Clearing the Air: Communications in the Age of Information Pollution

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In this episode of Good Marketing with Stephanie, host Stephanie Pryor sits down with sociologist and consultant Stephanie Devitt, founder of SDK Strategic Services, to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing communications professionals today: how do you connect with your audiences when the information landscape is more fragmented than ever?

Stephanie Devitt brings a unique perspective — from growing up on a farm to working for a U.S. senator during one of the first elections influenced by paid bloggers, to 20+ years of consulting for state and local governments. Her work listening to communities that have been left behind in the digital transition gives her a grounded, sociological lens on how information shapes society.

In this conversation, we cover:

  • What "information pollution" is and why it matters for communicators

  • The "slug vs. shell shot" analogy and what it tells us about today's media landscape

  • Why the shift from one shared narrative to millions of fragmented ones makes communications harder

  • The risks of speaking only to investors and ignoring other stakeholder groups

  • Why AI and social media may need to be regulated like public infrastructure

  • Practical advice for communications professionals finding their way through this environment

Whether you work in the public sector, the private sector, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge the way you think about reaching your audiences and building trust in a noisy world.

Connect with Stephanie Devitt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedevitt/ 

https://www.sdkstrategicservices.com/ 

Connect with Stephanie Pryor:

lancmarketing.com 

linkedin.com/in/stephanieapryor/

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