Newspapers, the heartbeat of the journalistic ecosystem

How do you define media?
It’s one of the first questions I ask when presenting to college or high school classes about the media
landscape.Years ago, the answers were largely defined by legacy media, such as cable news, broadcast news, newspapers and radio.
One goal in these discussions was to help the students understand the difference between cable news, which are 95% opinion, and local newspaper media, which are 90% news.
I’m no fan of cable news ... for several reasons.
It accounts for very little original news reporting. How often do you hear cable news talking heads say, “As reported in (insert newspaper name)?” Now think about how often do you read a newspaper citing cable news? Almost never because it almost never happens.
Instead of focusing on news, cable news outlets target their opinion to their audience and cast it as news. I would prefer talking heads on CNN and Fox News would be honest and not call themselves journalists. They are not of my ilk.
Thus, it often warps people’s perceptions of the entire media industry, which trickles down to local
newspapers.
Consequently, all news becomes “fake news,” because let’s face it, opinion cast as news is easy to call fake news, a term I both understand and loath. But there’s more to it.
Two years ago, I asked the question – “How do you define media?” – to a Colorado high school class. The responses had little to do with legacy media and almost entirely to do with social media.
The thought hit me: If this generation is viewing all media in the terms of social media, we have a much bigger problem as to what is considered news -- authentic journalism that is striving for objectivity -- and blowhards on cable news outlets.
When you factor in that, studies have shown “fake news” is shown and shared six times more than legitimate news on social media channels according to recent studies, it is a cause for alarm.
Looking at the US landscape, this view is not limited to younger generations. It’s an infection, only spurred on by those who want to divide us. Russia consistently creates news feeds and bots with false information on both sides. The goal is not to foster one side or another. It’s to create division. And we share it because we agree with it without actually questioning if it’s true.
If you care about the news -- real news, and you care about the future of this country, I can think of three steps you can take.
One: If you’re watching a show or reading website stories from a “news” outlet that you agree with almost everything they say, that’s not journalism and that’s not a news outlet. You need to either find a new source or expand your viewing.
For national news, I personally go to four or five different websites. I do go to Fox and CNN, as much as it makes me ill, just to see how one side is painting a picture.
Two: Admit your social media feed is not a legitimate news source. They are using algorithms to feed you “news” you’re more likely to click on as opposed to if it’s true or not. Social media companies have shown their only interest is in profit, and they profit the more you click on it.
Three: For local news, support your paper with subscriptions and
advertising. I’m not saying all
newspapers are perfect and that they don’t make mistakes or there aren’t some bad actors.
But newspaper media are the heartbeat of news ... no, scratch that ... they are the heartbeat of the journalistic ecosystem, accounting for 50% of all original news content produced despite making up 25% of that ecosystem. Communities that have lost their newspapers have seen more corruption, more government spending and increased taxes.
That’s not a left or right issue. It’s a left and right issue.
When you support newspapers, you support journalism. And without journalism, you know what the media landscape is left with?
Blowhards on cable news and bloggers on social media. And that is not good for our future.
 
Jerry Raehal is is the former publisher of the Rawlins Times and Laramie Boomerang, and a past member of the Wyoming Press Association Board of Directors. He is currently the Executive Director of the Louisiana Press Association.