Media in the Americas and Europe falls into two main categories, with some overlap between them: mainstream media (including, but not limited to, mass media), and alternative media.
Mainstream media is owned and operated by major established corporations and organizations. The most prominent mainstream media outlets are known as Mass Media. Mainstream media has access to more resources (monetary and otherwise) than alternative media, and includes in-depth quality material, sometimes being the best sources of information on various topics. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_media
Alternative media usually lacks the budget to provide such types of news as live coverage and reporting from abroad. However, it is often not beholden to anyone except its own subscribers and smaller advertisers, and thus provides more material independent of the larger vested interests.
Both mainstream media and alternative media often present opinion-based and agenda-based information in the guise of objective reporting. It takes time, skill and intuition for a reader to sort the objective from the slanted. In all types of media, one finds a mixture of verifiable information with the spurious and fabricated.
Who are the mass media? They include the major broadcast networks, news services such as Associated Press, national news magazines, big-city daily papers, and many others.
Most mass media outlets are owned by six large corporations: General Electric, News Corp., Disney/ABC, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS. These corporations are tied in with business interests supporting military industries, banking/finance, pharmaceuticals, and fossil fuel/nuclear energy. News in the mass media can be accurate, but tends to ensure profits from these four areas.
When factions within corporations conflict and disagree, as started to happen more strongly than ever after the 2016 national election in the U.S., the mass media sometimes runs conflicting stories. But every mass media story meets criteria established by the owners of the large corporations that own and operate the mainstream media.
For example, there are few or no mass media stories conflicting with official accounts of some events. Mass media tends to brand such stories as "fake news."
How can students tell whether the news that they read is reliable? For any story that’s controversial or many-sided, aside from sports and entertainment news, anyone seeking true facts should read multiple accounts to find consistent elements, and look for the underlying motivations and intentions of the writers.
Consider the question: "Cui bono?" which means, who benefits? Who gains from this story?
This is important for anything one finds in the mass media and official sources, as well as for news in alternative sources.
Especially notice when a news report seems to be biased or one-sided. Doing this can strengthen one’s intelligence and break habits of accepting what’s presented by mass media, or believing sources that conform to your own opinions.
Fake News The term “fake news” started to appear widely in the media in fall 2016, after the U.S. Presidential election, when mass media and others alleged that Russia influenced the voting. The term "fake news" was used to discredit information sources that disagreed with or contradicted mass media and government viewpoints. Mass media called this news not just opinionated or slanted, but rather “fake,” which implies deliberate falsehood. President Trump endeavored to flip this process by declaring that the mass media itself publishes "fake news."
The limited hangout A frequently used device in all forms of media is to release part of a story while not reporting on more damaging aspects of it; this is known as the "limited hangout" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_hangout).
In the campaign against “fake news,” mass media present themselves as the only reliable sources of information. Their doing so is understandable, because the mass media exists to sell commercial products, and only secondarily to provide a public service. Non-censored news is found in smaller independent media, both in print, on TV and radio, and on the Internet.
A study by the Edelman public relations firm in 2016 found that more people trusted search engines for news than traditional newspapers and television. Facebook, too, may be regarded as mass media. In October 2017, the company announced it is hiring more than 1,000 employees to search its posts and ads to identify "propaganda," but Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda.
For independent news sources, use a search engine to look for “alternative news.” Be aware, however, that some "alternative" sources are actually controlled by the owners of mainstream media. ##### nated or slanted, but rather “fake,” which implies deliberate falsehood. President Trump endeavored to flip this process by declaring that the mass media itself publishes "fake news."
In the campaign against “fake news,” mass media present themselves as the only reliable sources of information. Their doing so is understandable, because the mass media exists to sell commercial products, and only secondarily to provide a public service. Non-censored news is found in smaller independent media, both in print, on TV and radio, and on the Internet.
A study by the Edelman public relations firm in 2016 found that more people trusted search engines for news than traditional newspapers and television. Facebook, too, may be regarded as mass media. In October 2017, the company announced it is hiring more than 1,000 employees to search its posts and ads to identify "propaganda," but Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda.
For independent news sources, use a search engine to look for “alternative news.” Be aware, however, that some "alternative" sources are actually controlled by the owners of mainstream media. #####
Print & complete: Points and questions for “Understanding News”Your real name:
Discuss with your team and write answers.
What’s the difference between mainstream media and alternative media?
What can mainstream media offer that alternative media cannot?
What can alternative media offer that mainstream media cannot?
What is the part of mainstream media called Mass Media?
Why does mainstream media call some news “fake” instead of biased or misleading?
What are the differences between honest reporting, biased reporting, and fake news?
Honest reporting is
Biased reporting is
Fake news is
“Most mass media outlets are owned by six large corporations: General Electric, News Corp., Disney/ABC, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS.” What other sorts of industries do these corporations own or invest in?
Why do mass media stories almost always agree with official (governmental) versions of events?
Facebook is removing “propaganda” from its pages. Why do you think Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda?
Mainstream media is owned and operated by major established corporations and organizations. The most prominent mainstream media outlets are known as Mass Media.
