sowny.net | The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum


You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

May 27, 2019 11:16 am  #1


#FakeNews - Trust in Traditional News Sources Rebounding?

=inheritToronto, ON, May 10, 2019 — In an era of fake news, Canadians say they’re becoming increasingly able to differentiate between what is real and what is fake, and trust in traditional news media sources is beginning to rebound.Seven in ten (72%) Canadians say that they trust (14% a great deal/58% a fair amount) and have confidence in traditional news media – such as newspapers, news magazines, TV, and radio news – when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately, and fairly, which is up 7 points since 2018, and even up 3 points since the question was first asked in 2008. However, Millennials – loosely defined as those aged 18-34 – are much less trusting (60%) than Gen X’ers aged 35-54 (74%) or Boomers aged 55+ (79%).Looking at sources of news individually, broadcast TV news (61%, +2 points since last year), print newspapers (58%, -1), news radio (54%, +3), news websites (52%, +1) and cable news (51%, unchanged) are the sources which Canadians say they trust all or most of the time.

However, talk radio (42%, +2), online-only news publications (28%, -6), social media in general (14%, -3), and more specifically Facebook (11%, -3) and Twitter (10%, -2) are all less trusted, with most of the online and social-media channels declining in trust.

 

May 27, 2019 10:01 pm  #2


Re: #FakeNews - Trust in Traditional News Sources Rebounding?

I stumbled upon this from the FCC in the U.S. and it shows just how hard it is to make the case down there for "fake news." It's an interesting read, though.

News Distortion.  

"The Commission often receives complaints concerning broadcast journalism, such as allegations that stations have aired inaccurate or one-sided news reports or comments, covered stories inadequately, or overly dramatized the events that they cover....The Commission generally will not intervene in these cases because it would be inconsistent with the First Amendment to replace the journalistic judgment of licensees with our own.

"However, as public trustees, broadcast licensees may not intentionally distort the news. The FCC has stated that “rigging or slanting the news is a most heinous act against the public interest.” The Commission will investigate a station for news distortion if it receives documented evidence of rigging or slanting, such as testimony or other documentation, from individuals with direct personal knowledge that a licensee or its management engaged in the intentional falsification of the news.

"Of particular concern would be evidence of the direction to employees from station management to falsify the news. However, absent such a compelling showing, the Commission will not intervene."