Truth or Speedy Delivery?

Natalie Townsend
nt406814@ohio.edu

Any credible journalist knows that truth is, and always will be, the core value of any piece of journalism. But, with all new speedy media platforms, truth can get shoved under the rug and saved for a later date.

As journalists, it is our duty to dig deep to find the truth and spread it. But this can be difficult during a time when media, such as viral videos, false articles, and other online rumors are being produced faster than the truth.

This picture shows how some people believe everything they see on the internet.
http://justinternetthings.blogspot.com/2014/11/welcome-to-fifth-estate.html

It can be tempting to skip the fact checking and just post that awesome picture or tweak the story for that perfect ending, but is it worth the risk of ruining your credibility and ultimately your career?

BuzzFeed is on a mission to gain trust from its readers and put out more hard news stories. But is it possible for them to build that trust after years of false stories? Some argue that they should stick to the stuff they know, which is entertainment stories like their popular and relatable lists.

Already BuzzFeed has started doing corrections and has gotten rid of their tricky headlines to catch the readers eye.

KFC however, is working in quite the opposite direction of BuzzFeed with its attempt to promote its "healthy food."

Everybody knows that KFC is fast food and is most definitely not good for your body, so why are they trying to deceive their customers?

Telling the truth is not only important when telling stories and reporting, but also for advertising. There are other ways of advertising and persuading that don't involve lying. Especially lies that everyone KNOWS are untrue. 

There are countless examples of lies in journalism, whether it be through photoshopped pictures, unchecked facts, false claims, or any falsified information. But it is important that journalists really take the time to ensure that the information they are putting out there is accurate and reliable.

Word travels fast in this day and age, so once you put something false out there, it is not easy to come back from it. At the end of the day, it's more important to have a factual piece of journalism rather than the fastest piece.