The news challenge

Jun 26, 2023

Where do you currently get your “news?”

“News consumption among audiences in the United States now most commonly occurs online, with social media the go-to option for many.”1

According to Statista:

50% of U.S. adults used social media for news often or semi-regularly
Social media was the most popular daily news source among adults 18-44 years old
Social media only slightly edged out network news for adults 45-64
Only adults 65+ continue to tune in regularly to network news
Newspapers are the least-used source for the oldest demographic
Primetime cable news network viewership is falling, reaching new lows in 2022, after a surge in viewers during the height of the pandemic in 2020
Podcast news is gaining ground among younger audiences.
Trust matters. While radio and newspapers are among the least used, they are the most trusted outlets.

Speaking of trust

Fortune Magazine reported in February:

“Half of Americans in a recent survey indicated they believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public to adopt a particular point of view through their reporting.”2

While the Fortune article shares that local news has received a positive bump in trust, national news media are distrusted.

In early 2020, 56% of people said they pay a great deal of attention to the local news stations. That was at the outset of a presidential election year and the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, by 2022, a Gallup survey showed that only 32% did.

“Democrats trust news more than Republicans. Over the past five years, the level of distrust has particularly spiked among independents.”3

So here’s the news challenge:

Curate your news.

For a week, use the news sources I recommend below. If you’ve been used to a steady diet of Fox or CNN, you’ll find yourself on the defensive, wondering where these are getting their information.

For two weeks, keep reading and following the same sources. Check your attitude at the end of two weeks. What are you thinking and feeling? Do you find yourself less anxious or more? Are you less or more open to other viewpoints?

Press in, and go for a month, using only these sources. Let me know how it impacted your worldview, your perspective, etc. Let me know if you began to see more positive in the world or more negative.

Two more mediums

If you really want to stay on top of news on the “street,” you will need to get Substack and Twitter. All of these are free (though you may find yourself wanting to eventually fund a nominal subscription level to some of the Stacks.

Substack

Twitter

If you have other recommended resources that you use to keep up with news and culture, please share them in the comments!

Jeff Noble - "Notes from the Trail"

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