Traditional Press vs. Internet Sources
The information gathered by reporters and correspondents of traditional press; television, news papers, radio and news magazines is scrutinized by each media’s editors. These editors are in place to insure the accuracy of the sources and information. Inaccurate news stories put a news agency’s reputation at risk. Any bogus or inaccurate news stories would be broadcast and ridiculed by competitors. It also exposes these agencies to the expense of liable suits.
Additionally, any reporter or correspondent of the traditional press who routinely or egregiously provides false or erroneously information takes a risk of loosing their credentials, jobs and are open to being sued.
Except for the on-line news departments of traditional press, who are the editors of internet sources? Let the consumer beware! “caveat emptor” Latin = ‘let the buyer beware’.
The reader must become a savvy editor. Obviously a reader cannot have their eyes and ears around the nation and world where professional correspondents and reporters can. Does the reader or listener have the background in history, language and subject expertise?
Secondly, who of us has the time? This is why this role, until the advent of the internet and social media, has been left to responsible, professional news agencies and editors. Trust but verify.
The only avenue left is for readers and listeners to contrast and compare information from many different professional and reputable sources. These can be local news, different national radio and television news networks, and international networks e.g. Canadian, British, German, French, Dutch and others broadcast in English. The press is not monolithic. Contrasting and comparing allows separating the wheat from the chaff to discover credible continuity of fact from fake.
There is "theory", "hypothesis", "opinion" unless back up there are just that. Until a a theory, hypothesis or opinion is confirmed by many others it fails the test. A scientific theory, as apposed to a hypothesis or opinion, is one that has sustains itself through all tests.
“Fourth Estate”
The term “fourth estate” arises from the traditional European concept of the three “estates of the realm”: the clergy, the nobility and the commoners. The press was seen as the forth. A parallel to this in the United States are three branches of government: The executive, the legislative and the judiciary. Each branch provides checks and balances of the other.
The “fourth estate’s”, the press’, unofficial role is to provide oversight, checks over the three governmental branches. They provide a check on the abuse of power, fraud, waste, corruption, deception and disinformation. Who else can?
Decisions by citizens are only a good and the information on which they are based. Elections and democracy vitally depend on accurate information. Is the free press perfect? Who among us is. The free press’ responsibility is to provide as accurate information as possible.
Democracy cannot exist without a free press. The very first, not the second, third or forth amendment of the American constitution, insures that the press is free. Freedom of speech. The opposite of free press is government-controlled press. Government controls the information and thereby controls citizens by providing “information” to support the government’s views and existence. T hey are not to be and will not be questioned by citizens. Additional, government-controlled press cannot be sued.
Government also has the ability to block internet and social media. The free press cannot.
