hs538514@ohio.edu
As the world becomes more and more digital, the content that journalists create and share must keep up. That being said, the rise of online news and the 24/7 news cycle has led to increasing doubts from media consumers about where content is coming from and who the sources are.
Sharing the truth with the public has always been one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect of the field of journalism. These days, people, especially those who are skeptical, want full transparency along with the truth.
How do we battle fake news?
In today's political climate, fake news and the news media have become synonymous to some. It is becoming less and less obvious to even dedicated news readers what is real and what is not. I have always enjoyed reading and keeping up with news on television and on paper, but things have changed.
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| Source: cloudfront.net |
Two years ago I never would've thought to double-check where a Facebook article was coming from. Now I immediately check the source of almost every article I find on the internet, even if it looks very reliable and trustworthy. I think having a lot of websites as options to check facts is important because only having one option may make people who are already wary even more wary of the credibility of the fact and possible biases.
How do we maintain credibility?
If a journalist makes an error in their reporting or writing, the best way to keep their credibility is to own up to their mistake and explain why the mistake occurred. Depending on how quickly the journalist corrects their mistake and is fully transparent in that mistake, it becomes less or more likely that they will lose credibility amongst readers.
Publications like The New Yorker are concerned about the move from paper-only formatting to a digital format. They are concerned that their regular print readers will be wary of online content.
In order to maintain credibility and reliability, journalists must be concerned about not only the correctness of their article or story, but how they will react if an error is found in their writing.
How do we make the readers feel involved?
It is the job of today's journalists to acknowledge the public's reservations and try to work with them as much as possible to maintain their reliability and credibility. Forming a sense of community with the audience and knowing who your readers are is a key to successful reporting. If a reader feels that they can relate to you, they're more likely to trust you.
Although I think social media has caused this era of fake news to spin somewhat out of control, it can be positive. Social media has created a way for me to keep up with my favorite reporters and writers in real time, which I really enjoy. I think Twitter and Facebook give these journalists a chance to stand up for themselves when they are under attack, but these platforms also give them an insight into their followers' minds.
In this profession of journalism, we need to be better at making every article and story even more credible than the last, whether it's through adding more sources or triple-checking our facts. Without our credibility, we cannot gain back the trust of the public.
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