Anytime you read an article online, in a newspaper, or in a weekly news magazine, or even when
reading books or talking about current events, keep the following questions and principles in
mind.
Accuracy:
• Who is the publisher? Is the publisher’s contact information listed? Is the article written to
look like it’s by one publication even though it’s not? Check the spelling and the logo and
make sure this is the company that it claims to be and that it produces news articles based on
facts, rather than stories made up to sell advertising space.
• Can you verify the story? Compare it to stories in other publications, are they reporting the
same basic facts? If no one else is reporting on this story it could be fabricated. Check back
in a few hours or a few days to see if other organizations pick up the story.
• Spot the facts and check them. Don’t assume everything is correct. Often you can look up
things like census data, jobs reports, and statistics about unemployment, inflation, and more
on government websites.
Bias:
• Beware of sensational titles. If the title evokes a strong emotional response, or seems like
it makes the article prove that one side is right or wrong, then the article may be biased.
• Search the publication’s record for bias on search engines. You can try searching things
like “is [publication name] a conservative newspaper” or “does [publication name] have a
liberal bias.” Remember that the articles that your read when you search these things may
also be biased for or against those publications.
• Read widely, across the bias spectrum. You may not be able to avoid biased sources, but
you can decide to read sources with different biases. If you find your self always agreeing
with liberal viewpoints, try reading some conservative viewpoints and vice versa. Try to
understand other perspectives. What are the less common viewpoints?
• Read sources from different geographic areas. Are the Canadian press writing the same
things about an event as American sources? Has a newspaper based in Texas written about
the new policy in California? Try looking at news sources from other continents, or even
written in other languages, to broaden your perspective.
• Check back in with the story later. Sometimes the facts take time to come to light. In a
rush to meet deadlines, journalists may make unintentional errors or pass along bad
information that was given to them. By following a story for a few days, weeks, or months you
can often see it change. Don’t rush to judgment, take your time to form an opinion.
HOW TO READ THE NEWS:
Take it with you: Media Analysis Cheatsheet