Over the past year, there have been many calls to eliminate large networks like Fox and CNN due to their biased news coverage and clickbait headlines. Many believe that these corporations influence public opinion by spreading false information and propaganda.
Some even go as far to say that they create fake controversies in order to get more views and attention for themselves.
This is not only wrong but dangerous for our society. We as humans need other sources of information to know what’s going on around us. Having both left and right-leaning media can help expose you to different viewpoints so you don’t end up being influenced by one side only.
Another important function of having diverse media is that it helps keep governments accountable! Since no company has a monopoly on the truth, people all over the world are able to compare how various outlets cover an issue. This gives them insight into whether what officials are telling the public is true or if there were things left out.
There was a time when just having radio and TV would be enough. But with the explosion of technology and media, we now live in a world where anyone can broadcast anything to anywhere at any time. With the ease of sharing information online, people now have access to much less quality content than before.
There may be more bias
Recent events have made clear that there are many ways to get your news fix these days. With all of those different sources of information, how well you know each source is an important factor in determining what biases you will be exposed to.
Some sources of media content offer additional “bias” or incentives for certain narratives and stories. For example, someone with strong liberal views might give higher priority to stories about social justice issues than someone with conservative views would.
By having exposure to both types of stories, it can help expose you to multiple sides of an argument. But only if you recognize which side each story comes from!
Sources such as radio and newspaper journalism no longer exist in their current form. Technology has completely changed the way we receive our daily dose of news. And just like with any other medium, people use them for different reasons.
This article will talk about some potential drawbacks to watching CNN (or any other cable channel) as your main source of news.
There may be less informative content
Recent events have made it clear that not only are major media outlets failing, but they seem to be actively trying to spread propaganda at an alarming rate. All too often these corporations use sensationalistic stories with misleading headlines in order to draw attention to themselves.
By offering more of the same things over and over again, they gain your trust and influence their audience’s thoughts and beliefs about important issues.
That is why it is so crucial to stay informed by other sources. It is also why having a source you can rely on to tell you the truth — whether well documented or not — is so valuable.
Research has shown that people who watch fewer television shows and listen to lower quality music tend to be happier than those who do not. Unfortunately, we all pay a price for this by being exposed to a lot of empty, addictive entertainment.
In fact, one study found that every hour of TV watching was linked to a small decrease in happiness and satisfaction with life.
Given how much television seems to be used as a tool to distract and control us, I believe there is significant value in educating yourself on the best ways to avoid media in our daily lives.
There may be more advertising
With all of the coverage that is given to our national media companies, people often forget how much advertisers play in shaping the stories we read and listen to.
Advertisers pay big money to broadcast commercials during these media sources so they are obligated to make sure you watch or listen to their product. This means there will be more advertisements while you are watching or listening!
The amount of advertisement time can add up quickly when multiplied across different channels, so it is important to remember this before thinking about tuning out.
It also does not include outside ads or sponsored content within the show which may influence what you view as “normal” for journalism. For example, most major network newscasts now have an entertainment news segment with interviews and reports related to your favorite shows.
This could be considered paid promotion since the company paying to promote the product gets credit for the exposure. A similar thing happens when food brands advertise on the show, getting free marketing hype for their products.
There has never been a better time to learn how to use social media to spread knowledge and information. Spreadsheets cannot contain all of the info you get by sharing online. It is important to consider whether or not your expected level of journalistic accuracy is appropriate for yourself before spreading misinformation.
I hope I was able to open your eyes to the vast amounts of propaganda our nation’s largest corporations put into effect.
There may be less quality content
Over the past few years, there’s been a rise in digital media- including podcasts, YouTube videos, and now, even some kind of news service. All of these mediums have their advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is clear – people are increasingly consuming content online instead of via other devices.
That being said, you should consider how much time you want to invest into paying attention to different sources as part of your daily routine. If you’re only willing to spend 30 minutes per day listening to an audio magazine or podcast, then that’s probably not the best way to get your news.
On the other hand, if you’re already invested in watching television, maybe reading The Washington Post isn’t such a great idea. What about when you’re already listened to the radio?
Luckily for all of us, technology has made it possible to get our daily dose of news without requiring too much investment! Luckily, we can easily download your favorite news app onto another device, which means you don’t need to own both a smartphone and a tablet to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the world.
And while many experts agree that listening to the radio is a great way to start off with the news, there are some issues that might make it difficult to do so later.
There may be more clickbait
Recent events have made it clear that there are very few neutral sources of media these days. With every story, there is an agenda attached to it- whether it’s political, journalistic, financial, or otherwise.
Many people complain about the news being “biased” this or that, but they fail to realize how much bias some outlets add into their stories.
It’s impossible to view any given piece of media as objective, so why try? Some journalists will use sensational headlines with misleading content to get attention and therefore revenue.
This hurts the reader/viewer in two ways: first, by misrepresenting the source material, and second, by deceivingly marketing the article as important information when it is not. It can even influence you to make uninformed decisions because of the headline.
There may be less accuracy
Recent events have shown that even though there is an abundance of information available through online sources, it can’t always be trusted as fact.
This is especially true when it comes to politics. With social media offering ample opportunities to spread false or misleading rumors, propaganda, and gossip, it becomes increasingly difficult to know what is truth and what is not.
It was proven in 2016 when many people believed that candidate Donald Trump had paid someone off to claim he was sick so he could avoid the debate. This didn’t seem quite right since he held his second debate press conference just over a week later without any indication of illness.
So how do we fix this problem?
We start by teaching students about all types of news sources. Students should learn how to evaluate whether a source is trustworthy before using it to get knowledge.
There may be more speculation
With all of the coverage that we have seen in recent years, it is easy to assume that the public has little information coming from the “legitimate” news sources.
What many don’t realize is that there are actually several other major source types of broadcast media!
These include what are referred to as “talk show hosts” or “radio personalities.” These individuals can make very large salaries due to their content which includes speculations, theories, and false assumptions.
There may be less information
A lot of people these days have become accustomed to getting their news through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. They use those websites to watch live streams of TV shows, listen to talk radio, or read blogs about current events.
Many of these “news” sources are just as misleading as mainstream media, if not more so. With the availability of online content, there is no longer an obligation to get your news from traditional outlets.
In fact, some studies show that individuals who rely more heavily on social media for news are even more likely to be influenced by false rumors than readers of newspaper articles and listeners of broadcast radio.
It can also be difficult to differentiate between solid journalism and advertising when using social media as a source.
