation.
This Video Will Make You Angry
CGP Grey
How outrage spreads through media — a clear explanation of why angry content goes viral.
Crash Course Media Literacy
Crash Course (YouTube)
12-episode series on critical media consumption — from propaganda techniques to digital literacy.
Get early access
Join the waitlist. We'll let you know when NTRL is ready.
No spam. No manipulation. Just an email when we launch.