It is a well known fact that the big names in news (like BBC, Fox, ABC etc) spin their news with their own agendas. For those who are unknown to the term, spinning is to give a news a certain air and background so that it creates a specific background message to the viewer. For example consider the following scenario:
In Los Angeles a person named Ahmed armed with an airsoft pellet gun successfully robs a bank. In Michigan a person named Doro armed with an airsoft pellet gun robs a jeweller's shop. A news channel presents the incidents in these words: Today a Muslim man named Ahmed successfully robbed a bank in Los Angeles. Witnesses report they were so shocked by the man's appearance they did not even notice the gun carefully before handing over the cash. A police officer, on the condition of not disclosing his name has expressed apprehensions that Ahmed might be connected with Al-Qaeda. In a second incident in Michigan, a 30 years old man armed with an airsoft gun robbed a jeweller's shop. The police is investigating the incident and has resolved to arrest the perpetrator within 48 hours.
Notice how the name of the person and his religion are disclosed in the first case and then a police officer immediately asserts a possible connection to Al-Qaeda. In the second case, no name or religion of the person are disclosed. The first news makes the viewer's point of view biased against Islam and creates an impression as if it is religion to blame for the person's act. This is what news spinning means.
On the other hand, on social media (so far) we encounter individual people and we are able to better discern propaganda from reality. But individuals are biased too and this is why most controversial news stories shared on Facebook or Twitter come with an entourage of proponent of both perspectives. For someone unknown to the issue, this is quite confusing, but at least he/she gets to have a view of both sides of the picture.
With this in mind, do you trust commercial news channels more or do you prefer to form your own perspective about the matter after reading what the real people involved with the issue say on social media? For my part, I have long since quit trusting the commercial news channels and succumbing to their propaganda.
In Los Angeles a person named Ahmed armed with an airsoft pellet gun successfully robs a bank. In Michigan a person named Doro armed with an airsoft pellet gun robs a jeweller's shop. A news channel presents the incidents in these words: Today a Muslim man named Ahmed successfully robbed a bank in Los Angeles. Witnesses report they were so shocked by the man's appearance they did not even notice the gun carefully before handing over the cash. A police officer, on the condition of not disclosing his name has expressed apprehensions that Ahmed might be connected with Al-Qaeda. In a second incident in Michigan, a 30 years old man armed with an airsoft gun robbed a jeweller's shop. The police is investigating the incident and has resolved to arrest the perpetrator within 48 hours.
Notice how the name of the person and his religion are disclosed in the first case and then a police officer immediately asserts a possible connection to Al-Qaeda. In the second case, no name or religion of the person are disclosed. The first news makes the viewer's point of view biased against Islam and creates an impression as if it is religion to blame for the person's act. This is what news spinning means.
On the other hand, on social media (so far) we encounter individual people and we are able to better discern propaganda from reality. But individuals are biased too and this is why most controversial news stories shared on Facebook or Twitter come with an entourage of proponent of both perspectives. For someone unknown to the issue, this is quite confusing, but at least he/she gets to have a view of both sides of the picture.
With this in mind, do you trust commercial news channels more or do you prefer to form your own perspective about the matter after reading what the real people involved with the issue say on social media? For my part, I have long since quit trusting the commercial news channels and succumbing to their propaganda.