Facts vs Opinions

Kaitlin Heneghan
heneghankait@gmail.com

Cartoon by Michael Cambon
https://www.wan-ifra.org/media/images/cartoons-by-michel-cambon

Everyone has an opinion. It's one thing that makes us different as individuals. When people start to think their opinions, or the opinions of people they like, are more truthful and reliable than the facts presented to them through the media is when there starts to be an issue.

In the recent years there are stories that have been told that people are quickly claiming to be "fake news". People have their own opinion and do not want to believe the truth that goes against that. Blaming the media and making journalists "the enemy" is wrong, but is what is happening. Over time media has been less and less trusted by citizens everywhere. The public not trusting the media is a serious matter that has been ongoing for sometime.

Journalists are affected most by this. Media outlets and journalists can get information wrong time to time, but this should not target them as the enemy. Journalists have certain ethical codes that are followed when reporting. Whether it be a personal ethical code, or ethical codes created and used by many, journalists report the truth by the best of their ability to the public. It is not fair to attack journalists just because the reader does not agree with the story that is being told. It is easy for the public to put the blame on the journalists because they would rather not face the truth. To have consumers assume that what journalists report as "fake news" because they do not agree with what the journalist reported makes it challenging for anyone to decide what to believe.

The saying "it's their word against mine" seems to come to my mind when talking about how the media is looked at as untrustworthy in today's society. It's almost like people have began to look at journalists as people who say what they want in article, not taking in that what is reported are facts. Readers then decide if it's truthful because it agrees with their opinions, or "fake news" because it does not.

In the article Yes, the Media Still Matters, the writer talks to different professors about how journalism students can be taught to be trustworthy writers in their future careers. It's interesting to read through what each professor has to say about what he/she is teaching students. One person mentions that they tell their students that need to tell their audience that they did the most honest work they could. I think In my opinion, until the public that are reading these stories stop seeing facts as opinions then trust in the media may come back.

https://www.npr.org/sections/publiceditor/2017/05/15/528158488/looking-to-the-future-restoring-public-trust-in-the-media