Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Growing up my mom was always news obsessed as she has worked in media and journalism her whole life. I always looked forward to watching my mom on TV and hearing her stories. As any young child in my formative years, my news and information came from my parents. Whatever they said or told me, I believed. But now as a young adult with my own opinions and views, I have struggled to find unbiased, accurate news sources online. With the rise of social media, propaganda and sharing inaccurate information is ramped. I try to find a balance between using social media as a news outlet and credible sources or channels to stay up to date with current events important to me. Although, I do have to remind myself as convenient as apps like TikTok or Instagram might be, it's not the best reliable news source. 

1. Instagram

Instagram is a social media app that allows people as well as companies to share photos and videos. Most news companies have an Instagram account where they post about major headlines or news topics they might discuss on TV. News sources like Fox News, NBC News, CNN, and many others all have Instagram pages. This allows them to share important information quickly and concisely with graphics, short paragraphs, and videos. This appeals to people such as the younger generation who don't particularly watch the news on TV to still be up to date with the worlds happenings on a familiar platform. It is convenient because as most teenagers, we use Instagram frequently throughout our day. This makes it easier for us to access news without particularly searching it out. 

2. TikTok

Similarly to Instagram, TikTok is a useful platform consisting of short videos. Especially with the younger generation, our attention spans have shrunk and TikTok is a platform that is appealing in that sense. I find myself gaining most of my information from TikTok. It covers a large span of topics from sports to politics. It also allows users to publicly share any opinions or thoughts they have to reach a broad audience. TikTok is a platform where it is much easier to go "viral" on than Instagram. Therefore, more users post on it and share their opinions. This can be perceived as negative because it allows more room for biased news and propaganda. 

3. Fox News

Fox News is multinational news source as well as political commentary website based in New York City. Growing up it was commonly playing in the living room on the TV so there is a sense of trust and familiarity to it. It also aligns with the political views I have been grown up with. What I enjoy most about Fox News is the how they talk about controversial topics or have different viewpoints about political ongoings than other news outlets. While I don't always 100% agree with their views, it is interesting and sometimes entertaining, to watch and learn about differing opinions. 

4. News App

The News App on my iPhone is an easy, accessible way to gain knowledge about news. It compiles all the main news sources, sports, weather, and even podcasts into one app. This is convenient as having a "one-stop-shop" for anything important. It is an application on my iPhone so it can send me notifications about important news updates in real time which is an added bonus. Since it compiles so many different news sources, it shows all sides and opinions of potiental media bias which is helpful. Apple News is also something that my parents use occasionally to find information on, so I like to be informed on what they are reading so we can talk about it together. 

5. Family & Friends 

One of the most frequent ways I gain knowledge about current news is from family and friends. Everyone has an opinion and everyone loves talking! It is interesting to hear other peoples opinions and how they may view news differently than myself. When talking to someone in my life about news, I have to remember bias and how it may not always be accurate. After learning or talking to someone about a news article they may have read, I always go look it up to form my own opinion. It also allows for dialogue about a certain news headline or opinion that can be interesting to talk about with others.