At a time when it feels like so many aspects of life are only becoming increasingly politicized, it can be hard to know what information online is actually trustworthy. With social media and online news platforms serving as primary sources of information for many people, partisan or misleading content is able to spread extremely quickly and influence public opinion. Therefore, it is incredibly important to stay informed and know how to find accurate, unbiased news. While this may seem daunting, it can be quite simple once you understand how to recognize bias and find credible news articles and sources.
In recent years, political polarization in the United States has widened the ideological gap between the Democratic and Republican parties, with many Americans shifting away from a moderate position in favor of one party or the other. Subsequent extremist views among both political parties have only exacerbated the issue of bias in the news. While bias tends to have a negative connotation, it is important to acknowledge that bias does not always necessarily mean false information. According to Stony Brook University Libraries, there are several ways bias can take form in news media. These include political bias (leaning towards a certain political party or ideology), selection bias (highlighting particular events over others, often to shape public opinion), corporate bias (prioritization of corporate interests or profit motives), and public bias (framing information and stories to appeal to a specific audience).
When evaluating a news source or article for bias, there are a few important questions to take into account. Is this an issue being covered by several major news outlets, and if so how does the coverage differ between sources? From what perspective is the issue being presented and is it one of the populations being affected by the issue? Who is being quoted in the article and is there diversity in the people being used as sources? Is the coverage playing into any type of stereotype or assumption? How does this news source receive its funding and could that potentially influence what is being published?
So how do you find credible news? Credible news sources are generally characterized by factual accuracy, reputable sources, transparency, and editorial independence. There are several bipartisan news sources that work to provide neutral and well-rounded coverage of current events. All Sides News is an independent news platform that provides balanced news coverage by providing a headline with coverage from Right (Republican) leaning, Left (Democratic) leaning, and Center leaning news sources. The Associated Press is another independent news platform, whose mission is to provide “independent, nonpartisan and fact-based journalism”.
All this to say, you don’t have to and shouldn’t avoid mainstream news entirely. In fact, an advantage of traditional mainstream news outlets is that they are held accountable by their readership and professional standards to provide accurate, well-rounded, and timely coverage in ways that individuals posting on social media are not. However, it is useful to be aware of perspective and partisan biases among major news platforms. For example, according to All Sides News, historically Left-leaning news platforms include NBC, The New Yorker, and CNN, and historically Right-leaning news platforms include The New York Post, Fox News, and The Washington Times. If you are ever unsure and want to verify a piece of political information, there are several reliable fact-checking websites such as Snopes, PoliFact, and FactCheck.org. Ultimately, by understanding how to recognize bias and knowing where to find credible, balanced reporting, you become better equipped to navigate today’s media landscape.
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Check out the following resources:
All Sides News: allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news
Associated Press: ap.org
Snopes: snopes.com
PoliFact: politifact.com
FactCheck.org: factcheck.org