Now that the election is over, I would like to let loose on my biggest pet peeve – fake news sites.
It especially makes my blood boil every time I see a friend or acquaintance share one of the “click-bait” articles on social media.
The pictures are often photoshopped for illustrative purposes. Videos are sometimes edited out of context.
And, the articles…[heavy sigh].
At best, these “news” articles (when you actually get past the sensational headlines), are nothing more than essays, pontificating about how the world should operate, without providing any concrete facts.
At worst, they are blatant editorials; skewed to whichever side the author happens to lean — blatant, and obvious.
Please, allow me to share some of the practices of a real news operation:
–Distinguish editorial content from news stories: Written opinions, columns and letters to the Editor should always be labeled as such – hence, the word “Viewpoints” in red letters near the top of this page.
–Never photoshop a news photo: Exceptions would be adjusting the color for newsprint or the lighting for clarity. Stock photos used for illustration should be clearly labeled as such.
–Identify your sources: Quotations, statements and opinions should always be attributed to someone other than the person reporting on the story. News writers should save their opinions for the editorial page (like this one).
–Report on both sides of the issue (or, at least, give both sides the opportunity to comment): Of course, not everyone likes to go on record, which is why news organizations use such phrases as “not available at press time” or “declined to comment.” The point is that a legitimate attempt be made to get both parties to share their story.
Providing readers information, as accurate and complete as possible, is our job. Anything less is not worthy to be called real news.
