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Critical Thinking in the Modern Age of News

We have gotten used to news stories that are headlined with or contain opinions, even when they are not labeled as an opinion piece. Modern publishers and media companies are chasing attention and profit.

#journalism #citizenship

If a person is described in a story, one ideological side might describe him or her as brave or patriotic and another side might describe him or her as being a partisan of a political party. But what are the facts? Is the person experienced? What has the person accomplished?

Is there relevant context to the story that the news story is leaving out? This is a slipperier slope. Broadcast stories (TV, radio, even podcast) have time constraints, print mediums have deadlines, and web-based journalism tries to post first on a story when possible.

I've already commented on the tweet from a wire service reporter that I felt read more like an opinion piece and didn't, to me, seem to be laying out the facts in an even-handed manner. I have a strong preference for history and context in news stories.

I think reporters can be informative *and* interesting. If the news media, in all its forms, isn't going to try to place the historic events of a presidential impeachment into context, compare it to prior impeachment proceedings, quote from the testimony . . . what is the point?

The thing that bothers me most about the lack of objectivity in the piece from the wire service reporter is knowing that a lot of newspapers get their national (and international) news from the wire services. This is a story that will be in papers across the country.

My point -- and I do have one -- is that citizens need to look at the facts, do research ourselves, read from multiple sources, and think critically. Don't let anyone tell you what to think. If someone makes millions of dollars to do their job in media...

...it doesn't mean they're perfect. It means they are competent enough and/or profitable enough for their parent company to continue to do the job. Ask yourself where their expertise comes from. Do they read widely? Are they telling you their opinion or telling you what happened?

Is the person a trained journalist? Does the person schmooze a lot with the people they cover? (It is very common for people in the same, or overlapping, lines of work to socialize, form friendships, even marry. Just factor it in when making a judgment about the reporting.)

Is the person intelligent and/or well-educated? Have they ever been censured or fired for something that affected the quality or integrity of their work? I am realizing that this all sounds like a lot of work.

But the stories in the news are consequential. Untrue stories have sent us to war and resulted in the deaths of members of our military. The weight given to one story over another could have swayed a presidential election.

If you call yourself a patriot, if you are proud to be an American but worried about things our government has done or is doing, don't be a lemming when it comes to your news consumption. Question your beliefs if you don't personally have knowledge and experience to back them up.

If you watch MSNBC and read the NY Times, check out Fox and the Wall Street Journal. What are the differences in how the stories are reported? How much of the story is the opinion of the reporter and how much is fact? Where do the stories match?

What has the reporter chosen to include? What have they chosen to exclude? A completely factual news story could say, This morning a previously thriving young cherry tree was found on the ground. The reporter might not acknowledge that a person was standing nearby with an ax.

A headline writer or reporter could choose to spin this. "Neighbors Say Loss of Tree is Sign of Increasing Youth Criminality" or "George Washington Has No Alibi for Night Before Tree Was Chopped Down." Neither story is including the who, what, when, where, why.

Final points: Think critically. Read widely. Do your own research about politicians. Vote.

And please don't paint half of your fellow citizens with one broad brush -- they are the parents of your children's friends, your neighbors, your friends, and your family members.