In years past, to get the latest breaking news stories you would have to be near a radio or television whenever your preferred news source was on. If you missed a story then you would have to rely on the hearsay of those who were able to catch the news. Today, nearly every news outlet has multiple social media channels that they can use to distribute content. Usually their posts have the preamble of “Breaking News” or “Update”, but what happens if they are so quick to report the news via social media that they leave out some details or get some important details of a story wrong? This could drastically impact the opinion of the public or influence their conversations. Due to social media, more hearsay information is passed from person to person now than ever. Should the media be held responsible for inaccurate tweets or misleading Facebook posts about a story?
We all rely on news outlets for our information; however I personally feel that we can demand better from them. What is more important? Being first or being the best? I would much rather have tweet or post about a story a little after the fact with complete details than a story with conflicting details from a source that just wants the website traffic of being first. This is highly irresponsible, and in my personal opinion, unethical. Few if any social media users stick with a story from start to finish, so leaving out important preliminary details can sway public opinion immensely. I am not calling for a governing body for the media on social sites, I am simply asking for more complete, thorough reporting. How many times have you wanted to have meaningful discussion with someone about a current event, yet both of you have conflicting details? Conspiracy theories aside, there is no good reason for this. The first news source that publishes information in an unbiased, thorough and timely way should be held up over all others!
What do you think? Have you seen any news outlets rushing to get a story out on social sites without double checking their facts? Let me know in the comments section!