Solutions to our Crisis of Credibility
The continuing tempestuous political environment combined with a crisis of credibility in our news sources affects our ability to get factual political information.
I thought it would be helpful to provide information on two news organizations focused on reporting based on facts, not opinion. One is local to Connecticut and the other, a national organization, Both have the refreshingly laudable goal to empower people to be informed with the facts, not buy into the hysteria.
All Sides Media – The Big Picture
All Sides Media – – founded in 2012 – – is an aggregator of news from all sides of the bias spectrum. On their website, news from different sources and biases is offered. One can read the same story through three different lenses / biases.
The three co-founders cover the political map from left to right. Their mission – – and passion – – is for people to access the facts through understanding bias. They assess bias using technology as two of the founders have broad experience in the technology field.
A quote from All Sides – – “Everyone is biased, but hidden bias misleads and divides us. Our chart and curated fact checks across the political spectrum help to free you from filter bubbles so you can get multiple viewpoints, know more, and think for yourself”
They are also known for their Media Bias Map – which is updated annually. This map rates 1,400 media outlets for political bias in one of five categories: Center, Lean Right or Left and simply Right or Left.
Only ten news sources are currently rated as “Center” news sources – – meaning they write/ report the news in an unbiased way.
- BBC News
- Christian Science Monitor
- Forbes
- Market Watch
- New Nation
- Newsweek
- Reuters
- Real Clear Politics
- The Hill
- Wall Street Journal (news only)
Within the last several years, both Bloomberg and NPR have slipped from Center News sources to Lean Left.
Note: All Sides Media only reports on online news, not print/broadcast/cable news and rates news and opinion sections separately. Read their full editorial philosophy here.
I encourage you to take the time to deep dive on the website. There’s a lot there and best covered in several sittings. Bites of the elephant approach.
CT Examiner – News Closer to Home
CT Examiner was founded in 2019 by J. David Kelsey and Gregory Stroud Publisher and Editor in Chief respectively. Their mission is quality non-partisan journalism for small towns and cities: “Ask big questions in small places.” Their integrity has won them multiple journalism awards and 230,000 unique readers each week. With updated news stories everyday and a weekly highlight email wrap-up, it’s an impressive and honestly informing news source all around.
In addition, all of the reporters for CT Examiner have a minimum of 5-10 years journalism experience. Credibility that can be counted on. Megan Muldoon has been hired to cover Darien local political news. An alum of William & Mary law school, she was a broadcast TV bureau chief, a practicing attorney in the telecommunications, tax and health care policy field and has extensive writing / journalism experience.
Megan and the CT Examiner team are a refreshing addition to local political news coverage in Connecticut. Online subscriptions are $20/ year. Your name is never sold to anyone, you may cancel at any time. Win, win!!
Expect More
By reputation, Connecticut’s largest print / online news source is in the thrall of the political left. In addition to the obvious bias in their editorials, their reporting of the news uses a technique called “journalistic reporting”. The reporters writing the story, insert their opinion leading the reader what to think. Most of the writers are a year or two out of undergrad and do not bring the requisite experience and proven integrity to their reporting. Enough!!
It’s vital to support news sources that report the facts and let us come to our own decisions. Anything less is irresponsible. Ultimate goal is to empower people to be informed, understand and decide for themselves.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions about reputable, balanced, and unbiased media.
