Reliable media proves ever-important in today’s society

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Emily Rassel, Editor-in-Chief

Media is what connects humans to the outside world. Without it, even the most brilliant person in the world would be ignorant. Breaking stories and global news would pass by unnoticed. Facts would be replaced by rumor. It goes without saying that media is necessary.

When people think about media, they have a vivid and false image associated with it. They imagine the paparazzi or Lucy Wyman from “13 Going On 30” who will hunt, not unlike a lion, for a celebrity gossip story. They imagine a person typing away at a keyboard, maniacally laughing as they brainwash the general public; this person is corrupt.

It is easy to believe this. The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump said from his Twitter account many things including “dishonest media,” “media is fake,” and just simply “wrong.” He tells us that media is out to get everybody, when he is the one spewing false information. It is a corrupt system for sure, but not from fault of media; it is no wonder so many people are confused as to what to believe.

As with most things, there are good and bad types of media. Make sure there is a clear distinction between them. Family members and opinionated blogs are not good sources for solid news, as most times they are biased or misleading. Facebook feeds are currently filled with what is referred to as “fake news” where anyone can make up a story and post it. Anything written on the internet may be false, so always check the facts before using these sources in your arguments.

On the bright side, there are media outlets that everybody can trust: The New York Times, Time Magazine, CNN. These are all important companies dedicated to telling people the full unbiased truth. If it is not an editorial or opinion piece, then it is safe to say the information in it is factual.

The point of this story is not to place blame on anybody or allude to distant family members on Facebook (cough), but to say this: as 2016 comes to a close, it is time to start the year afresh by forming opinions for yourself that are based on credited information. Do not believe everything on the internet and accept the fact that although reading the newspaper and going outside social media to get information is grueling for the mind and the finger muscles, it is necessary and worth it.