Don’t Panic over Fake News

November 20, 2016November 21, 2016 Bill Dutton *OIINEWS, Internet and Everyday Life, Internet Studies, Shaping the Internet, Social Issues email, fake, fake news, moral panics, news, OII, oiioxford, search, social media

Fake News is a Wonderful Headline but Not a Reason to Panic I feel guilty for not jumping on the ‘fake news’ bandwagon. It is one of the new new things in the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election. And because purposively misleading news stories, like the Pope endorsing Donald Trump, engage so many people, … Continue reading Don’t Panic over Fake News

Surrogate News: The End of Journalism?

November 11, 2016November 11, 2016 Bill Dutton General Interest, Information Communication and the Social Sciences, Internet and Everyday Life, Social Issues election, journalism, news, quality, reporting, surrogate

Surrogate News: The End of Journalism? News coverage of the 2016 US presidential election vividly illustrated a worrying trend. It goes well beyond the decline of the newspaper to the decline of quality journalistic reporting in favor of entertaining news commentary. Perhaps I have a romantic view of the past. Perhaps journalism may be better … Continue reading Surrogate News: The End of Journalism?

PBS Newshour Hands Down

March 24, 2016March 24, 2016 Bill Dutton Uncategorized accuracy, balance, CNN, fairness, news, PBS, quality

In the aftermath of the primaries and caucuses in Arizona, Utah, and Idaho, and the bombings in Brussels, I - like many - was riveted to the news. Watching CNN coverage, then PBS Newshour, reinforced my belief that PBS is head and shoulders above CNN in the range of news covered, the reporting of facts … Continue reading PBS Newshour Hands Down