News LiteracyThe following is from Britannica.com:
News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information using the standards of quality journalism. It involves “thinking like a journalist” to determine what information to trust, share, and act on. News literacy teaches people how to think critically about timely issues and sources of information, not what to think. It helps foster healthy skepticism of “fake news” while avoiding cynical distrust of all news and information.
News literacy is foundational to media literacy, which refers more broadly to the ability to navigate and evaluate all forms of communication. As its name suggests, news literacy focuses specifically on news, and developing news literacy is an important first step toward gaining general media literacy skills and knowledge.
In today’s overwhelming information environment, sorting fact from fiction may seem daunting. But with a little effort, anyone can begin to develop news literacy skills. There are five main competencies, or standards, that everyone can learn to become more news-literate.
News vs. other types of information
When engaging with content, are you sure you know what you’re looking at? Is it really news reporting? Or could it be opinion, raw information, advertising, propaganda, or something else? It’s not always obvious. To determine the type of information you’re looking at, it’s helpful to identify its primary purpose.
The primary purpose of journalism is to inform. It might sound simple. But an opinionated rant can easily be confused for reporting. Standards-based news organizations should clearly distinguish between news and opinion, prominently labeling opinion pieces as editorial, opinion, or column. Unlike news, opinion is not intended to be impartial, but it should include accurate facts to support any given position.
Other types of information can also be mistaken for news. Raw information, such as eyewitness video, can provide a compelling and unfiltered view of an event—but it also offers a limited point of view and often lacks important context. Some entertaining TV shows base their satire on news and current events and also offer opinions, but they are created primarily to entertain. Advertisers sometimes create content that mimics the look of news but is actually intended to sell a product or service. Even though this kind of “native advertising” or branded content is typically labeled—look for phrases such as “sponsored content,” “paid partnership,” or “#ad”—it can easily be mistaken for news. That is, after all, the reason it was created. Propaganda is also often disguised to look like news but is actually intended to provoke, mislead, or persuade.
The role of the First Amendment
A free and independent press is one of the five crucial freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Journalism helps sustain an informed public, empowers individuals, and invigorates democracy by holding power to account, making the watchdog role of the press a cornerstone of American democracy.
The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment are freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition. These freedoms have played an important role in movements for social justice and civil rights in U.S. history, and they all support each other.
The First Amendment enables a free press by prohibiting the government from punishing journalists for their reporting. Protecting journalists when they expose corruption, wrongdoing, and other harmful actions by those in power serves the public. In the U.S. the press is sometimes called the “Fourth Estate” because it serves as a check on the power of the three branches of government. However, there are limitations on First Amendment rights. For example, the First Amendment does not protect journalists if they deliberately publish false information with the intent to damage someone’s career or reputation.
If the government reduces the freedom of the news media to report or if news organizations are no longer trusted by the public, the role of the press as a watchdog can be eroded, and people may believe or act on incorrect information they get from untrustworthy sources.
Using standards to assess information
Code of EthicsThe Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics is an example of the standards that journalists should be using to create news.
A standards-based news organization is one that follows professional and ethical standards, such as the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, to produce quality journalism.
One way to evaluate the credibility of an unfamiliar news source is to type its name into a search engine to look for information about its reputation from known, credible sources. You may learn that a publication that seems like a legitimate news source is actually satirical or is a state-run propaganda outlet. If the source is widely regarded as a legitimate news organization, you should still look for evidence that it applies the standards and values of quality journalism.
These include:
Trustworthy newsrooms take these principles extremely seriously. Errors of fact, for instance, are a threat to an organization’s credibility, and journalists can lose their jobs for not meeting rigorous standards for accuracy. That said, even the best news organizations sometimes make mistakes. Responsible news organizations correct errors quickly, transparently, and thoroughly. That is one of the elements that makes them credible sources: not that they are perfect but that they admit when they make a mistake and do their best to set the record straight.
Brunskill, P. (2024, May 3). What is news literacy (and why does it matter)? | Definition, Best Practices, Misinformation, & Deep Fakes | Britannica. www.britannica.com. https://www.britannica.com/topic/What-is-news-literacy-and-why-does-it-matter
