Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuzz
I can't remember what thread we were discussing opinion columns taking over the news, but this is the front page of the NP now...
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Opinion is the easiest thing for media companies to produce these days. Requires no journalistic standards of reporting and fact checking, requires little legal protections to the company, generates a ton of clicks because of salacious headlines and content, and can be generated in a matter of a couple hours. Opinions are never wrong, because they are just opinions. They are also rarely fact-based and driven by emotional content, which makes them very dangerous in guiding public opinion, but at the same time effective. There truly isn't any "news" media anymore. What we have are media companies who are generating content to draw in viewers and revenue. The idea of providing facts to the population, acting as a check on those in power, speaking truth to power, and being a foundational component to maintaining our democracy, is all but dead. You aren't reading news, you are just consuming media content meant to make you angry or afraid.