Every day we encounter people trying to tell us what happened, what it means, and how we should feel about it. Some are journalists trying to inform us. Others are politicians, advertisers, advocates, influencers, campaigns, organizations, or ordinary people sharing something online. And increasingly, the message may have been created or amplified by an algorithm or artificial intelligence.

Messaging examines how information becomes belief. We look at journalism, political advertising, propaganda, misinformation, disinformation, social media, rhetoric, framing, persuasion, and emerging technologies. Most importantly, we practice the simple habit of asking: What is the claim? What is the evidence? What might be missing? And how do we know?