Now we’re all globally connected through the internet and social media, it’s pretty hard to establish the credentials and trustworthiness of much of what we’re presented as news. After a few months exposure to stories that prove false, hyped, badly researched or just intentionally misleading, many of us adopt a hard hat of scepticism and simply mistrust what we read or view, as a matter of course. Guilty til proven factual.
‘Twas ever thus’ I hear people say. Newspapers have been the domain of wealthy publishers and their political affiliations for hundreds of years, and you just have to accept that and discern it for yourself.
That may be true (hurray, no fake news there!), but local media seems to be far less affected by the fakedemic. (We’re making ‘demics out of everything nowadays). Also, speaking as a local community newspaper publisher I fell off my chair when I typed the words ‘wealthy publishers’. The rapid proliferation of publishing platforms online has given us so much choice that it’s even harder to really choose. (As an aside, it’s worth checking out the topic of the ‘paradox of choice’, and if you’re up for it start with this one: https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice/
Stunned into paralysis by the constant stream of information, confused as to what’s true, it seems easier to get back to the basics: how are my neighbours doing?
Given that we’re now in a global village by virtue of our digital connections, the truly local village or neighbourhood, or even town and city, has a clearer voice. Many of us are down-sizing, going off- grid, and other things to make life simpler. Stunned into paralysis by the constant stream of information, confused as to what’s true, it seems easier to get back to the basics: how are my neighbours doing? My street, my neighbourhood, my city? These are things we can relate to in real time and real life.
And it looks like local media is helping us to do at least some of that, and as a result it is trusted. In fact it is about three times more trusted than social media. Quoting Press Gazzette:
“Three-quarters (74 per cent) of respondents to a survey carried out by Yougov said they trust the news and information in their local newspaper, whether online or in print”.
That compares to 22 percent who agreed they trusted the news and info they see on social media. You can check out more from the report at https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/local-newspapers-seeing-resurgence-of-trust-as-research-shows-they-are-three-times-more-trusted-than-facebook/
Mind you, it’s been pointed out that even the headline that the esteemed Press Gazette uses (‘three times more trusted than Facebook’) has its own share of inaccuracy – mathematically it’s a bit out; and the report compares social media, not just Facebook.
Fake news is everywhere! But less in your local press.
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