PVCC Puma Press: May 2005

When PVCC students were asked “Where do you get your news about what is going on in the world?” Their answers were almost as varied as the news sources:

“Fox and CNN,” says Lisa McCoy, 38.

“Arizona Republic,” says 20 year-old Brandon Lespron.

“From friends, then I flip through the channels,” says Taylor Elston, 20.

“Mostly from the ‘Daily Show,’ that and Juno.com,” says Kimyana Lee, 20.

“CNN,” says Greg Fisher, 22.

“I don’t. If there is something happening the television itself will tell me. I don’t have to look for it,” says Elyse Nardick, 20.

Many people go to the news source that is convenient while others may choose media based on political ideology. Regardless of the reasoning, when people limit their news sources, they get only one side of the story. Newspapers and magazines, the Internet, Network and Cable News organization and talk radio all have something to offer. The key is to get news from a variety of sources.

Students attending the Inside Washington Seminar in Washington, DC, heard from journalists ranging across all segments of the media. The consensus was best summed up by Kim Humme, vice president and Washington bureau chief for FoxNews, when she said the most important thing that college students can learn is “the ability to think critically. The media’s job is not to tell you what to think but to give the information for you to think.”

Recognizing the difference between news and entertainment is an important first step in being a good media consumer. Until 1992, when Bill Clinton appeared on the Arsenio Hall late night show, politicians kept their television appearances limited to news and political events. Now, running for political office includes stops at Jay Leno, David Letterman and a campus favorite, the “Daily Show.” In fact, last year, both George W. Bush and John Kerry, along with their spouses, stopped by for a chat with Dr. Phil. The problem is, according to Professor Steve Bell, former anchor for ABC's "Good Morning America," that politicians now often skirt the hard questions of news programs in favor of a softer treatment.

Looking at who is presenting the news is another important component for getting the most out of the media. What is the motivation of the writers? Are they being paid?

A columnist is not always a journalist. The ability to recognize when something is an opinion piece versus a news story is critical. Armstrong Williams, a conservative columnist, was discovered receiving money ultimately from the U.S. Department of Education to promote “no child left behind.” Williams did not disclose this information and when it came out, his credibility was severely questioned. The line between columnist and spokesperson can be blurry.

“Follow the money and you’ll find the motivation behind a story,” says Bryan Lamb, founder and CEO of C-SPAN. It is not only the story but the omissions that news editors and producers make every day. “Sometimes what is not covered is just as important as what is,” says Lamb. That is one of the reasons for finding CSPAN. “We show the whole story and the viewer can sort it out for themselves.”

Rumors that were ignored in the past are now being pressed forward by the new media—bloggers and talk radio. Ted Koppel of ABCs “Nightline” described the Internet as, “funny, entertaining, smart …but true, not necessarily.” It is difficult to verify any information from the Internet unless it comes from reliable news sources.

Sensationalism can interfere with getting the whole story to the public. Ratings, and ultimately profits, are driven by viewers. “We rapidly learned that if you put in OJ (Simpson), then the viewer numbers went up,” says Sam Donaldson, ABC news. Soon every car chase and court case became headline news and propelled media into a more market-driven entity. Donaldson would like to think “that quality will build an audience,” but that is not always the case.

Each journalist enthusiastically urged students to serve the democracy in one way or another. How well they are able to serve will greatly depend on the ability to be good consumers of the media. It’s important to use a variety of sources (television, radio, Internet and print) and to see the news through critical eyes. This also means taking responsibility to look beyond sensational headlines and late-night punch lines.