By Jamil oakford/ editor-in-chief
As digital media and its formats evolve, so do ways of receiving local, national and international news.
In the last 10 years, people have flocked to alternative news sources in an attempt to get unfiltered, unbiased news. Especially in a society that holds traditional news outlets like newspapers and news broadcasts in such low esteem, people are looking for news they can trust. Many alternative news outlets have found a home among video, radio and television. Vice, an online magazine, has a show on HBO and its own channel to run multimedia stories. TV network Fusion also offers its own brand of news like The Blaze, based in Dallas.
Having more options is never a bad thing. Instead of having to repeat the same news at the top of every hour and stick with stories that don’t conflict with set advertisers and owners of media conglomerates, alternative news outlets can cover anything they choose and spend about as much time on a topic as they want. For example, mass incarceration isn’t something that the NBC Nightly News can cover in full detail unless an event makes the conversation relevant. Meanwhile, an alternative news outlet can look at the topic and examine multiple sides, make a documentary, cut the story into a three-part series — the possibilities are limitless. Risk arises with using these as primary news sources. Instead of being informed, a lot of people are opting for news commentary, hearing news through a filter that validates or matches their own opinions or world views.
With all news, both mainstream and alternative outlets, a healthy amount of skepticism is a good thing. But no one should hear a news story for the first time through news commentary because that hinders the ability to hear straight facts and make a decision about it on one’s own. Alternative news outlets are a great way to stay informed about the topics that slip through the cracks in mainstream news. But caution is needed when treading through that minefield. Some outlets can be trusted. Others offer only opinion on a news story, sometimes ignoring facts all together to make a point.
