An Information Jungle?

First the good news about journalism in the millennium: Thanks largely to the Internet (and some dedicated journalists), we have more access to news than ever before.

Now the bad news: Thanks largely to the Internet (and some not-so-dedicated journalists), we have to work very hard--harder than ever before--to be informed, knowledgeable citizens.

This is the dilemma of being a news consumer in our time.  Before the explosion of online news reporting, readers had fewer sources of news.  While that was not always ideal--many media critics argue (correctly so) that the mainstream media omits "inconvenient" stories--there was also less opportunity for ostensible news sources to shoot from the hip and not be called on it.  A newspaper that got a reputation for exaggerating the facts was USUALLY (I emphasize that word) dismissed by mainstream readers.  Now, online news sources that slant their coverage blend into the crowd.  And by repeating half truths and even lies, many gain a readership, a foothold, and an air of legitimacy.

That's unfortunate.  It's also a problem for readers trying to make sense of an increasingly complex world.  When news sources purporting to be reputable manipulate information--often with some degree of sophistication--readers can't help but feel confused.

What to do? 

First, read as many different news sources as possible.  Most journalists do in fact try to get at the truth of the events they cover.  If you read as much as possible about issues that interest you, chances are you'll figure out who's presenting the facts and who's skewing them.  

Next, look for evidence of bias in coverage.  Uncovering bias isn't always an easy task.  But if you read a publication often enough, you'll probably be able to determine its politics--and the extent to which a news provider's political views might shade its coverage.

Finally, be you own fact checker.  Tracking down the accuracy of the material you're reading can be a great deal of work, especially when you are trying to get to the bottom of complicated stories.  But facts don't lie (not usually anyway!).   If you're serious about understanding issues, check out Politifact.com--a site committed to determining the truth of what we read and hear.  A Youtube clip, "Politifact's Guide to Fact Checking," provides some useful tips about how to get started.