{"ops":[{"insert":"It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"44"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"script":"super"},"insert":"th"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking"},{"insert":", where we delved into the theory and application of critical thinking while working together in an atmosphere of collegiality and conviviality. Our Fellows and Scholars were impressed by the very high degree of serious study, implicit throughout all Focal Sessions, on the part of participants.\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"red"},"insert":" "},{"insert":"\nOne of my conference sessions focused on the problem of media bias. Below are some of the ideas we discussed and exemplified.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"KEY CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN SEEKING THE NEWS"},{"insert":"\n\nThe following are critical thinking questions you can immediately employ to uncover media bias and political propaganda in the news.\n \nIs this news source reputable? In other words: Does it appear to at least attempt to present the news in an unbiased manner? Does it have a track record of reporting actual stories, rather than urban myths, conspiracy theories, and other unfounded claims?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Does this news source openly publish retractions and corrections after making errors in its reporting?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Where do these reporters get their information? What additional sources do they use to corroborate their information? Are they or their editors paid to run a story, or are they paid not to run a story?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Is this news source merely a gossip column, a political smear organization, or some other dysfunctional information source with an unsavory agenda? If so, why would I waste my time with, and potentially be led astray by, these sources? (Realize that it is easy to be influenced by irrational thinking merely through exposure, even when you think you are guarding against it)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"What is the purpose of this news outlet? Is the purpose clearly stated? Is there a hidden agenda? If so, how can I identify that agenda?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Do professional journalists write for this news outlet? What are the credentials of these journalists?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Is this news source reputable? Does it present the news in an unbiased manner? Does it have a track record of reporting actual stories, rather than urban myths, conspiracy theories, and other unfounded claims?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Am I seeking news on websites such as social media sites? If so, do I realize I’m getting the news filtered to me, often through unreliable sources? (Bottom line: avoid getting news from any social media sites since you would have to work doubly hard to assess the “news” found there—and who has the time?)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Does this news source attempt at all to enlighten people, or does it merely pander to the views of consumers by maintaining the status quo?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"To what degree is sensationalism a goal of this news source? Why am I drawn to sensationalism, scandal, and melodrama?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Am I seeking news on websites such as social media sites? If so, do I realize I’m getting the news filtered to me, often through unreliable sources? (Bottom line: avoid getting news from any social media sites since you would have to work doubly hard to assess the “news” found there—and who has the time?)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Does this news source attempt at all to enlighten people, or does it merely pander to the views of consumers by maintaining the status quo?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"To what degree is sensationalism a goal of this news source? Why am I drawn to sensationalism, scandal, and melodrama?"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" \nThese questions can help you (and your students) focus on the most reputable news sources. And of course, people should never read the news without using skills of criticality, since problems are potentially inherent in any and all news sources, however “reputable.”\n \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"REALITIES THAT IMPEDE OUR ABILITY TO GET OBJECTIVE NEWS"},{"insert":"\n \nIn the past decade, with the explosion of the internet and its attendant realities, it has become increasingly difficult to get objective news (and it was difficult even before this explosion). Many of these realities are now being documented in articles and books, though none of us can keep up with them, so rapid are these changes.\n \nHowever, we can identify the most powerful trends now facing consumers of news. Here are some of the most prominent:\n \n1. It is now very easy to find enclaves of specialized (and biased) news outlets, and social media news-related threads or webpages, that fit one’s own worldview and presuppositions. News consumers can therefore effortlessly find news sources in keeping with their preconceived notions of the world, and can connect with people of like mind, however distorted their collective views may be. Through these news sources, their biases are collectively validated, enabling them to incorporate news stories (however inaccurate or misleading) into their worldview based on how the stories make them feel—that is, how well these stories fit into their existing views, how much they wish the claims were true, or how well the stories fit the views of their friends and colleagues. These consumers seem to rarely corroborate news reports on their own. They rarely or never seek out the same stories as reported by other sources, where the stories may be reported with a broader context, or with more details or with emphasis on different elements. Consequently, these news consumers are able to keep their biased views intact, and thereby avoid facing objective reality."