Moment: Friday, September 6th at 5:17 PM CST
"News articles are your business cards that hit someone's doorstep or phone feed every day"
This weekend, I attended the Texas Tribune Festival, which is put on by the Texas Tribune, a non-profit news organization focusing on Texas politics and policy. Since I started this blog almost five years ago, my passion for writing has expanded far beyond sharing my own experiences into a desire to bring others' unique stories and narratives into the limelight, so this festival was an opportunity for me to meet like-minded individuals and further my understanding of the nuanced ways that healthcare, politics, and journalism intersect.
Why don't people trust the media?
I attended the KFF Health News public health panel, where the panelists were all medical professionals who were also engaged in health communication and media efforts. They shared that since the pandemic (there's that P word again!), trust in the media and healthcare professionals has seemed to have drastically declined as the flurry of misinformation coupled with ever-changing policies left the general public in a state of mass confusion. Medical journalists and public health communicators have found themselves at the receiving end of this compounded mistrust, and it can often feel like an uphill battle to regain that trust.
However, as one panelist reframed it, "We shouldn't be asking why people don't trust the media. We should be asking why people don't trust institutions." Some people might hear, "the CDC recommends," and take it as a credible recommendation because of the reputation, funding, and reach of the CDC, but that's not always the case. Pew Research Center, which has examined trust in institutions, has conducted numerous surveys that often highlight that local institutions are generally trusted more than larger, federal institutions.
Why does local news matter?
Thomas Jefferson famously said, "The government closest to the people serves the people best."
Local government and news are more effective because it is more directly accountable to and in touch with the needs and concerns of their constituents and community. THIS is why it is so important to engage in local elections and support local news. People are more likely to trust individuals who are living in their communities and are experiencing the same circumstances as them, rather than a suit in Washington or a corporate overlord behind a desk in a penthouse office. Despite this, the very existence of local institutions is being threatened, whether it be small businesses, community organizations, or local news outlets, as smaller locally-run institutions continue to get bought out by larger entities.
The panelists noted that the loss of local relationships significantly and uniquely impacts health messaging. With about 100 million Americans lacking a primary care physician, many people miss out on personalized advice and reliable health information, relying instead on less personalized sources like news media. As I am currently witnessing every day during my family medicine rotation, a consistent healthcare provider is crucial for clear, trusted guidance. Without one, patients face increased confusion and skepticism about health messages, making it harder for health communications to build trust effectively. You got a two-for-one special today: support local news and get a primary care physician :)
How can we be ethical news consumers?
Major news stations such as CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and other three-letter networks are vital for telling stories that are broadly important to a lot of people, but local news stations that report information that is deeply relevant to a select few are equally, if not more important. However, in the modern age of the internet, we might not get our news from any of these places. We don't have to read the daily paper or watch the 6 o'clock news because we have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Apple News, and a host of other platforms serving us news on a silver platter.
I'm part of Gen Z so I'm not going to sit here and say that I miss the good old days, because honestly, I wasn't a conscious enough consumer to know if that would be the case. This ease of access to the news has revolutionized the way we engage with the happenings of our city, state, nation, and world, and that is a beautiful thing. However, more is not always better, and it is important to know what the source of this news is to contextualize it with the bias that both the reporter and yourself may hold.
Bias is not inherently a bad thing; it is a natural part of human cognition that helps us make quick decisions based on past experiences and patterns. However, it becomes problematic when it leads to unfair judgments, reinforces stereotypes, or influences decisions in a way that harms individuals or groups. Being aware of our biases and actively working to mitigate their effects can help us make more equitable and informed decisions.
At another talk with a panel with deans of various journalism schools, one panelist eloquently said, "Don't abandon the hope of objectivity, but also recognize that it is not imperative to the truth." Our perspectives can be based on our experiences and knowledge, and sometimes they can lead us to the objective truth while other times, they can lead us astray. The example of the blind men and the elephant come to mind:
As one speaker put it, "We as the press are far less comfortable with being the subject of the story, but it is important to allow ourselves to be, so we can further empathize with those whose stories we are trusted to share." As I've grown as a writer and had opportunities to write for different platforms and websites to report other people's stories, I'm all the more grateful to have this blog to write my stories and have people who are unconditionally supportive of me as I navigate how I want to incorporate writing into my life and work. I have had so many incredible conversations with friends and strangers alike that have been sparked by a piece of mine that they read, and it is a continual reminder of the beautiful power of the written word.
Comments