As of now, the world relies on social media, news shows, and online articles to get information about what is going on in the world. For centuries, ever since the Romans first published the newspaper, humans have been getting what’s new and important reported to them. Most readers never second guess what is being reported to them because they assume news companies can be trusted. But what if the news, social media, and other platforms we use aren’t reporting the entire truth?

Fake news has always been controversial. Ever since the 1890s, when "fake news" became the next big thing, people have been arguing over the topic. It’s essentially a big debate of to believe or to not believe. The idea of news and reporting has changed a lot over time. From being a simple way of getting the word around about time-sensitive issues to now being a way to report about the next celebrity junkie. Although some of these changes have been positive, modern news has far more negative aspects than positive ones. According to demandsage.com, about 65 percent of Americans reported they fully trust traditional media outlets, and about 80 percent stated they have come across or consumed fake news. Those statistics are tremendously alarming, with over half of the American population saying that they trust traditional media outlets and more than four-fifths of the population saying they have consumed or seen fake news in their lifetime.

More recently, journalists have been paying people in order to get a story. The reason they do this is in order to get views, which ultimately gets them money. Real news is not as important to reporters because money and greed outweigh truth and impartiality. While the vast majority of news organizations do not pay guests to speak, tabloids will pay thousands of dollars in order to get the story they want. While there have been no direct accusations of these offenses (and once again, these tend to be tabloid-based media), they can be proven by certain interviewees. Like Simon Rex, who stated he was offered $70,000 just to say he slept with Meghan Markle. 

The majority of news outlets often push certain propaganda at different times. It’s sort of like a trend: it’s the big thing for a minute, and then it basically disappears for no apparent reason. Yes, news outlets are supposed to write about and televise current world events. But the thing most readers don’t think about is that there is always more than one side to a story. Even though that’s the case more likely than not, news companies tend to only report one side. Which most often is the side they want to push or support. With only showcasing one side of a story, viewers don’t get all of the details, most of the time leading them to believe only what has been reported to them and not being open to another view of the story. Many news outlets may be reporting the truth, but it may not be the full transparent truth, therefore only making it partially true and not fully factual. And without being presented with all the facts and sides, we as a collective group of readers are unable to make a fully informed decision.

News and media also tend to be extremely dramatized, making certain affairs and current issues more serious and appalling than they need to be. An example of this would be the diesel shortage from about a month ago. People across America were told that we, as a nation, only had twenty-five days left of diesel and then we would be out. As some people know, diesel is a nonrenewable resource (something that cannot be replenished quickly). So by saying the United States only had twenty-five days left of this resource, it sent the American people into an uproar. Multiple reports stated that this shortage was due to cutting ties with Russia. Although it is true that the United States does get quite a bit of diesel from Russia. In all reality, America is the number one producer of diesel in the world, according to multiple sources: investingnews.com and eia.gov. As of 2021, America produces over one to five million more barrels per day compared to Russia. But, finding all of that information was very complicated and tedious, especially with so few reports and written data. The majority of what came up only related to the shortage itself, but very few of those articles had data to back up what they were saying. So, does that not make one wonder what else in the news is being over-exaggerated or loosely reported?

Almost every news organization only reports the negative side of current events, yet that doesn’t mean there isn’t good news in the world. People who only tend to consume negative news are more likely to develop depression and anxiety. "One study, for instance, found that people showed an increase in both anxious and sad moods after only 14 minutes of watching TV news," says onemedical.com. An article published by blog.reputationx.com states, "Bad news still gets more attention, more clicks, and leads to more revenue for publications." With that being said, it circles back to the idea that news companies are in it for the money, not for the benefit of the viewers. But why would anyone want to increase their risk of getting a serious mental illness? Particularly when there are more positive articles to read and surround oneself in. While it is understood and smart to keep up with current affairs that could impact you or your family, that doesn’t mean that should be the only thing we are consuming, should it?

While news and media can be informative, there are tons of changes that need to be made. Such as less fake news, less propaganda pushing, fewer one-sided views, fewer politics, and less greed. By changing those factors, there could be change not only nationally but globally. Change is a part of time, and change in the media is needed now.