Cains: Opinion is not news.
Published Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 3:01 p.m.
If there's one thing I've learned over the past two years in my role as publisher of Leader Publications, it's that Southwest Michigan residents have no shortage of political opinions. Between emails, phone calls, “candids,” and visits to the new store at 25 N. Second Street in Niles, I'm bombarded with satire, irony, and witty political commentary: the absurd and the commonplace. . – A multiplicity of sensations, serious provocations and heartfelt affirmations all rolled into one giant political multivitamin.
My spam folder is a petri dish of political germs, much like cable TV “news.” The word “news” should be used loosely, as opinionated content is subjective and not necessarily news. No, most cable news stations offer their viewers little more than a therapy session to hear what they want to hear from like-minded people. . I have nothing against cable TV opinion stations. Just label it as such.
News is not a fabrication of events or a distortion of facts through deliberate omission. If you doubt this, watch Fox News or Newsmax for 15 minutes, then jump to CNN or MSNBC and make your own comparison. It's shameful and dangerous how reality is allowed to be twisted, stretched, and twisted into partisan shitcakes, especially for cable stations that put “news” on their call letters. . Don't get me wrong. Due to the clearly calculated and clearly tapered policies of cable network stations, we are breathing in political pollution, and many of us are gasping for truth, not authenticity.
I don't think anyone would dispute that we are actually a very politically divided country. We don't live in “Cable Land,” we live in Niles, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, Cassopolis, Buchanan, or somewhere nearby. The harm of politically biased media coverage is that it offends local politicians, school boards, neighbors, and the person sitting next to you at a restaurant. We cannot continue to make social and political decisions based on deceptive reporting, including lies and half-truths. The decisions we make for the future must rely, in moderation, on honest reporting and respect for sometimes painful facts.
I think we do a disservice to ourselves and our communities by limiting where we get news about current events. Utilizing multiple news media sources, questioning the veracity of content, and making a reasonable effort to seek the facts is something all adults should strive to do.
Our community newspaper is just that: a “community” newspaper, so we don't often dive into the national news spectrum with content, but we do have multiple Facebook pages, letters to the editor, and, frankly, news opportunities and… We provide a platform that It allows readers to share their thoughts and recognized opinions with others, fostering discussion and understanding, and giving voice. We encourage our readers to share their thoughts through any of these platforms. Anyone can join.
