Support journalism that is independent and honest
(Stock photo by Nenov via Getty Images Plus)
I am often overwhelmed and alarmed by much of what passes as news in the United States. Moreover, the problem of fake news is increasing as we become ever more polarized and as our government tries to undermine and to silence media that exposes intentions and actions it wants to keep hidden from us. Adding to the problem is the proliferation of social media posts that may or may not be accurate.
Increasingly, I have become a supporter of independent journalism and have dropped my subscriptions to local papers — owned by what some call vulture equity firms, interested only in power and profit. I've even dropped my long-time subscriptions to two well-known national newspapers. Instead, I support my local library, where I can access, online, my local newspaper, as well as national news publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
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I am not necessarily advocating that you drop your newspaper subscription. Instead, I am hoping you are aware of the many independent news sources available to you. In Colorado, among those I support are Colorado Sun, Mountain Ear and this newspaper, Colorado Newsline (part of the States Newsroom organization).
Conveniently, in Colorado alone there are many more independent news sources than the three I have named. The Media and Democracy Project has compiled a list that can be found at the organization's website.
Personally, I also support a number of independent national news sources, some of which are identified online at trustworthymedia.org.
Most crucially, I support those organizations that support independent journalism in a variety of ways — organizations such as the Colorado News Collaborative, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Media and Democracy Project.
What do I mean by independent news sources? Independent news sources are those that are free from the influence of governments, corporations or special interest groups, ensuring that what they report is truthful. To determine independence, you could begin by looking at whether the news source is more reliant on facts than on opinions/arguments, by investigating the sources of its funding and whether there are potential conflicts of interest, by evaluating its history and track record (e.g., its record for exposing criminality or abuses of power), and by assessing the extent to which it follows established journalistic standards and ethics.
When I want to ensure that what I am reading is trustworthy, I search for primary sources if available (e.g., a C-Span video or a legal document) and for additional reports on the topic. I search FactCheck.org, Reuters Fact Check, Snopes, and Media Bias/Fact Check, too — all available online.
We are awash in fake news, and it is eating away at our society. We deserve an honest, skeptical, independent press. Too much of corporate-run media is only interested in lining their own pockets at our expense. According to a Sept. 18, 2020, article in TechStartups online:
These media conglomerates are owned by the elite or the ruling class, which extends its reach to encompass not only traditional power structures but also modern behemoths like big tech companies, exerting control over the content we consume — what we read, watch, and listen to …
The term 'elite' often slips into our conversations without much thought, yet its roots and significance remain unfamiliar to many. Derived from the French élite, which traces back to the Latin eligere, meaning 'to select or to sort out,' elites represent a select group of influential individuals who wield a disproportionate share of wealth, privilege, political power, or expertise within society.
Are you confused and overwhelmed about whom and what to believe?
If so, make a point of becoming a savvy news consumer, and spreader, of truly important and reliable news. Don't repeat or repost something you've read without first checking out whether it's true. And support independent journalism.
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