Propagandists aren't the problem. The entire incentive structure of the journalism and consumer media industry (and others too, it's not just them) is the problem. These aren't people problems. These are institutional architecture and incentive problems. Look at the entire western world. We are in way deeper shit than just one political movement or one or a few leaders.
The hubris in the second half of your second sentence is chuckle worthy though.
Who would you say was a real journalist as opposed to a propagandist during the COVID 19 era?
I am not asking this as a gimme but out of curiosity of who you thought was a true journalist during a time where many journalists were acting as mouth pieces for the powerful
Scientists are a problem to authoritarians simply because they are educated and will likely refute the bs of politicians, let alone authoritarians.