Communication Nation Episode One: Speaking the Truth: Media Literacy & Misinformation is the first of a four part radio series exploring communication to better understand one another. We can only have effective communication when we can trust our sources. We learn about media literacy and misinformation from Eisha Buch at Common Sense Media.
This episode comes with a free Learning Guide.
Click here for a preview & to download
Click here to see the entire Communication Nation Series and for the full set of educator tools and activities.
This is the first episode in our four part radio series Communication Nation. This episode, Speaking the Truth – Media Literacy & Misinformation features the Kids Crew in conversation with Eisha Buch from Common Sense Media. We learn about how our critical thinking skills can help us identify media sources we can trust, and keep us aware when something doesn’t quite add up. Understanding what is fact and what is fiction takes an effort by the media consumer. We are all media consumers.
The word media refers to any television, social media, internet news sites, newspaper, book, magazine, podcast, movie, and other source of information we use to learn about the world around us, and to be entertained. Eisha begins by teaching us what the term media literacy means.
Media literacy means asking yourself who created this media, why did they create it, do they have a bias toward a specific point of view, is this the full story? As we explore media literacy, we learn about the concept of a media diet. Do you know how much media you are consuming, and which kinds? Track your media diet!
We also explore misinformation on this episode with Eisha Buch. Sometimes people might post something online that is false information in order to make a joke. Other times people post information without fully checking the sources, and using their media literacy skills.
But there is also another reason a story in a publication online, in social media, or elsewhere might be written with fake information. Sometimes someone, or groups might try hurt their competition by pushing disinformation. Disinformation is hurtful, and makes people believe things that are not true.
Learning how to critically consider media is an important skill that kids need to have mastered for a lifetime of learning. Common Sense Media has a Media Literacy Resource Center for students of all ages. Explore their tools, and find even more ideas in our Learning Guide, which you can download for free by clicking the button at the top of this page.
Everyone has a bias which is our view of the way things are, even if it’s not accurate. Favoritism for or against a thing, idea, person, or group, can lead to unfair treatment, and judgments that are not true. Our media has biases too. When you hear a story about whether something is good or bad, remember to ask who is telling the story, why are they telling it?
This show was written and produced by Executive Producer, Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Eli Henley, Sarah Gabrielli, McKenzie Graunke, and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Scheer provided live engineering at Outpost Performance Space. Amber Shiel writes our learning guides with support from Lorraine Archibald and Amber Arnett.
The Children’s Hour radio show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.
© 2026 The Children’s Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved
Playlist: Communication Nation 1: Speaking The Truth
| title | artist | album |
|---|---|---|
| What's the Story? (feat. Rachel Trudel) | Tara Trudel | Fractured: Fairy Tales Remixed |
| Tell the Children the Truth | The Gaylads | The Gaylads: The Best Of... |
| Good News | Ian Carrick | Earthlings |
| The Great Tv Rebellion | The Missoula Coyote Choir & Friends | Ask the Planet |
| Who Decided (feat. Silly Bus) | Kid Pan Alley | Best Friends |
| The Social Media Song | Shoeless | The Lost Year |
| Matter of Fact | Elliott Park | The Mouth |
| Truth (feat. Kelli Welli, Mo Phillips & SaulPaul) | Aaron Nigel Smith & Red Yarn | Smith & Yarn |
| Turn Off Your Phone | Ion Bodi and Kathleen Martin | Turn Off Your Phone |
| Adults Don't Always Know | Jumpin' jamie | Never Mind the Blocks: Here's Jumpin' Jamie |
| You Can't Learn It All On the Internet | Nick Bayard | Wishing Well |
| Screen Time | Animal Farm | We Are One |
| Take Time In Life | VooDoo Katz | VooDoo Katz |
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This program is made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the United We Stand Connecting Through Culture Initiative, and by the New Mexico Humanities Council. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Mexico Humanities Council.
