Understanding What is “News”

There Are 3 Levels of News This is fact based, objective, sourced, and can almost always be trusted to report events honestly. Biased News This is news reported with an opinion, and is meant to further an agenda. This news sometimes doesn't report all the facts, makes judgments about events, and often tries to frame stories to fit a narrative. This type of news should be viewed cautiously. Fake News This is not news. Events are often either completely made up or sprinkled with facts. Headlines often tell the reader how to feel or are vague in their sources of information. Is almost totally unreliable. (Comes in meme form)

News Exists on a Spectrum It can be hard to say where one begins and another ends Fake News Biased News News

Real & Biased

Fake & Biased

Click-Bait Can be ads or “news” stories. But more often than not, are both. Use buzzwords to capture our attention... SHOCKING! CONFIRMED! YOU WON’T BELIEVE… BREAKING! SECRET or HIDDEN THE TRUTH ABOUT Is almost always Fake News and the goal is for the most part, to make money

Pseudo-Science Clickbait

Anti-Mainstream Media

Political Motivations & Government Distrust

Account Promotion/Trolling

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Fake News Works Because It... Reinforces beliefs and prejudices we already have Uses vivid language and can be entertaining Is overwhelming because it’s everywhere Targets people who don’t have access to “News”

Targets people who don’t have access to “News”

Fake News is Free! News Is Not. Subscription Fees: The New York Times: $136 per year The Washington Post: $99 per year Time Magazine: $40 per year The Atlantic: $34.50 per year

Let’s Look At This Morning’s Headlines

We’ve All Been Affected by Fake & Biased News...

What The Article Says: St What The Article Says: St.Louis is the Most Dangerous City in America because of 5,500 violent crimes What The Article Doesn’t Say: New York City has 53,000 violent crimes, and violent crime is down 3% in STL since 2010

What The Article Says: St What The Article Says: St.Louis is one of the worst places to live because 24% are in poverty and there’s crime. What The Article Doesn’t Say: St.Louis has the 21st Largest Metro Economy in America and a low cost of living

What The Article Says: St What The Article Says: St.Louis is great because it has free parks and delicious food What The Article Doesn’t Say: St.Louis has over 25,000 vacant buildings and parcels of land

Has Biased/Fake News shaped our view of our city?