SL668021@Ohio.edu
To See or To Read
In a series of detailed polling questions regarding trust in the media, media news sources, and trust in media personalities by YouGov, Trust in Media 2022: Where America Gets Their News and Who They Trust For Information, it is simple to summarize that most individuals lean toward viewing their news over printed pages. While print news offers more in-depth information, broadcast television news, streaming cable, and social media come in as the top three news source preferences.
YouGov
A Brief History
There are historical patterns that show the evolution toward viewership. Prior to 1920, news print was our main source of news information. Along came radio, which ignited an information war between the Press and Radio, aptly called the Press-Radio War. Radio kept its advancement and by 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his famous radio series, Fireside Chats. But the Golden Age of Radio was soon overtaken by Television. Fast Forward 🚀 to June 1, 1980, Ted Turner's Cable News Network 24 Hour News Cycle.
The First Hour of CNN June 1, 1980
Mass Media
CNN was the birth of 24 hour Mass Media and Americans were hooked on the news and the visual stimulation. Music Television followed suit 14 months later on August 1, 1981. Un-ironically, MTV's chose its debut song, Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. MTV permanently changed the way we listen and view music.
The First Video MTV August 1, 1981
Present Day
As consumers, we have a cornucopia of visual news and information at our disposal: YouTube, streaming news services, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Reels, Snapchat, etc.... One need these services have in common is our viewership as they compete for our attention. Why? Advertising revenue is the first component but there are also nefarious reasons, influence.
With a non-stop visual barrage, how do we, as consumers and budding journalists, decipher truth from fiction? It's not easy. We can all take a lesson from Daniel Dale. Dale is a Canadian journalist and Fact Checker leader in the industry. He first began his career in Toronto, Canada, fact checking politicians for the Toronto Star. In 2015, Dale became Toronto Star's Washington Corespondent and is now a contributor for CNN. He was exceptional in his rapid response fact checking the United States former President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention.
Multi-Step Fake
The above video, introduced by Daniel Dale, shows the novice eye ways in which videos can be altered, misused, and still appear legitimate. A German reporter, Marvin Bergauer, was reporting on Austria's Climate Demonstration. The creator of the altered video took the original video and reintroduced the video in a different context. What originally was a demonstration soon turned into a video of the media trying to fool the public by claiming the people in bodybags were dead Ukrainians. The Fake took many steps to appear legitimate. An English speaking reporter's voice, CNN's Cal Perry, was dubbed over the original reporter who was speaking German. (This was simple because the Austrian reporter was wearing a mask.) The creator removed the old banner* and replaced it with a legitimately looking news head line**.
Original*
Fake*
The purpose of this Fake is to embarrass and delegitimize mass media. Another purpose is to influence the audience and create distrust for news reporters and programing regarding the Ukrainian invasion.
News Travels Fast
The average viewer sees up to 10,000 ad images a day. Active social media users are exposed to media ads, video, and pictures regularly. It can be very difficult to identify the good from the bad. We also have bias that makes us willingly accept something as truth if it identifies with our ideology. However, we do have an ethical obligation to call out misbehavior regardless.
Keys to reporting on false images or videos remain constant. First is to guarantee the perceived information is truly false.
Check out the Washington Post Guide to Manipulated Video
1. Find the Source
2. Review the Source
3. Do your Research
Confirm the video matches the area the event is taking place.
1. Landmarks
2. Sketch Area
3. Google Maps
4. Confirm
When was the video filmed.
1. Giveaways
2. Lighting
3. Weather
4. Other Sources
Second step, according to Veronica Kwan, is to report altered images and manipulated videos; but there is a thin line on how to achieve success without inadvertently advancing Fake information. We as consumers also have an obligation to ensure we are not passing along discredited videos and altered images. Once a video or pictures has been confirmed to be altered, First Draft provides important advice on how or when to cover manipulated information.
Social media, twenty-four news channels, abundant options to view content did not create disinformation. It has been around since the time man/woman could speak. What has changed are the multiple avenues to spread disinformation, the technology to perfect it, and the lightning speed it travels. So I want to leave you with this familiar phrase inaccurately and ironically credited to Mark Twain.
A lie travels around the globe while the truth is putting on its boots.
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