Whenever I read a news article, I tell myself - that's how decline of journalism looks and feels like. One of the major reasons for this decline is the rise of the competing digital media platforms (internet, mobile phone), but not only.
There seems to be no critical, experienced eye on the material before it gets published - and that sometimes leads to shameful spelling errors, and factual inaccuracies.
We would expect a true journalist to ensure that the facts are correct, verified , balanced, and objective, that the sources on which the published story is based are available to the reader, to make it credible to him. But in most cases, no such thing.
Recently, two well-known journalists were sued by the PM, for writing lies about his health. I'm rather surprised. After all, they, the journalists, should know better than us, the ordinary people, what's possible and what not in this defamation game.
To write about someone's health you should have before your eyes a valid document, such as a doctor's report. They probably didn't have one, but based their assumptions on rumors and speculations.
MSN is the worst! It's like a commercial of some kind, and I am left confused. Yes, it is a sad state of things. Our little newspaper is now part of smaller cities together..and the Omaha World Herald really isn't that newsy. No thick newspapers around here. I guess it must be this way everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWe all have our specific examples, but I'm referring to newspapers in general.
DeleteI am perhaps a dinosaur but while I check (when I can) I tend to trust printed news more often than the on-line versions. Just the same there is room for improvement. The world over.
ReplyDeleteI suppose, in a way, we are all like you Sue, preferring the old print to the new online version. Old habits are hard to change...
DeleteI wonder if all journalists' articles still get read and approved by a sub-editor, like they used to. That was where bad spelling and grammar were corrected, and unsubstantiated stories were checked.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid, Hels, that even if there's a sub-editor, his work is very loose.
DeleteI wonder what happened to real journalists. Clickbait is the driver now, it seems.
ReplyDeleteI rather dislike this word - clickbait - as it attracts readers by exploiting curiosity and might mislead information to increase page views.
DeleteIt's the concept, rather than the word, that I don't like. Its purpose is purely to create outrage and views, often without content.
DeleteRight, Boud. It's the concept, not the word itself.
DeleteG'day, DUTA....I prefer reading the paper versions of newspapers...and that is what I do...never the digital kind. Same applies to books. I read only the paper variety...and that method will continue with me.
ReplyDeleteI just hope the present and future generations are encouraged to do similar....although my hopes for that to happen fade with each passing day.
Take good care. :)
Hi, Lee. Nothing wrong with preferring the newspapers and the printed books. We just wish proper attention should be given to spelling and to accuracy of fact,. We deserve to be taken seriously.
DeleteYou know Duta - I agree with you - you can't trust what you read - what you hear - especially now with AI. You don't know if it is real or not. Hard times.
ReplyDeleteWell, I wouldn't go that far with the ' no trusting'. I just wish there's more attention given to facts and spelling.
DeleteYou make some valid points.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. Thank you, Kathy.
DeleteDuta, I'm not sure if your typo in the title of this post ("Prnted" instead of "Printed") was an accident, or a commentary on spell checkers and fact checkers. Either option is logical.
ReplyDelete(I didn't want to embarrass you by pointing out a possible mistake, but if it was feel free to delete this comment.)
It should be -'printed'. Thanks for pointing at the mistake (my yesight is not what it used to be).
DeleteThe press used to be an impressive standard referred to as the 'fifth estate'. Especially the decline in local papers. It's given rise to news deserts, and increased mistrust of the media by the public.
ReplyDeleteRight, Liam. It used to be quite the standard. The decline is felt indeed, more in the local papers.
DeleteI'm in agreement with you that we can't trust unless we verify the news these days, Duta. What a shame and a disgrace for those who are supposed to report news in a balanced and professional way, not with political bias.
ReplyDeleteI'm overjoyed that four hostages were released thanks to the IDF yesterday - that is real news worth celebrating!
Indeed, Martha, I'm afraid we can't always completely trust the jounalists as to the veracity of their news.
DeleteThanks for joining us in the joy of the current hostages release.
Such a shame the correct news is not written no matter what subject. We on the Island seem to be ok with news, it's the spelling sometimes that is not so good.
ReplyDeleteThat's how it is nowadays - if not the facts, the spelling, or both. Glad you feel OK about the news in your neck of the woods, Margaret.
DeletePrinted or not, I don't believe everything they said.
ReplyDeleteThere are more and more people like you, Angie, that have stopped to believe the in news, printed or not.
