Before talking about fake news in class, I didn't know what fake news really was. It is a term thrown out to describe any news people don't like in today's society. However, that is not correct. Fake news, though it shouldn't really be called 'news,' is fake information made to look like real journalism. People often make fake news for politics or money and try to misinform you, possibly pushing an agenda. It is important to fact check news stories, especially if the story is unbelievable or sketchy, or the website just seems a little off.
To help solve the problem of fake news, I can always check my facts and make it easy for others to check my sources. I can bring another journalist with me to have another witness and try to be local. I can write interesting but true news stories so that real news travels faster and find ways to spread it to the world.
Sensationalized news was a new term for me. I knew the general premise of clickbait, but I didn't realize it extended beyond that. Sensationalized news is news that is exaggerated to seem more incredible than it actually is. You can spot sensationalized news, especially clickbait, by a title that is promising a dramatic or shocking story. Typically, the story does not live up to all that the title promised.
As a journalist, I can use this knowledge to prevent myself from accidentally sensationalizing news. I can look through my pieces to make sure they aren't exaggerated and make a title that accurately teases the topic of the article. This way, sensationalized news will not be as much of a problem, at least if I'm the author.
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