Is the Media Trustworthy?

Is the media trustworthy? The internet has become one of the most widely used sources for obtaining information. However, when everyone can post information, how do we know if it is correct? We are warned not to use certain websites as primary resources; however, many use them anyway and post the information in usually trustworthy websites. Consequently, many read it and something completely untrue can be written down as a fact.

An example of this is an experiment of an Irish student who posted a fake quote on Wikipedia that was later copied by many journalists in their articles. Months ago bank CEOs were put on the spot because of the way they handled money – in their best interest but not in the public’s best interest. Isn’t it the same with journalists? We trust the information they provide, believing that it is accurate and that they have done their research; but truth is that in many cases they haven’t done so but they still get paid for their articles.

Journalists use information in persuading and sometimes misleading ways. Journalism has a widespread power. It can influence many decisions through the information presented. This is great, as long as it is correct information. However, nowadays it is about making a profit even if it means inaccurate information. Bottom line is that there needs to be more control of what is posted so that the public is not cheated, and only those who deserve it receive credit for good work.