“Reliable” Media And Where To Find It

The world has always needed accurate and reliable news, but 2020 just hit different, as the kids say. The novel coronavirus pandemic seemed to erase major 2020 events like the Australia bushfires and the 2020 US Presidential Primary from our memories–at least in the short term. Then the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests made the pandemic obsolete in some ways, too.

Regardless of where your political beliefs and opinions of the world lie, the importance of having your own cavalry of reliable news sources is ever more apparent. As a recovering journalist (I say in jest), I have had numerous friends and peers reach out for guidance on how to navigate the current media landscape.

What is the most reliable news source?

Consider what ‘reliable’ means to you. Are you seeking news that verifies the opinions you already have (also known as confirmation bias)? Or, are you seeking news that may not always line up with your thoughts? My advice is the latter. Consuming media that challenges you and introduces you to new perspectives is healthy.

Hold on, though, that’s not the whole story. Moving on to question number two:

How do I know the report is unbiased?

Unbiased reporting is often thought of as the unicorn of media outlets. Let that go. In reality, news outlets worth your time (we’ll get to that in the next question) are striving for unbiased reporting every day. Do they slip up sometimes? Of course. Is it intentional? Rarely ever. The truth is, it is against the human instinct to be entirely unbiased. As humans, once we learn enough about a topic, we form an opinion about it. Journalists are tasked with ignoring that inherent bias. Interested in hearing more? I’ll let the pros explain in this recent episode of NPR’s 1A.

But, Mary! If completely unbiased reporting is impossible due to the inherent biases of human beings, how can I trust the news media at all? Here it is, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: 

Where should I be focusing my news consuming efforts?

Here’s a hint:

🚨LOCAL MEDIA IS STILL MEDIA🚨

— Brian Munoz (@brianmmunoz) June 1, 2020

For years local media has been considered a 2nd place alternative to larger state- and nationwide outlets. You know their names: The New York Times, WaPo, The Guardian, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the Chicago Tribune… the list goes on. It is long past time we change our tune. You can take it from me, or you can take it from Rachel Martin, NPR’s host of Morning Edition and the Up First podcast.

I really think the days of reporters parachuting into communities are done. The trust gap is so big now that the only way to close it is to build up LOCAL journalism. For a very long time we have placed too much value on the outsider…

— Rachel Martin (@rachelnpr) May 21, 2020

TLDR: Major large market media corps have long “parachuted in” their best reporters to observe and write about major happenings in history. The idea was that a stranger to the area and the collective story would be a better author than someone local who, incorrectly, could be considered “corrupt” and “too emotionally invested” due to their community ties. Martin explains that it’s not distance, but proximity that brings out the truth–and that’s also how we begin to close the trust gap between the public and “the media.”

The truth of the matter is local media outlets have long played second fiddle to the big guys. It was a problem in history as much as it is still a problem today. And while solutions like more collaborative reporting across markets and outlets may help, the fact is that even those partnerships rely on the hard work of local media outlets with local reporters’ boots on the ground.

So YAY, everyone is going to go read, watch, and listen to their local news outlets and all will be well, right? Sadly… no. Local journalism has its struggles, one being financial. This recent blog post by Jason Piscia, the head of a competitive reporting master’s degree program, explains. Piscia says the lack of funding for local news outlets was only heightened when COVID-19 hit, bringing out mass layoffs, furloughs, and salary cuts (Poynter has the ongoing numbers here, if you’re a data consumer).

While the public has always demanded–as they should–accurate and dependable news coverage, these layoffs and furloughs strain newsrooms. That’s why you can’t just settle for being a good consumer of news by paying attention to your local TV, radio, print and online media. You need to show your support financially too, whenever possible. Take it from a friend and former NPR member station colleague of mine, Melissa Libert:

An educational thread about “the media” for your thoughtful consideration:
I’ve seen a lot of complaints about “the media” the last few days, and since I work in “the media” (though not as a journalist), I feel compelled to share a few things:
/1 #TheMedia

— Melissa Libert (@mmlinbloom) June 3, 2020

Libert discusses the reality that faces “the media” in 36,000 reporter jobs lost since the start of 2020, and stresses the importance of financially supporting your local outlets.

But Mary, how? Chances are your local newspaper charges a subscription fee for a print, sometimes digital, version of the newspaper. Subscribe and pay for the content you are consuming. When it comes to supporting local radio and digital content, my gut is to always look towards your local NPR member station. Being a contributor makes a difference whether it’s $500 a year or $5 a month. Your money helps pay the salaries of hardworking journalists and keeps your favorite media outlets afloat in hard times. 

And when financial hardships hit you too, know that sharing those local stories also goes a long way. Encourage your friends to be better consumers of media, too. Because let’s be honest, when you have a variety of news sources that you trust, you become a better informed citizen ready to take on the challenges of this world.

Full disclosure: Mary is a former reporter for WGLT, an NPR member station located in Central Illinois.

About the Author

After a few years spent reporting at a central Illinois NPR affiliate, within the statehouse NPR bureau, and a summer interning with the Chicago Sun Times, Mary decided to shake it up by moving across the country and jumping into the world of Public Relations. Now working as the Media Relations Manager at Connect2 Communications in Raleigh, Mary sees the full circle of media crafting by bringing her expert news sense to the workplace every day.