Media Literacy Understanding

This website includes articles with suspicious bylines (such as “Bob the Empire News Potato,” seen below) – an immediate red flag. Why are legitimate bylines on news coverage a sign of credibility?

• They aren't. This is a trick question

• Bylines demonstrate transparency and accountability

• Bylines show the journalists want to receive accolades for their work

• Bylines are simply a journalism tradition that reputable news organizations have always observed

These excerpts are from an online story published by a partisan conspiracy website. The article cites a since-retracted study that is riddled with grammatical and punctuation errors (in yellow). In addition to repeating falsehoods without evidence, the article text itself (in bold) also contains an obvious typo. Why do these kinds of grammar and spelling mistakes undercut a source’s credibility? Select all that apply.

• These mistakes indicate that a story may have been quickly or hastily written.

• These mistakes show a lack of attention to detail, which raises questions about the accuracy of other aspects of a news report.

• These mistakes might suggest lax editing processes or little oversight prior to publication.

• These mistakes prove that stories with any typos or grammatical errors cannot be trusted.

In this news report, BBC journalists detail steps taken to give various story subjects a chance to comment and respond to article findings. Why does including this build credibility?

• It demonstrates fairness.

• It demonstrates fairness.

• It demonstrates fairness.

• It involves deceitful reporting tactics.

You come across a news report by an unfamiliar source called “Global Times.” A quick search for the publication title pulls up a Wikipedia preview with some important information (in yellow). Why should this information raise red flags? Select all that apply.

• It shows that Global Times is published in two languages.

• It confirms that Global Times lacks independence.

• It reveals that Global Times is published daily.

• It suggests that Global Times has published demonstrably false content.

This Reuters report acknowledges a retraction issued after the global news organization learned that its story was based on a fake press release. Does this response to a major reporting error demonstrate credibility? (Be sure to read the sections highlighted in yellow.)

• Yes, this response demonstrates credibility.

• No, this response does not demonstrate credibility.

This Washington Post news report on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos discloses that Bezos owns the Post (in yellow). Why does including such disclosures build credibility?

• It doesn’t. This is a trick question.

• These disclosures demonstrate transparency.

• These disclosures show who is really in control of editorial decisions at a news organization.

• These disclosures demonstrate an attention to detail.