Knowledge in The Time of #COVID-19

Check Your Sources

Ben Bradlee said, “As long as a journalist tells the truth, in conscience and fairness, it is not their job to worry about consequences. The truth is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. I truly believe the truth sets people free."

He also said, "Everybody who talks to a newspaper has a motive. That's just a given. And good reporters always, repeat always, probe to find out what that motive is."

For journalists in public media  there needs to be an understanding that your audience has a thirst for knowledge. Besides, the echo chambers of the partisans have no place in a healthy democracy or in journalism.

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.
- Proverbs 18:15 (NIV)

In times of profound change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.
- Eric Hoffer

Here's the point. We should constantly be seeking answers. The facts, as we know them, are not static.

Scientists search for answers based on a hypothesis, then try to prove or disprove the hypothesis. Once they reach a conclusion, they will likely come up with 10 more questions. As more is uncovered, more questions arise. Even the conclusions are not set in stone as the world in which the discoveries were made changes. 

What brought me here was watching the president react to some straightforward questions at his press conference yesterday. Because the questions seemed to challenge his talking points, he became angry and walked away. It wasn't the first time. It won't be the last.

Keep Questioning - Keep Searching

Searching for Sanity in News Coverage

In Praise of Journalism

More and more, I find myself searching for sanity in news coverage. I find myself recoiling from the bombast and daily assault of half truths and false statements.

There was a time when I would avoid the PBS NewsHour. It seemed so slow, so dry. I've come to appreciate the comprehensiveness and evenhanded approach to the stories. It comes down to trust.
I trust journalism...not punditry. So much of what passes for journalism is based on the exception. The comments and assertions are based on the exception to the norm...not on what is actually going on. The exception feeds on our fears and takes our attention away from real solutions.

After the recent election and the continued avalanche of misstatements based on sketchy sources, I find myself being a lot more careful about what I read. And if something turns out  to be incomplete, I appreciate sources that continue to dig.

Other trusted sources:

• NPR
• APM
• PRI
• Reuters
• BBC
• and an assortment of newspapers, magazines and sites that take the time to check their sources.

What was it that Ben Bradlee said? Something like, "Check all your sources twice, except for your mother, check her three times.

Millennials & Unedited News - Getting it Wrong

Millennials and News

"Check all your sources twice...Except for your mother. Check her three times!" Attributed to Ben Bradlee.  

Pew Research has found that young adults are more likely to say vaccinating kids should be a parental choice. 41% percent believe the choice should up to the parent. That is, despite the fact that measles in this country was almost eradicated after the development of the vaccine in 1963.

Part of the concern is the false link between the MMR vaccine and Autism. The link was discredited several years ago. Vox reinforced the information that the link was a deliberate hoax in a posting today.

This study, lead by the discredited physician-researcher Andrew Wakefield, is where the current vaccine-autism debate started. It has since been thoroughly eviscerated: the Lancet retracted the paper, investigators have described the research as an "elaborate fraud," and Wakefield has lost his medical license.

Wakefield's study included 12 children, and only five had Autism. The results of his study could not be duplicated and 1.3 million children studied since has debunked his research.

Study of 1.3 Million Kids Reveals No Link Between Vaccines And Autism

The hoax lives on...feeding on fears through the Internet and social media. The hoax is perpetuated by celebrities and  partisan politics. According to Pew Research 34% of Republicans think the choice of vaccinating should be left to the parents despite the clear risk to the rest of the population. More Republicans are likely to believe the link exists according to Pew. According to Pew Research 34% of Republicans think the choice of vaccinating should be left to the parents despite the clear risk to the rest of the population. Governor Chris Christie added credence to the hoax today.  He came out in favor of parental choice. You can find out more about what Christie had to say on a post at the Time Magazine website. Other Republican hopefuls are on the choice bandwagon including Rand Paul and Sarah Palin who say they have spoken with countless parents with heart rending stories.

Chris Christie’s Terrible Vaccine Advice

How Millennials Get News 

Research by University of Texas at Austin journalism professor Paula Poindexter points out that Young people do not make it a priority to stay informed. They feel that media talks down to them, comes off as propaganda or is just plain boring. They also think most news media do not cover issues important to them. The consider most news to be garbage. Instead they rely on smart phones and apps and share news through social media, and texting.

The result is a misinformed generation

News from social media is unfiltered. Press releases and pronouncements from pundits, politicians and celebrities is all about a point of view and partisanship. It has nothing to do with the facts. To reach millennials we need to find ways to reach them. Making sure news is available on the platforms being used by millennials is important. Equally important is having the news delivered in a way that relates to that generation.




http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2015/01/31