Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Mueller Edition
Mar 1, 2019
To help you make sense of the rumors and revelations to come.
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Breaking News Consumer's Handbook
ON THE MEDIA'S BREAKING NEWS CONSUMER'S HANDBOOKS
Breaking news reporting often gets essential facts wrong. In fact, the rampant misreporting can be so common as to be predictable. And so, On the Media has developed formulas (with the help of experts) for how to spot spotty coverage.
Rather than counting on news outlets to get it right, we're looking at the other end. We have some tips for how to sort good information from bad -- whether the breaking news is about a tragic mass shooting or a stock market crash, an epidemic or a rash of election polls. Below is our collection of Breaking News Consumer's Handbooks, and it's growing all the time. Each one comes with a printable PDF that you can tape to your wall the next time you encounter a big news event.
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Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Gender and Politics Edition
Feb 15, 2019What to watch for — and ignore — in the press's coverage of women running for office. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: U.S. Storm Edition
Sep 1, 2017We examine the myths, misleading language, and tired media narratives that clog up storm coverage. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Drugs Edition
Apr 14, 2017The media coverage of drug abuse is often fraught with hyperbole and inaccuracy. We dispel some of the most common myths. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Protest Edition
Feb 10, 2017How to be a savvy consumer of protest news. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Fake News Edition
Nov 18, 2016How to sort the truthful from the troublesome. -
#5: Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Poverty in America Edition
Oct 28, 2016When reporting on poverty, the media fall into familiar traps. How to steer clear of stereotypes and seek insight. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Islamophobia Edition
Sep 9, 2016A guide to navigating the Islamophobic ignorance, fear and hate-mongering in today's media. -
Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Election Polls Edition, Part 2
Sep 2, 2016We warned before against taking general election polls too seriously, too early. So, what about now? Harry Enten of FiveThirtyEight explains how much to read into polls -- and when.
