In the hours after Iran attacked two Iraqi military bases that housed U.S. troops in January, social media predictably was rampant with rumors. Old and doctored photos surfaced claiming to show the bases on fire, and users shared reports on Twitter and Facebook that the missile strikes had killed Americans. A news-savvy, educated friend of mine posted on Facebook that 30 … [Read more...] about Local media outlets should be on frontline of misinformation war to help readers
Opinion
Press, candidates flub discussion of abortion, privacy and the courts
This month’s Democratic presidential debate descended into confusion when candidates discussed the Supreme Court and abortion. The candidates threw around jargon that probably confused many Americans and seemed to confuse each other. None of the candidates had a cogent answer and the press didn’t begin to untangle the mess. There was mention of the Ninth Amendment, … [Read more...] about Press, candidates flub discussion of abortion, privacy and the courts
Limbaugh destroyed media’s credibility
Rush Limbaugh was never a journalist. But he did more to harm journalism than any other human being in the last 50 years. Limbaugh was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom Feb. 4 during the State of the Union. Democrats sat flabbergasted while Republicans cheered. It was the perfect moment for a State of the Union address that highlighted the great American political … [Read more...] about Limbaugh destroyed media’s credibility
Stop pretending media trust issue is only a problem for national news outlets
A sweeping new Pew Center report that examines trust in the media confirmed an uneasy truth that we can no longer ignore. It’s not just that our readers don’t trust us. They think we are unethical. And like everything else in America right now, it’s a partisan truth. According to the analysis, Republicans consistently express far greater skepticism of the news and their … [Read more...] about Stop pretending media trust issue is only a problem for national news outlets
Year three of Trump’s war on truth: Replacing enlightenment virtues with Dark Age fantasies
At the end of year three and on the verge of impeachment, Donald J. Trump is destroying Enlightenment principles that undergird American Democracy and the First Amendment - the faith that science, reason, facts and empiricism can triumph over ignorance, superstition, lies and darkness. Our model democracy, our free press, our professional government, our world-class … [Read more...] about Year three of Trump’s war on truth: Replacing enlightenment virtues with Dark Age fantasies
