We hear opinions all the time about whether news is good or bad, real, or fake, right, or wrong, left or right. In a recent survey, half of Americans believe they are being deliberately deceived by the news, although most cannot back it up with facts, largely because they cannot decide what a fact is. “Facts” are based more on what they “feel” is true, and not facts coming from reliable, credible, authoritative sources.

The comedian-satirist Steve Colbert coined the word “Truthiness” years ago to describe that feeling, belief or assertion that a particular statement is true based on the intuition or perceptions of some individual or individuals, rather than evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts. Truthiness is an Appeal to Emotion, an internal logical fallacy, that is found on all news websites that promote “causes”—whether left, right or center—that posits ignorant assertions of lies, deliberate duplicity, or propaganda used to sway opinions. We also hear the term “confirmation bias” as an excuse for misinformation and disinformation, which is nothing more than groups afflicted with “truthiness” on a larger scale.

News can be anything that interests someone or a group. Aggregate news exists for that reason. News targets niche interests and markets for mass consumption by covering news on government, crime, sports, entertainment, health, natural disasters, politics, opinion, comics, social and cultural changes, political cartoons, and obituaries. Today there are many people are "self-appointed experts" in everything from the U.S. Constitution to politics, weather, education, disease, medicine, entertainment, and sports.

News tells us what is going on—especially things that may present a threat or opportunity. News is mostly a good thing. The downside is that every potential threat, whether it is real or manufactured, is presented as an “existential threat,” whether right now or soon, that threatens our very existence and safety.

We have become a nation of paranoid, anxiety-ridden, angry, scared, negative, depressed victims with little reason to live. Our news has taken normal, healthy “dislike or disagreement” of someone or some “thing,” into unreasoning, illogical, “hatred,” or “rage.”

As a local journalist, I have often been asked what I consider to be news or newsworthy. Local news can be especially difficult because of the lack of resources available to small media outlets.

There are many positive aspects of news. It is readily and reliably available—often free—from radio, television, websites and podcasts to print media such as newspapers and magazines. Real news should be fact-based, rational, and responsible. The facts should come from only reliable, authoritative sources.

News can also be ridiculous, repetitive, outrageous, rancorous, reckless, raging, ranting, repugnant, rumor mongering, and self-righteous.

Seriously, badly provided news can come from any news outlets (left, right or center) because journalists are also people! (Just like corporations!) Journalists can easily be influenced, erratic, inconsistent, emotional, and even misled or lied to by sources. Here at Sierra Wave Media, we try to get news right…and yes, we sometimes can get it wrong.

Many people proudly announce that they “do not listen, read, or watch news…at all! It is just too depressing!” or declare that “it is all fake news. Commonly heard locally is “I don’t read THAT newspaper!” or “I don’t listen to local radio.” Interestingly, “that” seldom stops them from expressing their opinions on matters they have never apparently heard, seen, or read about.

Complicating “What is news?” is that news often has a point of view or perspective. For example, a simple description in a news article about policing stating that “I took a ride in a police car” easily takes on an entirely different meaning depending on whether you rode “in the front seat… or in the back.”

Charles James

 
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