By John S. Tanner

These days many people struggle to identify what is true in the news.   The news is flooded with random social-media sources as well as with people who are openly trying to create and shape stories that advance their own agenda.  More cynically, there are even some people  who deliberately fabricate stories using AI.  More common are so-called news stories from those who have no training in or interest in evaluating sources, nor do they subscribe to traditional journalistic ethical standards.  Many are, frankly, less committed to news than to propaganda.

For these reasons, I still rely primarily on news where professional standards are practiced and the norm; where journalists are disciplined and eventually fired if their reporting does not pass the muster of credibility; and where factual reporting is clearly distinguished from opinion pieces. Yes, many news outlets admittedly espouse an editorial point of view.  So I think it is wise to consume news from multiple sources, including ones whose editorial positions favor different sides of the political spectrum.

Among the news outlets with high professional standards are AP, Reuters, and  BBC.  CNN, ABC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and NBC are also reputable news outlets, even if some have well-understood editorial leanings.  I prefer news sources that rely on multiple sources of evidence and provide a healthy variety of perspectives, from different sides of the aisle.  I also like to know who pays for the site, and what the commentator has said in the past.  Is the person credible and is the outlet or reporter willing to run stories that are critical of positions favored by their owners, reporters, and readers?

When Christ testified to Pilate that he bore witness of the truth, Pilate replied, probably cynically but at least in exasperation, “What is truth.”  Although it seems increasingly difficult to determine what is truth, we can know the truth of the news we consume if we are willing to be diligent, critical, and patient.

John S. Tanner is a former English professor and university president.