Fact and Fiction—The Truth of News

Where do you get your news? A recent report by the Brookings Institution about news is alarming. The report indicates that daily newspapers are down about 80% and circulation is only around 15% of the population. Moreover, in a 40 year time frame, journalists reporting the news have dropped in half to 32,000. Within these changes, a new news genre has arisen, one called “opinion journalism,” where facts are not checked, statements of opinion are made as if they are facts, news is twisted to fit points of view. The lack of true journalists, according to the report, has caused the public to have “a hard time judging the credibility of what they read.” This, in my opinion, creates a great danger to free society.

This has created a situation in our nation where people do not know what is news and what isn’t. It is also linked to truth. There are so many views and slants, stories that sound like news, but are not true, and just plain outrageous claims that people can become very confused, angry, disheartened and hopeless if they cannot find the truth. Everybody has their opinion or angle, but very few seek the facts and the truth behind the facts. This is an atmosphere where people ply the fear of others to impact agendas. It is a time in our history where people can easily manipulate the masses so they can come to no sensible conclusions, even to defend themselves. This is the height of ideological subversion.

For example, there are usurpers who want to divide people on skin color so they can garner more power and wealth. They will hijack an event, such as what happened in Ferguson, Missouri, come up with a theme (“Hands up, don’t shoot) and create chaos and confusion. The news media then reports on the event rather than the facts. The facts, as they came out, confirmed that Michael Brown did not run down the street, drop to his knees, put his hands up and shout “Hands up, don’t shoot.” He actually struggled with a policeman for his weapon and was shot in the process of the policeman defending himself. Yet businesses and homes and reputations were destroyed over this demonstration of “opinion journalism.”

There are countless examples on gun control, immigration, Islam, Christianity, homosexuality and more. No facts, just opinion based on what someone determines is fair. At The Daily Jot, stories are fact-checked. Two-source documentation is the policy–meaning at least two independent sources confirm a story.  Even then, opinion leaders scoff if the sources do not agree with their doctrine or politics. An informed public is necessary for citizenship to maintain and prosper a free society. This means you, yourself, has to take responsibility for discerning the truth, especially as we are in the days of Isaiah 59:14, where “justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Don’t just accept what these “opinionators” are saying, check the facts.