Really, Truly

When I started the paper over seven years ago, I was asked about the relevancy of newspapers in a time when the internet provided immediate access to information. I responded then – as I do now – that while the web offers information at a person’s fingertips on global and national levels, local news is difficult to find, especially local news that is accurate and non-partisan. While I’ve always taken pride that CV Weekly is recognized as having these traits, during the current explosion of “fake news” I am especially grateful that we are known as being a consistent source of accurate information.

Fake news is false information and/or rumor that is deliberately circulated and somehow, sometimes, becomes believable. This might be because news providers, eager to beat others to a supposed big story, quickly publish or post this information before properly vetting it. The story seems to grow legs and runs amok. And the results can be catastrophic. For example, a man who read on the internet that a pizza parlor in Washington, DC was a front for a child sex trafficking ring drove from his home in North Carolina to confront the supposed ring. He ended up firing his weapon in the restaurant. Thankfully no one was hurt but the 28-year-old man now faces federal charges.

This is just one example of how fake news can cause harm.

Once a news provider publishes false information – especially online – it is hard to retract it. How many times have you read something more than once online? If misinformation is in the original post – even if it is eventually corrected – alerting readers that it has been changed is hard to do. Newspapers have a definite advantage, though.

For example, if I published something one week in the CV Weekly that is wrong, the following week I can publish a correction. So, if our 24,000 to 32,000 weekly readers read the incorrect information, it is likely most will catch the correction in the following week’s edition.

Another advantage is that established, trusted news providers, which include television, newspaper and radio, have paid journalists whose lifeblood is accuracy. After all, how long would they be able to hold onto a job with a legitimate news agency if they constantly put out erroneous information? Same goes with the editor whose responsibilities include ensuring that the facts are presented in a news story.

It’s important to distinguish the difference between a news story and an opinion piece – like my column. My column is my take on things, my perspective, and in it I make statements that, while not incorrect, others may disagree with. However, especially in the news section of the CV Weekly, readers will find information that has been vetted. If it does happen that we publish something that is incorrect, readers can be assured that we will alert them by publishing a correction.

We really will do that. Honestly.

  robin goldsworthy