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With imperfect information, we make imperfect decisions.” That line, taken from the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder, neatly summarizes why the crisis of mis- and disinformation demands urgent attention from all sectors of society – including the news media nationwide.
Newsrooms around the United States are supporting the third annual National News Literacy Week – Jan. 24-28 – to help more people learn to determine the credibility of content they encounter and use the standards of fact-based journalism to know what to trust, share and act on.
It is vital that news consumers attain the skills to discern fact from fiction, understand how our newsrooms decide what is newsworthy, and recognize the standards we follow to ensure trust in what we publish or broadcast. This is essential if fact-based information is to remain central to our discourse and the functioning of our democracy.
In our role as the Fourth Estate, it is our mission to keep the public well-informed and provide high-quality journalism that holds those in power accountable.
In addition, our audiences must be news literate – and empowered to make fact-based decisions about their lives.
The Cherokee Scout pledges to double down on our local efforts to be fair, accurate, representative and transparent in our journalism – and crystal clear on what is opinion and analysis and what is straightforward news reporting. Everyone – including educators, students, parents, community members, business leaders, politicians and social media influencers – relies on the fact-based information we provide every day.
We urge you to take a moment to become news literate. Visit NewsLiteracyWeek.org to learn more about what you can do to avoid spreading misinformation.
Please join us in securing a fact-based future where we can all make the best decisions for our communities and our country. Stop the flood of misinformation. Care before you share.
– Publisher David Brown
and the News Literacy Project