Understanding News Information Bias: Navigating Modern Media Landscapes

Outdoors Tip: Crumple
up fake newspaper and use it to light
your fireplace/woodstove on 
cold nights. It can also be used in the outhouse
during a toilet paper shortage.
 I think it is
going to snow a little tonight
in the UP. 
Outhouses are cold in the winter!
brrr
P.S. we still race outhouses around here.

Information shapes how we think, the decisions we make, and ultimately the outcomes we experience. It’s natural to seek information — whether by watching the news or talking with friends. However, trust in traditional news outlets has declined in recent years. One reason may be that tuning into one channel gives you one perspective, while another offers the exact opposite. Few outlets seem to weigh and balance information in a way that allows consumers to draw their own conclusions. There are plenty of agendas, but not enough open, free-thinking discussions.

This may explain why many younger people are turning toward alternative forms of media. Traditional outlets often carry messages shaped by political or financial interests, given increasing consolidation. Yet, alternative sources come with their own risks — particularly when information is intentionally false, misleading, or incomplete. That’s why today’s media environment is sometimes described as an “information war,” where competing narratives aim to influence group perspectives and outcomes. 

(A false narrative will have a broken logic in it that can't be bridged when the factors change thereby making its truth contingent on an assumption. It is complex, it is windy, sounds easy enough, it twists like speghetti but it is still based on an assumption. Sometimes this is by accident and sometimes by intention.)

Anyone can fall prey to misinformation or confirmation bias — the tendency to favor information that supports pre-existing beliefs. A possible reason why some channels exist and why people tune into them. This creates risks when trying to solve complex problems, because people often fail to see the full structure of an argument. Many potential solutions go undiscussed simply because they aren’t popular or don’t fit neatly within the dominant media narrative. 

The best advice I can offer is to approach all information with a critical eye. Read widely from different sources. Consider the intent behind the message, the depth of the discussion, its balance, and whether alternative perspectives are acknowledged. Balanced discussion vets multiple sides of arguments. Evaluate the genuineness and credibility of the source.

Below are a few recommended readings and research pieces:

1.The Change in Trust of News – exploring the growing skepticism toward traditional media.

2. Media Consolidation and Its Impacts – analyzing how ownership affects information diversity.

3. Critical Thinking and Fake News – discussing practical strategies for identifying misinformation.

4. 20 Questions on News - questions that help you think about the news.

The fourth piece is particularly useful, as it suggests that simply asking yourself a few thoughtful questions can increase your awareness of a story’s purpose and intent. Always question what you read — no matter who the writer is, including me. Everyone communicates with some goal or intention. Sometimes those intentions are noble and constructive; other times, they’re self-serving or misleading.