Cincinnati Enquirer op-ed: Consumers must ask questions to defeat fake news
UC journalism experts weigh in on how society should approach questionable news sources
A pair of University of Cincinnati journalism experts who study the cultural phenomenon that is “fake news” co-wrote an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer urging consumers to practice “critical thinking” when it comes to deciphering what is real and what is fiction when it comes to their media consumption.
Jeffrey Blevins, head of UC’s journalism department, and Brian Calfano, associate professor of political science and journalism at UC, published an opinion piece in the Cincinnati Enquirer over the weekend that puts the onus on readers to challenge bias and do their own fact checking.
“ … perhaps, it is high time to proclaim that news audiences need to start doing their own intellectual work,” wrote Blevins and Calfano. “We should very well be able to ask ourselves, does this news outlet rely on user-generated content? How credible is this reporting? Who owns this outlet and what are its advertising and promotional relationships?”
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