BDN quotes Socolow in article on anonymous Maine ‘news’ websites

Michael Socolow, an associate professor of communication and journalism at the University of Maine, was quoted in the Bangor Daily News article “This anonymous Maine ‘news’ site may have tipped a big election.” The article states that Lewiston mayoral candidate Ben Chin may be the first Maine politician derailed by anonymous, conservative “news” websites that mix a kernel of truth from opposition research with large factual and rhetorical leaps traditional media ethics would prohibit. Socolow said “the delegitimization of the credible press has opened the playing field to a lot of alternative information outlets” that may look like news sites but that operate little like them. “Some information outlets are propaganda, some information outlets are credible, some information outlets know the rules of attribution and some don’t,” he said.