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At least theoretically, if customers actually valued accuracy, they would punish news organizations that were not accurate. A for profit newspaper would need to

At least theoretically, if customers actually valued accuracy, they would punish news organizations that were not accurate. A for profit newspaper would need to respond to the changing market. A not for profit newspaper could easily have a backer with other motivations, where they might be willing to sacrifice accuracy to push a particular agenda. I am not sure that the problem is the news. I do not think people really care if they get accurate news.

chmod600 5y ago
Do people not care about accuracy? Or have they just given up?
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  They would rather have news that aligns with their values.
- gruez 5y ago
  >Do people not care about accuracy? Evidently not. When was the last time a mainstream news organization got heat from its own viewer base because of inaccurate reporting? I mean, it's fun to dunk on fox news because you think they're obviously spewing lies or whatever, but that doesn't really matter unless their viewership actually cares. Meanwhile outrage drives clicks, so journalists are strongly incentivized to stretch the truth.
  - ethbr0 5y ago
    The issue is that modern news (and the economic model that backs it) is a mix of entertainment, education, and investigation. Even assuming all leads were pursued equally, and all stories were published, entertainment is still highly partisan. Which, presumably, is why we saw partisanship jump when the entertainment component increased in revenue importance (90s talk radio, then 2000s competitive 24/7 news). Fox News was objectively brilliant in that they saw this coming, which is why they went ahead and devoted a huge chunk of their airtime to entertainment-weighted programming.
- licebmi__at__ 5y ago
  I think people care about accuracy. The problem being that the way our brains work, we perceive as accurate whatever matches our bias.
pydry 5y ago
By that token snake oil in any shape or form shouldn't exist. Theoretically. In any case, the eyeballs are the product. The advertisers are increasingly the true customers of media outlets. They don't even theoretically care about accuracy.
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  Precisely. In that case people want hope/easy solutions rather than good solutions.

chmod600 5y ago

Do people not care about accuracy? Or have they just given up?

MattGaiser 5y ago
They would rather have news that aligns with their values.
gruez 5y ago
>Do people not care about accuracy? Evidently not. When was the last time a mainstream news organization got heat from its own viewer base because of inaccurate reporting? I mean, it's fun to dunk on fox news because you think they're obviously spewing lies or whatever, but that doesn't really matter unless their viewership actually cares. Meanwhile outrage drives clicks, so journalists are strongly incentivized to stretch the truth.
- ethbr0 5y ago
  The issue is that modern news (and the economic model that backs it) is a mix of entertainment, education, and investigation. Even assuming all leads were pursued equally, and all stories were published, entertainment is still highly partisan. Which, presumably, is why we saw partisanship jump when the entertainment component increased in revenue importance (90s talk radio, then 2000s competitive 24/7 news). Fox News was objectively brilliant in that they saw this coming, which is why they went ahead and devoted a huge chunk of their airtime to entertainment-weighted programming.
licebmi__at__ 5y ago
I think people care about accuracy. The problem being that the way our brains work, we perceive as accurate whatever matches our bias.

pydry 5y ago

By that token snake oil in any shape or form shouldn't exist. Theoretically. In any case, the eyeballs are the product. The advertisers are increasingly the true customers of media outlets. They don't even theoretically care about accuracy.

MattGaiser 5y ago
Precisely. In that case people want hope/easy solutions rather than good solutions.