Responsible Journalism

        Responsible Journalism

Because we pass on news articles we see on social media, we have all, in a way, become published journalists - unfortunately often irresponsible, biased and downright harmful journalists rather than responsible and thoughtful journalists. We read the "news" published by a myriad of sources and streaming continuously on sites such as FaceBook and Twitter. Sometimes, because we are in a hurry or because the headline backs up our view of the world, we pass these articles and videos on to our friends or the general public without taking the time to read them. 

 

Headlines can be deceiving. Sometimes the article will be a satire, or make completely false claims,  or deliberately incite hatred or racism. Some articles have been altered by the addition of false or misleading information or quotes. Many photos are edited and/or deliberately altered to skew the facts in favour of a particular political position. Some posts are old and no longer relevant or accurate or have been attributed to the wrong person or country. Some have photos of one event while supporting a story about another. Sometimes the comments under a post are so scathing that forwarding a positive article can inadvertently promote an opposing view. 

I wrote a blog (see post: "FaceBook, Not FactBook", September 23, 2015) suggesting that people check the accuracy of posts on this rumour spreading media before passing any on. This is a time consuming enterprise and can be difficult to accomplish, but considering the damage some rumours can bring about, a responsible post passer should take the time to read and fact check (or at least make sure the source is reliable), before hitting "share". In today's media you can encounter written and video materials that support every viewpoint, from the wildly crazy to the seemingly logical. When you share a post you are publishing it to an audience that may very well believe it is true.

The sad thing about mainstream, on-line TV and newspaper reporting these days is the homogeneous nature of it. You can move from one to the next and see the same stories, the same video clips and photos, the same out-of-context edited quotes that skew what someone really said, the same rhetorical jargon. Some would assume that this sameness from one media source to another is because what is being said is true. Others might say it's because many of these media sources are owned and controlled by only a few corporations who are determined to promote the status quo.

We are seeing and hearing what media owners see as truth or as a suitable variation of the truth that has been vetted by someone, some organization or some government to provide what they deem as "need-to-know" information for the general public. Even though journalists may go to great lengths to obtain "the truth", their editors may slash and skew the text to tone it down or sensationalize it in hopes of gathering ratings or followers. News has become entertainment.  

It's also important to recognize that it is difficult to avoid bias in reporting the news. We casually accept, ignore or fail to notice this bias when the news source is within our own country or supports our own philosophical views. When news originates from other parts of the world however, such as China, Russia, South America or the Middle East, we often call this bias propaganda (defined as "ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause").

Are there any in depth investigative truthful news reports out there? Is it possible to ferret out a semblance of the truth from the barrage of information we are drowning in? I think we can come close if we make an effort to balance our perspective by reading or listening to a variety of news sources, both mainstream and alternative (see two examples below, Aljazeera* and RT**), and if we recognize that some "news" articles are not news at all, but are ads or opinion pieces.

From Wikipedia

*Aljazeera English. The network's stated objective is "to give voice to untold stories, promote debate, and challenge established perceptions. The station broadcasts news features and analysis, documentaries, live debates, current affairs, business, technology, and sports....The channel aims to provide both a regional voice and a global perspective for a potential world audience of over one billion English speakers who do not share the Anglo-American worldview. Instead of being run under one central command, news management rotates between broadcasting centers in Doha and London....Al Jazeera English is one of the few global media outlets to maintain an agency in Gaza, and in Harare.

**RT (RussiaToday) provides a Russian perspective on global events. Their Slogan: Question more. RT’s flagship, award-winning English-language channel airs 24/7 from the network’s Moscow offices and is available to more than 700 million viewers worldwide. It covers the most urgent domestic and international issues of our time for viewers wishing to question more and delivers stories often missed by the mainstream media to create news with an edge. RT provides an alternative perspective on major global events, and acquaints an international audience with the Russian viewpoint.