Once noticed, it’s hard to ignore. It’s like becoming well acquainted with a language and trying to avoid reading a single word when staring at the interior of a book. This becomes all the more blantant and frusturating as it is encountered more and more. And it is heavily encountered. Very heavily.
The “it” that’s being referenced is that of lazy, sloppy news reporting.
And it’s become a standard; a norm, of the reporting world as 24 hour news networks and social media has taken its hold and charmed its way into the lives of the public. There is an eerie sense of calm and acceptance by journalists when approaching misinformation and solid laziness. “It’s alright if I don’t fact check or dig deeper into the issue at hand”, they mutter to themselves after they’ve hit the “publish” button on that swanky new publishing platform their news station splurged on while taking a sip from their twice-frothed-three-pump-mocha-two-pump-vanilla-135-temp-latte. ” I’ll just apologize and redact it later. It’s all good.”
That is, as long as the clicks and the hits and the reposts have succesfully taken hold, they remind themselves as they reposition their overpriced latte down by their laptop and stare out over the sea of heads seated around them in that trendy cafe. Not thinking twice about the individuals or the families their “reporting” affects.
When one with an inquisitive mind is left asking so many questions after reading their articles, it is safe to say that these journalists did not do their job. Think of it this way, if a barista lazily made that twice-frothed-three-pump-mocha-two-pump-vanilla-135-temp-latte, would that journalist feel comfortable paying $6.35 plus tax? Absolutley not. That’s just unacceptable, isn’t it? So why should the art of journalism accept careless and neglectful reporting?
However, it’s not just the journalists fault. We, the public, are such sloths when it comes to our news; we are a nation of get it for me NOW! And with that, the majority accept and trust the information in the neglectful news report at face value. This is where the public opinion is swayed and the knee jerk reactions of events draw from. What would a world that demands proper reporting look like? Especially for those who are forced to register? It would look nothing like the current dismal and ill informed society them and their families are in. The current registry and the add on laws would not survive if reporting were expected to be of a higher standard and properly done. This is because the majority of the public, judges and politicians would finally see how lacking in knowledge they are on this subject and how horribly unconstitutional it all is.
Now, it is realized that not all journalists are such as the mentioned above. There are some amazing, hard working journalists who know what their craft demands and holds themselves to a high, ethical standard. Unfortunately, they are a dime a dozen and this is something that is understood with a heavy heart and prayers for change in the proper direction.
It’s also realized that lazy and careless reporting has always been around as long as people have had written and spoken word. However, with the accessibility of information and the ease of connecting and contacting at society’s fingertips, there is no excuse for neglectful reporting.
Please read the well written and eye opening article below that is the basis for this post