Lessons of Iran’s Aftermath
(non-copyedited version)
As the hierarchy of news and authority starts changing, we have to break down the "winner takes all" mentality of breaking news. There's always a rush to be the first person or organization with the news, because being first is a near-surefire way to increase traffic, and more traffic often means more ad dollars. But as we learned earlier, the model of information distribution that's reliant on sheer numbers is changing rapidly, and when pursued single-mindedly, this strategy will ultimately fail (thank goodness).
As consumers, we have to help ensure that other factors… such as validity and relevancy … are taken into account. Professional journalists and media organizations also need to practice sustainability through the emerging "slow news[1]" movement… a recommitment to investigation and validation of information that is not dependent on the 24-hour news cycle.
Already, blogs and other independent news organizations are seeing the benefits of producing thoughtful analysis and content that ultimately garners high traffic. Our Bodies Our Blog, the blog for the Our Bodies Ourselves women's health book, published an informative analysis on the new government mammogram guidelines in 2009, one day after the guidelines were released[2]. There was much hype and anger, but little straightforward information floating around in the first 24 hours, and the post hit home for many. It was passed around extensively on social networks and linked to from a variety of popular blogs like Daily Kos. "There was a thirst for thoughtful analysis," said Christine Cupaiuolo, the post's author and co-editor of the blog. "We weren’t the first ones out of the gate with a response, but we provided what people were looking for — perspective and research.”
We have to demand more accountability from our sources, regardless of who they might be. We may not have the benefit of the physical cues (voice and body language), but we have learned over time to be more savvy news consumers. And we’ve come to demand accountability — whether we get our news from large, well-funded companies or from small blogs. We need to apply skepticism and critical thinking skills to our networks as well. Finally, we have to learn a new kind of media literacy, one where we are not simply reacting. I'm reminded of the advice we were given as kids: If you're on fire, “stop drop and roll." Try this: if your news stream is on fire, stop, drop and think. Take a moment to process the information you receive and verify it through authoritative sources.
It’s important that we choose wisely. As we’ve discussed before, all of us have a critical role to play in the changing nature of authority and in determining who becomes valued as a trusted news source. As we create new guidelines for coming generations, we have a responsibility to support spaces where diverse voices are heard, varied experiences are shared, and trustworthy information is spread.
[1] Dan Gillmor, "Toward a Slow-News Movement," Mediactive, November 8, 2009, http://mediactive.com/2009/11/08/toward-a-slow-news-movement/ [Accessed December 2, 2009]
[2] Christine Cupaiuolo, "New Mammogram Guidelines Are Causing Confusion, But Here's Why They Make Sense," Our Bodies Our Blog, November 18 2009, http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2009/11/mammograms-guidelines-are-causing-confusion-but-they-make-sense (accessed December 11, 2009)
