2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Webster Prescott, the reporter for The World didn’t seem to be interested in the truth, just exclusive angles to sell newspapers. Did it surprise you that no one in the industry seemed to be interested in the facts, even Pulitzer’s paper? How do we compare today?

I think it is somewhat similar today! Dramatic news still sells best. Luckily we have so many sources available to us today we can general sort out the truth.

I think we do better with the major, respectable outlets with getting the facts right. All of them, however, let the salacious rise to the top.

I believe, here in the US, our major news outlets have gone back to the basics in journalism. They lost their way during our last presidential election news cycle and are certainly paying the price for it now. I’m seeing some of the best reporting these days, similar to what I was used to back in the late 70s. I surely hope these are long-lasting lessons learned.

I agree with Phrynne, it's not all that different today. Journalistic integrity has gone out the window in favor of sensationalist headlines.

I really hope you are right, Jonetta, that mainstream media is on the mend, but far too often I still see biased reporters and manipulation of events and facts. In addition, fewer and fewer people trust the traditional media outlets these because they have shown their bias. This has led to people getting their information from independent and unreliable sources, and not believing the facts of something despite all evidence to the contrary.
It's both a sad and dangerous state of affairs.

Two I’ve monitored for a long time have cleaned up their acts considerably...The New York Times and The Washington Post. I’m even seeing the US network news channels making a concerted effort to go back to the basics of reporting news and refraining from opinion. I’m still seeing issues in network news editorial decisioning but it’s improved dramatically. When I can’t tell whose side they’re taking, I count that as a win.

The last election cycle reporting was a disaster and an embarrassment. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, hearing and experiencing. These are dark moments in our history.

One other thing...

We can’t turn away from these outlets. We have to take issue with them and force change. I sent emails and tweets to all of them during that time, expressing my disappointment and dissatisfaction, even abandoning one news outlet I’d watched faithfully for over 20 years (I let them know why). I returned when they made drastic changes at every level.

Don’t ever assume your voice doesn’t matter. Just look at what our kids are doing and achieving these days. The politicians are ignoring them but constituents are not. November is going to be interesting.

I don't really monitor NYT or the Washington Post that much. Most of what we see internationally is the BBC, CNN and SkyNews or Fox News (which is obviously a complete disgrace).

The BBC once had an incredible reputation for honest reporting (CNN less so), but there have been too many cases of bias and manipulation facts of that they have lost much of their credibility.

I think that social media plays a significant role in this with reporters expressing their opinions on Twitter and Facebook too quickly with little to no investigation. In these times of immediate gratification, people no longer have the patience to wait for the facts to emerge or even read an entire article to find out what's really going on. They believe the misleading headlines and go no further.

It is very upsetting.

Breaks my heart about the BBC as I’ve respected their past reporting.

CNN is just annoying in their attempt to provide both sides of an issue. They use sycophants to argue the positions instead of well informed journalists. I stopped watching them a few years ago. That's just not my idea of balanced reporting. There are so many credible subject matter experts out there to choose from and they can’t seem to access them.

Don’t know how Fox News lost their way but they’re certainly operating from an alien planet these days. Maybe the plethora of misogynistic leaders and high profile anchors launched them into this foreign galaxy. They’re painful to watch.

Jonetta wrote: "Don’t know how Fox News lost their way but they’re certainly operating from an alien planet these days."

Lol! That is so true. It always amazes me that they can sprout such drivel and actually appear to believe it!

No comment. I trust very little of what I hear, no matter the "news" source these days, and not more of what they choose to show me :(