Ultimately, reader must be committed to truth
Congratulations to The Daily Herald for its public soul searching in the interest of accuracy and education. Your Sunday feature "News Literacy" was an honest and reasonably thorough examination of the media's role in providing fair, balanced and truthful news. Your honest acknowledgment that even the best intentions sometimes fall short is the key to integrity.
Strategies like reverse image search and the identification of contextual inconsistencies provide a method for readers to follow through in their quest for the whole picture. Readers are rightly warned to avoid fake news pitfalls when they investigate the source behind a story, question whether or not an item's appeal simply reinforces their bias, and/or differentiate fact from opinion.
As a librarian, I have been trained to provide objective, balanced, accurate and current information to all comers. It was very gratifying to learn that journalism teachers hold their students to high standards. Lessons learned early are usually valued lifelong. The democratization of information comes with unique challenges. Subtleties in word search choice, evidentiary selection and presentation of the news story affect fairness. Format and consequence matter. Social media pressures and reinforces conformity. The reader must struggle against the complacency that affords. The Dec. 30 exposition identifies how critical it is for the reader to actively seek balance and sort facts. In the final assessment it is the reader who must demonstrate an unswerving will to work diligently to protect truth.
Sheila M. Barrett
Elk Grove Village