Fake News
August 24th, 2006 | by Todd W |Thanks to frequent commenter Paul Williams for the link here.
Journalism has been taking a lot of hits lately. We’ve had the Reuters photojournalism scandal. We had Rathergate. Awhile back we had a Pew poll that revealed a serious erosion in public trust of the media. I personally can’t get through ten minutes of CNN without a dash to the bathroom to deposit my meal in the toilet.
The integrity of the media is essential in a free society. This is why the hint of bias on either side of the political spectrum bothers me. Sure, it is fun to watch Fox News after years of the other stuff, but at the end of the day, I can’t really trust anything completely. When Shephard Smith tells me something, I have to think about the slant and go check my facts.
I suppose scepticism is a good thing, but the vast majority of people (we call them voters) don’t have the time or energy, or even desire, to look beyond what they are being fed by the increasingly untrustworthy media.
And now we have things like this.
The Federal Communications Commission has mailed letters to the owners of 77 television stations inquiring about their use of video news releases, a type of programming critics refer to as “fake news.”
Video news releases are packaged news stories that usually employ actors to portray reporters who are paid by commercial or government groups.
The letters were sparked by allegations that television stations have been airing the videos as part of their news programs without telling viewers who paid for them.
Local television news is notorious for playing fast and loose in the name of ratings. I recall our first week watching the local news in Atlanta after moving down there. We were terrified of venturing into the city, convinced that armed gangs were killing at will all over the place. Local news is less about journalism and more about ratings.
And stunts like this aren’t helping things when it comes to regaining the public’s trust.
Journalism doesn’t seem to be about truth anymore. And the Republic suffers because of it.
I only hope the new media continues to develop and restore the fourth estate to its essential function.