Mainstream media has access to more resources (monetary and otherwise) than alternative media, and includes in-depth quality material, sometimes being the best sources of information on various topics. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_media
Alternative media usually lacks the budget to provide such types of news as live coverage and reporting from abroad. However, it is often not beholden to anyone except its own subscribers and smaller advertisers, and thus provides more material independent of the larger vested interests.
Both mainstream media and alternative media often present opinion-based and agenda-based information in the guise of objective reporting. It takes time, skill and intuition for a reader to sort the objective from the slanted. In all types of media, one finds a mixture of verifiable information with the spurious and fabricated.
Who are the mass media? They include the major broadcast networks, news services such as Associated Press, national news magazines, big-city daily papers, and many others.
Most mass media outlets are owned by six large corporations: General Electric, News Corp., Disney/ABC, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS. These corporations are tied in with business interests supporting military industries, banking/finance, pharmaceuticals, and fossil fuel/nuclear energy. News in the mass media can be accurate, but tends to ensure profits from these four areas.
When factions within corporations conflict and disagree, as started to happen more strongly than ever after the 2016 national election in the U.S., the mass media sometimes runs conflicting stories. But every mass media story meets criteria established by the owners of the large corporations that own and operate the mainstream media.
For example, there are few or no mass media stories conflicting with official accounts of some events. Mass media tends to brand such stories as "fake news."
How can students tell whether the news that they read is reliable?
For any story that’s controversial or many-sided, aside from sports and entertainment news, anyone seeking true facts should read multiple accounts to find consistent elements, and look for the underlying motivations and intentions of the writers.
Consider the question: "Cui bono?" which means, who benefits? Who gains from this story?
This is important for anything one finds in the mass media and official sources, as well as for news in alternative sources.
Especially notice when a news report seems to be biased or one-sided. Doing this can strengthen one’s intelligence and break habits of accepting what’s presented by mass media, or believing sources that conform to your own opinions.
Holistic doctor Joseph Mercola presents Emmy-winning reporter Sharyl Atkisson explaining news manipulation (article and 10-minute video):
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/10/28/astroturfing-media-manipulation.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20171028Z1&et_cid=DM163337&et_rid=100544621
Fake News
The term “fake news” started to appear widely in the media in fall 2016, after the U.S. Presidential election, when mass media and others alleged that Russia influenced the voting. The term "fake news" was used to discredit information sources that disagreed with or contradicted mass media and government viewpoints. Mass media called this news not just opinionated or slanted, but rather “fake,” which implies deliberate falsehood. President Trump endeavored to flip this process by declaring that the mass media itself publishes "fake news."
The limited hangout
A frequently used device in all forms of media is to release part of a story while not reporting on more damaging aspects of it; this is known as the "limited hangout" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_hangout).
In the campaign against “fake news,” mass media present themselves as the only reliable sources of information. Their doing so is understandable, because the mass media exists to sell commercial products, and only secondarily to provide a public service. Non-censored news is found in smaller independent media, both in print, on TV and radio, and on the Internet.
A study by the Edelman public relations firm in 2016 found that more people trusted search engines for news than traditional newspapers and television. Facebook, too, may be regarded as mass media. In October 2017, the company announced it is hiring more than 1,000 employees to search its posts and ads to identify "propaganda," but Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda.
For independent news sources, use a search engine to look for “alternative news.” Be aware, however, that some "alternative" sources are actually controlled by the owners of mainstream media. #####
nated or slanted, but rather “fake,” which implies deliberate falsehood. President Trump endeavored to flip this process by declaring that the mass media itself publishes "fake news."
In the campaign against “fake news,” mass media present themselves as the only reliable sources of information. Their doing so is understandable, because the mass media exists to sell commercial products, and only secondarily to provide a public service. Non-censored news is found in smaller independent media, both in print, on TV and radio, and on the Internet.
A study by the Edelman public relations firm in 2016 found that more people trusted search engines for news than traditional newspapers and television. Facebook, too, may be regarded as mass media. In October 2017, the company announced it is hiring more than 1,000 employees to search its posts and ads to identify "propaganda," but Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda.
For independent news sources, use a search engine to look for “alternative news.” Be aware, however, that some "alternative" sources are actually controlled by the owners of mainstream media. #####
Print & complete:
Points and questions for “Understanding News” Your real name:
Discuss with your team and write answers.
What’s the difference between mainstream media and alternative media?
What can mainstream media offer that alternative media cannot?
What can alternative media offer that mainstream media cannot?
What is the part of mainstream media called Mass Media?
Why does mainstream media call some news “fake” instead of biased or misleading?
What are the differences between honest reporting, biased reporting, and fake news?
Honest reporting is
Biased reporting is
Fake news is
“Most mass media outlets are owned by six large corporations: General Electric, News Corp., Disney/ABC, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS.” What other sorts of industries do these corporations own or invest in?
Why do mass media stories almost always agree with official (governmental) versions of events?
Facebook is removing “propaganda” from its pages. Why do you think Facebook has not said how it defines propaganda?