The Media: Why Is The Mainstream Media Worried About 'Fake' News?

If someone has been paying attention to the mainstream media recently, they may have heard them talk about the ‘fake’ news that is circulating. This has been a time when they have spoken about how a lot of what they see on social media, for instance, is not real news.

A Common Occurrence

It has been said that what often takes place is that people read the title of an article and that’s as far as it goes. As to whether the content of the article is true or not is then irrelevant.

When this takes place, it could be said that one will primarily share it because the title supports what they believe. One is then not going to feel the need to actually read the article, as the title will be the only thing that matters.

A Big Effect

Even so, what they share can end up having an effect on how their ‘friends’ perceive certain things. This could mean that they will share the same article, or they could simply accept what they see.

It is then easy to see how much influence these kinds of articles can have online, and so it is not much of a surprise for the mainstream media to talk about it. After all, they exist to inform people about what is taking place in the world.

The Alternative

If they were to ignore what is taking place, they would be letting a lot of people down. What this comes down to is that so many people rely on the mainstream media to keep them up to date.

It could then be said that the mainstream media have a lot of responsibility, and this might be something that they are only too aware of. Therefore, they are doing the right thing by bringing this to people’s attention.

Turn a Blind Eye

If they overlooked what is taking place, they would be indirectly supporting the people who are producing this kind of news. Now, it could be argued that people can think for themselves, so it wouldn’t be that bad.

There is no denying this, but even though someone has the ability to think for themselves, it doesn’t mean that they always will. The average person might not want to use their energy in this way, and this can be why they look towards the mainstream media in the first place.

A Difference

In addition to this, not everyone is the same, and this is why some people will find it easier than others to think critically. This is not to say that someone can’t learn how to think critically, but that doesn’t mean they will.

At the end of the day, there is a reason why they are described as the ‘fourth estate’; without the work that they do, the world wouldn’t be the same. One way of looking at this would be to say that everyone’s life would be a lot harder if it wasn’t for what they do.

The List

And if someone wants to find out what websites they will need to stay away from, they won’t need to put in a lot of effort. The reason for this is that a number of these sites have been listed for them.

One could then become familiar with them and make sure they don’t read anything that they write about. The next step might be for them to share this information with their friends and family.

Confusion

Yet, while some people might go along with this, there are likely to be others who find it hard to believe. As a far as they are concerned, the mainstream media could also have the tendency to produce fake news.

This doesn’t mean that these people believe everything that they hear about on social media though. It could just be normal for them to not accept everything that the mainstream media tells them.

Another Source

A number of the websites that have been listed are part of the alternative media, and one reason why these exist is due to the mainstream media not doing what they are supposed to do. Some of the people behind these news sources were probably fed up with what was taking place, and decided to take matters into their own hands.

Clearly, some of these sites are there to send people down the wrong path, and to make them believe things that are not true. Still, to say that all of the alternative media sites out there are spreading lies would be the same as saying the mainstream media only tells the truth.

For Example

How the mainstream media behaved during the recent presidential election proves that they should also be on this list. During this election, their primary concern was getting Hillary into the white house, and this is why their coverage was so biased.

The reason for this is that the people behind these sources were also funding her campaign. It was then vital for them ignore what was actually taking place and to create fake news in order to demonize trump and to elevate Hillary.

Projection

Therefore, if one was to step back, they might begin to think about how this shows that the mainstream media feels as though they are under threat. It is then not that they are just trying to warn others; it is that they are also trying to undermine other sources of information that are a taking their power away.

What is taking place can be seen as similar to what can happen when someone is cheating on their partner, and ends up accusing their partner of cheating. Through disconnecting from how they feel, they can end up projecting their guilt onto their partner, and this can cause them to feel as though they have done something wrong.

Conclusion

After hearing the mainstream media talk about how concerned they are about fake news, one might believe that it is only is matter of time before a fast food chain will talk about how concerned they are about unhealthy food. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what news source one is paying attention to, as they will still need to think for themselves.