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"2. Indeed, many people get their “news” solely from free-for-all social media websites that adhere to no standards of reasonability, and which are hodgepodges of poorly reasoned and well-reasoned thoughts and ideas mixed together in ways that cannot delineate to the consumer which “news” is reputable. On the other hand, many well-meaning people try to critique and even investigate what appear to be biased news sources, but, lacking critical thinking skills, they are unclear how to do so."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"3. With the decline of newspaper circulation has come the rise of advocacy journalism, in which many news outlets actively take positions on the news as if the primary purpose were to editorialize rather than simply report the news in its most objective form. This phenomenon can be found across the political spectrum, from conservative to post-modern liberal journalism—whether moderate, far-right, or far-left."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"And people are now flocking and clustering to these advocacy news outlets."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"4. Of course, all advocacy journalism is not of the same quality. Whether and to what degree a position should be taken in journalism entirely depends on the case at hand and the arguments being given. In the final analysis, each of us must use our critical thinking abilities to determine the best position to take Where do these reporters get their information? What additional sources do they use to corroborate their information? Are they or their editors paid to run a story, or are they paid not to run a story? on an issue, once we are informed of all reasonable sides. We must be open to considering all rational perspectives on an issue, the complexities of which should be reflected in news reporting."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"5. Perhaps surprisingly, many people are still unaware of the prevalence of fake news throughout social media and the web. It is now well-known that people and organizations (including private interest groups, businesses, and governments) can create authentic-looking websites featuring deliberately misleading or utterly fabricated stories. Fake news can spread quickly through social media, and a fake story can become “common knowledge” amongst a large segment of the population in a matter of days. "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Conspiracy theorists claimed that the emails entailed coded messages connecting several U.S. restaurants and high-ranking officials of the Democratic Party with purported human trafficking and a child sex ring. These unfounded claims went viral, spreading through the use of several social media sites), among ultra-conservatives and other groups antagonistic to Clinton or the Democratic Party."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"6. Many people are unable to distinguish between news stories and news commentary. These people are therefore unaware that a news story should not entail judgment on the part of the story’s author, but rather should simply report accurate, verifiable, undistorted information, or in other words facts. News commentary, on the other hand, involves taking a position on an issue and therefore may be well or poorly reasoned. When news reporters do editorialize, they should make it clear when they are presenting facts versus when they are suggesting their inferences or conclusions based on the facts."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"7. Many people get their news from news-based comedy programs—television and internet broadcasts whose purpose is to make people laugh by focusing on current events. This can include sketches with exaggerated or otherwise altered versions of events (e.g., Saturday Night Live), as well as comedic commentary on current news (e.g., The Daily Show). Of course, such shows have financial incentives to prioritize comedy above unbiased and even-handed delivery of objective information. At the same time, comedy writers often voice, through wit, their own views on politics and the news, and hence their “jokes” are frequently intended to, and frequently do, influence consumers’ views."},{"attributes":{"indent":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" \nMedia bias and propaganda are effective only when people lack the critical thinking skills to see through them. Hopefully these ideas give you (and your students) a richer sense of how to avoid being manipulated through partial media sources, wherever they are found.\n \nFor more on media bias and propaganda, see "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"link":"https://community.criticalthinking.org/viewDocument.php?doc=../content/library_for_everyone/55/FactOverFake.pdf&page=1"},"insert":"Fact Over Fake: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias and Political Propaganda"},{"insert":".\n \n---\n \n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"This blog was adapted from "},{"insert":"pp. 12 – 14 "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"found in: "},{"insert":"Fact Over Fake: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias and Political Propaganda"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":", by Richard Paul and Linda Elder (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2020: www.rowman.com)."},{"insert":"\n"}]}