Can We Trust Journalism Today?

[phkrause]

In a fast-paced society, we want news now, and integrity takes a back seat.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/News/Articles/Can-We-Trust-Journalism-Today.aspx#trt1FGu2Fx1ciLmz.99

[Tom Wetmore]

I think journalistic sloppiness has been around for a very long time.  And certainly low integrity propagandists are also nothing new.  I think perhaps what is different now more than ever is the saturation level.  It used to be that we were limited to maybe a newspaper, news magazine or two and no more than three TV news sources and a few local radio stations. And even then, there was a limiting factor of personal resources and time to access even those relatively few news sources.  The resources necessary to produce and broadcast/distribute were a major limiting factor as well.  Now any idiot with a computer can start a rant on the internet and label it news, or truth or whatever and with a push of a button it is available to potentially a worldwide audience instantly, with no editorial or peer review checks and balances.  And just as easily others of similar ilk and mindset can with a quick cut and paste repeat it over and over.  And for the news/info consumer there is a flood of this sort of thing to sift through for a few kernels of reliable stuff.  Far too many show no less intellectual integrity (discernment/wisdom/rationality, etc.) on the consumption side either, just lapping it all up, passing it on without bothering to think, check it out or caring that they play into the hands of the propagandists.