The Brainwashing of My Dad

The Brainwashing of My Dad is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Jen Senko. Inspired by what she claims was her father’s radicalization by right-wing media, Senko explores forces she argues are behind a rise in such media, the deliberate strategies that fueled its influence, its impact on families including her own and its perceived role in deepening political divisions across the nation.^[1][2]

Senko tried to understand how her once easygoing, apolitical father became what she describes as an angry right-wing fanatic. She uncovered a what she claims was a plot by powerful forces that not only transformed her father and millions of others but also divided the nation. The film traces what Senko describes as deliberate, decades-long campaign to reshape American media, allegedly beginning with Roger Ailes’ plan under President Richard Nixon to create a Republican propaganda machine. The film also explores the 1971 Powell Memo’s call for corporate influence over public institutions, the 1987 repeal of the Fairness Doctrine under President Ronald Reagan, and the 1996 Telecommunications Act under President Bill Clinton, all of which, Sanko claims, enabled media consolidation.^[3]

What started as a daughter's personal journey became an exposé of a purportedly far-reaching phenomenon: a right-wing media ecosystem—backed by libertarian billionaires, conservative think tanks, and political operatives. This media network is supposedly designed to manipulate public opinion, deepen polarization, and shift the political landscape to the far right. Through historical analysis and intimate storytelling, the documentary claims reveal a hidden mechanisms behind this alleged radicalization and raises several questions: Who controls the media? What rights do audiences have? And what responsibility does the government bear in ensuring a fair and truthful media landscape?

Senko's claims her father was originally a mild-mannered "nonpolitical Kennedy Democrat" who began changing into what she describes as a combative far-right Republican in the late 1980s and 1990s.^[4] This alleged transformation supposedly happened when he began listening to conservative talk radio during a long commute to a new job. In particular, he listened to Rush Limbaugh and watched Fox News. Towards the end of his life, Frank's views allegedly changed to rabid republican from largely centrist (due in part to Frank’s wife exposing him to more moderate and supposedly less biased media). He died in January 2016 at the age of 93.^[4]

The film gained 947 backers on Kickstarter. People who noticed the campaign and had similar stories wrote to Senko. She followed up by Skype to interview them about their stories, which were included in the film.^[5] One Kickstarter backer, Ryan Smith, became an executive producer and provided the remaining funding needed. Other executive producers were: Danny Goldberg and Jennifer Schultz. Matthew Modine and Adam Rackoff of Cinco Dedos Peliculas production company came on as producers. Mr. Modine also co-narrated the film along with Jen. Archivist Richard Kroll was hired to search for photographs and video material. A work in progress version of the film showed at the Traverse City Film Festival in August of 2015.^[6] The theatrical and streaming version was released in March 2016.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 58% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20/10.^[7] Christine N. Ziemba of Paste wrote "Through anecdotal and social science research, Senko's film also provides much-needed insight as to why Donald Trump's caustic discourse and demagoguery is catnip for so many people."^[8] Carole Di Tosti of Blogcritics wrote a positive review, saying that "The documentary is well edited and tells a fascinating story of propagandists, stealth and wealth. Senko exposes how the conservative media network seeded anti-democratic values by changing the issues to 'morality and family values' [...] diverting the focus from economic equality."^[9]

• Brainwashing

• Official website
• The Brainwashing of My Dad at IMDb
• The Brainwashing of My Dad at Rotten Tomatoes