We need to fact check before we share. And we need fact checkers

Earlier this week I saw a quote about a high profile news story that stuck with me. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I planned a post about it and needed to check where and when these words were said, for context.

So I Googled.

The quote didn’t immediately spring up. But a few search results down, there was an article from Snopes debunking that it was said.

And this is something we all have to get our heads around. Terrible things are happening. I’ve seen many things this week that make me despair. But at the same time not everything we read about what’s terrible in the world is true.

We need to fact check before we hit ‘share’. And we need fact checkers.

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This is not the post I intended to write today.

But during my master’s class this week, one of the questions was: “Does the media have a positive or negative effect on politics?”

You’ll have an immediate answer to that.

But “the media” isn’t one entity.

“The media” is national TV and radio. Some of it privately owned by individuals with their own agenda. Some of it publicly owned and there to provide coverage as a service to you.

But it is also local media. An industry that has faced cut after cut. One that has seen circulations fall as everyone expects to get their news for free on the internet.

And here we hit a problem: you can’t pay journalists’ wages if no-one is paying for their work.

You might think that doesn’t matter.

But local journalism is reporters in courtrooms, exposing terrible crimes which would otherwise be hidden behind closed doors. When did you last read a court list or sit in a courtroom? You rely on journalists to do this for you.

Local journalism is reporters going through council minutes and agendas, spotting issues communities need to know about so they can have their say. It’s sitting through very long meetings so you know what was said during the debate. When was the last time you went to a council meeting? You rely on journalists to do this for you.

Local journalism is sharing positive news about what is happening in your community. It’s raising money for causes which you, your family, or a friend might need one day. It’s raising awareness of the new community event, or independent business, or person who has done something good in the world.

Local journalism connects us. It’s vital to our democracy and it’s vital to our communities.

“The media” is also independent podcasts and blogs. You can debate the ethics of distribution platforms.

But it’s people taking the time to talk about issues that aren’t getting seen.

It’s people talking about issues which aren’t all doom and gloom.

It’s people talking about issues which matter to their community.

The media is also you. If we think about ‘the media’ as distribution of news, views and entertainment, that’s what you’re doing here.

It’s a responsibility. It’s a privilege. And it’s a freedom.

A freedom that is under threat.

We need each other. And we need to fact check.