DeleteIt used to be a case of waiting for a newspaper to be printed and distributed before we got the news but now, with TV and the internet, we have news 'as it happens'. Journalists want to be ahead of the game and so it seems 'news' goes out immediately. There's no time for checks to be made, it's all about reporters being the first to report it. You can never be sure what's real and what isn't.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your "it's all about reporters being the first to report it". No time for checks to be made.
DeleteI tend to trust the news but doesn't sound like you can
ReplyDeleteYour tendency, Christine, at clash with reality, as it is.
DeleteThe health of our leaders is something the people have a right to know for sure! Especially in this world we live in…
ReplyDeleteMarie, you're the first commenter, so far. that refers to our leaders. It's the health of our PM, and his lawsuit against the two journalists, that made me write the post
DeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeleteThank you Rajani Rehana.
DeleteBetween conspiracy theories and other info that pops up online, there is so much false info out there, even when one is researching. That happens both online, video and print. I get especially frustrated by bad typos and editing or bad writing in the newspapers. Our local paper might as well not even exist. It became part of a chain and there is little that is local anymore.
ReplyDeleteThat looks sad, Jeanie: false information, bad writing and editing, disappearance of the local news.
DeleteThere are few journalists who investigate what they report. They generally recreate the news that someone else has investigated
ReplyDeleteRight. Journalists have turned into news recreators and left to others to be news investigators.
DeleteJournalism has declined a lot in recent years. Lots of untruths, mispelling and stories that try to grab people's attention when actually the story is not even news worthy.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I'm completely with you on this, Bill.
DeleteI don't believe much in the news anymore. They print and say what they want to fit their own agenda. At least here in the US that is the case. Janice
ReplyDelete"...to fit their own agenda." - exactly. I think it's everywhere, not only in the USA, although the latter, sets the tone as in many other things.
DeleteI feel you can never trust the media here, it's no longer unbiased and all the newspapers we have will mislead us, they can afford to be sued if they are challenged. The same applies to our news channels in my view. Betty
ReplyDeleteYou may be right. They can probably afford to be sued, and that makes it easily for them to mislead.
DeleteEvery media outlet has a bias. I find myself reading news, with the slant that I like, rather than news sites that have an opposite opinion. We all think we're right, so there will never be a consensus...there will always be arguing and disagreement. Hope you are well, DUTA.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not referring to consensus and disagreement; just to the basics of decent journalism: accuracy of facts and of spelling.
DeleteToo many ‘journalists’ are just commentators these days.
ReplyDeleteWhatever; the reader of the news is entitLed to get them in the correct , basic format of accuracy.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to know what to read. We've found that in order to support traditional journalism, we can subscribe to reputable news publications on line. Every publication has a slant and it's important to read a variety of sources. Still, I take what I read anywhere with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteThat's the right attitude - taking what you read "with a grain of salt" :)
Deletei do not read news:)
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Kathy!
DeleteSadly, we can not depend on what we read in the news. Sometimes opinion is presented as fact.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed spelling errors and odd phrasing too. That's hard to understand. Don't they have spellcheck at the very least or an editor?
You're absolutely right, Sandi. Sometimes opinion is presented as fact; spelling and phrasing errors abund. Just terrible!
DeleteWhat you read in the Newspapers is not always the truth, same for TV. I like to watch the German, BBC and French News. Sometimes there are differences in the same News. And then there are also countries where you have to pay attention what you say !
ReplyDeleteWhen reading or watching the news, we should be on the alert, to be able to detect the truth from the non-truth.
DeleteI couldn't agree with you more, Duta, about the declining state of the printed news! Even with the news that we read online I find myself thinking, "Does no one ever proof read these articles anymore?"
ReplyDeleteExactly, Dianna. When reading the news , we become appalled by the inaccuracy of both facts and editing.
DeleteIt does seem that journalism has declined in recent years. Of course there is so much 'social media' but what and who do we believe? I think it's important to read/research a variety of sources.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
True. Variety of sources help us deal with the decline in journalism.
DeleteEvery word you say is true. That's why I try not to listen to the news. You state that there is no critical, experienced eye on material before it gets published, I agree! I'll stray from news and media though. On my work computer, I have a little news pop-up that pops up every so often with breaking news or important info and if I click on it I can read what the news/info is. Every day...EVERY DAY DUTA, there is a food recall for safety or health issues. Is no one monitoring food? I'm scared to eat anything anymore.
ReplyDeleteAt my age, I have a more or less fixed menu w.hich keeps me alive and well. These are basic, simple items, and I'm not aware of any recalls. Recalla would really scare me.
Delete