“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.” – Mark Twain and/or Denzel Washington
I have a love-hate relationship with the news. It’s mostly dumb, slanted, depressing and/or infuriating. In the age of “fake news” and a need to teach middle schoolers the difference between fake and real, I get frustrated. However, I crave news alerts from one of the five apps that I have on my phone. I can’t stand to be the last to know and I get a secret pleasure from telling my husband things that he (admittedly) doesn’t know.
The news is important for socializing, networking, but also in meaningfully engaging in your community. When you’re around professionals, we generally to fill silences with commentary on the latest happening. My colleagues want to discuss the big case in the news, or some event that will lead to some sort of legal issue. It’s always nice to have something to contribute.
Whether your “community” is your house, your hometown or global, it’s important to connect. This connection can help you best understand what your family, friends and neighbors are thinking about, which fosters communication and deeper conversation that can only promote growth. To achieve this connection, here are three ways to consume responsible news.
(1) Reputable (online or print) Newspaper / News Periodicals:
The bog ones are obvious – The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Best, the Boston Globe…all generally legitimate sources. I personally start my day with The Skimm – a comprehensive, but light overview of national news, big international stories and a little pop culture. Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I check out the DailyMail. DailyMail makes me laugh because they pick up the craziest stories and have incredible detail, which I have to take with a grain of salt.
(2) Good local news.
This is really just a matter of taste. Jacksonville has two local stations that I personally enjoy and will catch from time to time. I also enjoy the local public radio station on my drive to work.
(3) Mainstream National News
We watch NBC Nightly News every night as a family. They hit the main events, sprinkle in some interesting tidbits of investigative journalism and wraps it up with a feel-good story. It’s family-friendly and has become a little tradition in our house.
Of course, all of these outlets have social media accounts where you could consume everything by following them on social media. I follow my local news on Facebook and catch stories throughout the day, and we put the news on at the office.
But obviously, if you’re main source of news is podcasts, individuals on YouTube they may not subscribe to the Center for Journalism Ethics. If you rely solely on unreliable sources, you may be setting yourself to disconnect from your family and friends.
Find news that you can bear the consume and become a better, misinformed version of yourself.
XOXO, Mrs. Make It Rainka
