What is News? I think it is time to ask again: What really is News?

I want to start a conversation about what news is and I want you to join me.? Despite the Coronavirus, our lives are still moving at an accelerated pace and right now we’re all seeking the security that only true information can bring.? ?

If you’ve ever read or heard objective news and at the end of the story, you’re not “black and white” clear about who's right or wrong, and you must figure that out for yourself, then you've found some real news.? Many of us haven't been exposed to real news for a long time.?

The news used to seem to tell us the truth, then we’d need to think about it.? Now the news tells us what to think and we have to try to figure out the truth somehow.

It hasn’t always been this way, but at this point in our culture, getting the facts of what is actually happening requires curating information from several different sources, such as CNN, Fox, BBC, Bloomberg, NPR, Al Jazeera, etc. Yet even curating from several sources isn’t a guarantee, which I find incredibly frustrating.

There is a huge difference between news and commentary -- now that “news” is available 24 hours a day, news sources, especially networks, use commentary as filler.? Once upon a time, the day’s information was condensed into an hour and basically the same information was broadcast on every network, which gave us a sense of clarity and even more importantly, a common set of facts.? We had the feeling that the news was giving us what we needed to know in the form of direct information about what was actually happening in our world, even if it wasn’t 100% accurate every time.??

With the evolution of the 24-hour news cycle and the rise of Social Media, there are so many things competing for our attention now, that facts themselves have become a matter of debate, and we’re supposed to accept commentary as current events.? “Commentary'' is someone's interpretation or opinion about events (or non-events as the case may be), and we all know the proverbial “everyone’s got one.”?

What’s interesting to me about human nature is that when we hear a commentator dis someone we hate or praise someone we like, we don’t notice the corrosive effect on our society.??

I believe real news is an accurate description of facts that are verified by multiple sources, and I believe we shouldn't have to work so hard to get the real news of the day.

Here’s a hypothetical example: Two cars collide -- one person is dead and the other person is alive.? That would be news.? Now a reporter might say, “A man angrily slammed his vehicle into a vehicle driven by a woman who died in the crash.’”? The reporter’s description might be commentary if we don't have specific, verifiable data on it.??

News is fake when you don't get the pros and cons, when you don't get a comparison to other things, and when you don't get the "what specifically happened" first.?

News is fake when they reassure you that one side is "right" and the other is "wrong.”

News is fake when they collect all the events or conditions remotely related to the topic together, but don’t put them into context.

News is real when it shows events in context and in relationship to other things.? News is real when it leaves you UNclear on who is "right or wrong," because real news truly shows both sides, which forces you to think for yourself.? Real news is committed to giving you all the facts, and only the facts of what really happened, before giving you any commentary about the facts.?

Now, in the midst of a pandemic, it is critical that we stand up to the status quo and ask our local and national news sources to demonstrate that they know the difference between information and interpretation.? We need them to deliver the facts of what actually happened first, then say, "Now, here is our commentary on it…”?

I do want to give credit to most local news media, especially in the Raleigh area, because I think they put much more effort into relaying the facts first, but in many cases the national news does not.? Even with regard to local news, I am shocked by the fact that I can find much more information about what is going on in my community on the community watch platform Nextdoor.? I will often think, why did this not get on the nightly local news??

Growing up in Washington, D.C., my family held a high degree of respect for news giants like The Washington Post or the Washington Star (we got both),? but when they stopped getting the newspaper several years ago, it wasn’t because they disagreed with it, but because they couldn't find the facts buried underneath all the commentary.? I have no problem with commentary itself but I do have a problem when it’s presented as news, because that removes all of its integrity.

I want the news!

I want the news!? Does anyone else miss Walter Cronkite?? I want to know what actually happened, first.? I want the media to treat us with the respect we deserve. We can think for ourselves -- we don’t need them to tell us what to think.? I want them to act as responsibly toward us as they do to their advertisers.? I want them to tell us upfront what the facts are, instead of cloaking them in sensationalism.? Catchy titles and melodrama belong in Hollywood, not on the news.? It’s time for the media to develop another business model besides clickbait for their advertisers.

For example, some companies, such as Gatehouse, operate their newsrooms based on what stories get the most hits on social media. Some in the media won't cover city council or sports, but will cover a dog parade.? It’s time for news media outlets and networks to distinguish themselves from social media platforms.?

The national media argue that they are giving us what we want by pushing commentary and drama in front of facts and I take issue with that argument.? The media might be surprised to find how fast they’d grow their audience if they put the effort into building a foundation of trust with us by presenting proper information first, then deliberately identifying the next segment as interpretation.? In their haste to please their advertisers, they have forgotten the importance of maintaining trust with their audiences.???

Here’s another example: when the New York Times first got the story started on Harvey Weinstein’s sexually abusive behavior in 2004, the producer at the time threatened to pull a hefty advertising budget.? As a result, it took many years before the story came out, and I wonder how many incidents of abuse could have been prevented if only they’d printed the story at the outset?

My need to know verifiable facts first doesn’t diminish my desire to hear others’ views, in fact the opposite is true.? I’m all for a healthy debate, I just think a debate on what to do about the facts is far more constructive than a debate on what a fact is.? I know we all bring some degree of bias from our past experience to what we see.? That is why it is so important for us to do our best to describe what our senses perceive, then to separate that data from our interpretation.??

?If I saw it, you saw it, three other people saw it, and all eyes and ears agree, then that is what occurred.? Everything else is opinion.? It is time that we asked the news to be the news again.? If you’re as tired as I am of sifting through the commentary, please join me in communicating your distaste to the media outlets you frequent.??

