Last year, the number of Americans who trusted the media sunk to a new low, according to Gallup. Only 32 percent of respondents said they had a great deal or fair amount of trust in the mass media. Since then, the trust level has ticked up. Still, journalists say they’re operating in a challenging atmosphere, where fake news online has blurred the line between fact and fiction.
In this episode, we hear from a panel of seasoned journalists — David Leonhardt, Joshua Johnson, Susan Page, and Campbell Brown — about fake news, quality journalism, and what big media and tech companies should be doing to combat the proliferation of untruths. What role should Facebook and Google play in this new journalism ecosystem? Is fake news to blame for society’s increased partisanship? How can we educate ourselves to discern what’s real and what’s false?
Discover more about what’s discussed in this episode by exploring the links below.
- Fighting for the Facts: How to Tell What’s News and What’s Fiction, WAMU’s 1A
- USA Today Poll: Facebook faulted for not doing more on Russian ads in 2016 Race, USA Today
- New York Times Columnist Discusses the Future of News, The Aspen Institute
- Campbell Brown on filter bubbles, fake news and Facebook’s role in the news industry, Poynter
“Aspen Ideas to Go” is a weekly show featuring fascinating speakers who have presented at the Aspen Ideas Festival and other public programs offered by the Aspen Institute. For a curated listening experience, subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or find an archive of episodes here.