To increase your effectiveness, make a point of going beyond a general complaint -- make a request, and make it specific.? You might say something like, “I want to know what actually happened first, then clearly mark or state your commentary as such.“? Here is a great opportunity for the rest of us to become the new media, which is something I proposed a decade ago.? Check out my video on the topic.

In these trying times, with many of us isolated from each other, we turn to the media for clarification, not for drama.? If they would focus more on giving us accurate information, then they would earn back our good will.? After behaving consistently for a while, they might even earn the right for us to look at their ads again, which are necessary for their financial survival.? They must be unaware that their commitment to drama and commentary is driving more and more of us away from them as a trusted source, and they have no one to blame but themselves.?

Of course, the news media’s lack of commitment to providing accurate information over commentary does create a vacuum, which in turn breeds conspiracy theories.?

The rise of social media and streaming platforms, combined with the news media’s negligence and lack of accountability has driven many people to turn off the news altogether.? Many others have begun using news media to amplify their own biases or justify their own positions on issues instead of using it to gather facts relevant to their lives.??

The harder we have to work to get the facts, the easier it is to forget that we need them.? The fewer facts we can agree on, the wider the divide between us grows, and the harder it becomes for us all to work together.

Here’s a tip: if you're in a group or at a party where you question something and you're attacked for it, then you're probably in a cult, not in a place that allows for free-thinking, and you may want to re-evaluate things. Truth is not afraid of opposition.

One thing I've learned about human nature is to be careful of what you hate, because there's a good chance you'll become it and then be unconscious of how that happened.? I love the quote about when I'm accusing someone or something, there are three fingers pointing back at me.

One of the most recent Nobel Prize winners for Journalism says, “If you don’t have facts, you can’t have truth.? If you don’t have truth, you don’t have trust.? Without any of these things, democracy is dead”? https://youtu.be/A1sTFtUvOuI .

?It seems like I am just blaming the news media for our low-quality news and there is enough blame to go around. BUT they are the ones that claim to be "the news" and "the news" is losing more and more viewers so trying something new can't hurt. Thanks for your attention.?

What is "real news" to you?

Let me hear your perspective in the comments.

Update: I asked OpenAI Chatbot, ChatBPT some questions about News:

What is News?

ChatBPT's response:

News refers to new information or current events that are of public interest or concern. It can take many forms, including articles, television or radio programs, and online content. News is typically focused on events that are happening now or have recently occurred, and it often provides information about people, places, and events that are relevant to a particular audience. News can be reported by professional journalists or by individuals who witness or experience events firsthand. It can also be presented in a variety of formats, including text, images, audio, and video. The purpose of news is to inform the public about what is happening in the world and to provide context and analysis of events and issues.

What does it take to create accurate news?

OpenAI's response:

"1. Research and fact-checking: A journalist must research a topic thoroughly and verify all of the information they gather before publishing it. This includes checking sources, cross-referencing information, and verifying facts.

2. Balancing different perspectives: In order to create accurate news, it is important to consider and include multiple perspectives on a topic. This may involve interviewing multiple sources and presenting their viewpoints fairly and objectively.

3. Objectivity: Journalists should strive to report the facts without bias or personal opinion, and should avoid expressing their own views in their reporting.

4. Transparency: In order to build trust with their audience, journalists should be transparent about their sources and the methods they used to gather information.

5. Ethical standards: Journalists should adhere to ethical standards and guidelines, such as those outlined by professional organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists.

By following these steps, journalists can create accurate news that is fair, balanced, and reliable."

Why is it so hard to get accurate news??

There are several factors that can contribute to the difficulty of obtaining accurate news. One reason is that the news can be subjective and open to interpretation. Different news organizations may have their own biases and perspectives, and this can influence how they present information and the way they cover certain stories.

Another factor is that news sources may not always have access to all of the relevant information or may not be able to verify the accuracy of what they do have. This can lead to the spread of misinformation or incomplete information.

In addition, the speed at which news is often reported can make it challenging to verify facts and ensure that information is accurate. With the proliferation of social media and other online platforms, news can spread quickly, and this can make it difficult for journalists and other fact-checkers to keep up.

Finally, the sheer volume of news available can make it difficult for individuals to keep track of what is happening and to determine what sources are reliable. With so many sources of information available, it can be challenging to distinguish between credible sources and those that are less reliable.

What is your advice on how to properly and accurately report the news?

There are several key principles that can help journalists and news organizations report the news accurately and responsibly:

1. Verify the facts: It is important to ensure that the information being reported is accurate and can be backed up with reliable sources. This may involve fact-checking, double-checking sources, and seeking out multiple perspectives on a story.
2. Be impartial: It is important to report the news in an objective and unbiased manner, rather than taking sides or expressing personal opinions.
3. Present multiple perspectives: It is important to provide multiple viewpoints and perspectives on a story, rather than just presenting one side. This can help to provide a more balanced and nuanced understanding of an issue.
4. Cite sources: It is important to clearly identify and cite the sources of information being reported. This helps to ensure that the information can be verified and allows readers to better understand where the information is coming from.
5. Disclose any conflicts of interest: If a journalist or news organization has any conflicts of interest, it is important to disclose these in order to ensure that the news is being reported in an objective and unbiased manner.

By following these principles, journalists and news organizations can help to ensure that the news they report is accurate, impartial, and reliable.

Follow my Pinterest page on News: https://www.pinterest.com/martinbrossman/what-is-real-news-or-real-facts/ and my YouTube Playlist. "The Citizen Reporter" https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkbb3dG0GBBzx6etelGtp6vIZkHM1DYVD and Supporting News https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkbb3dG0GBByg-fEBLSv4Niss6ucJdsFb

My thanks to Nicole Bowman-Layton, Mary Alice Askew, David Baldwin, and David Amerland for their contributions and insights on this article.