HOW TO CONSUME MEDIA WHILE AVOIDING PROPAGANDA

Let’s start by stating the obvious, corporate media not only lies but also manipulates people into believing whatever their publishers want them to believe. Press used to be about revealing facts and letting people come to their conclusions; that is long dead. Solution: Independent media, Problem: It is too small and niche. 

There are usually good, independent media outlets out there covering specific things, local news, business news, etc. Sadly, very few if not all of them will cover global topics without a specific angle. Quite sadly that angle also tends to be what hooks people up. You just must make sure that angle is not clouding their objectivity, or it is not too skewed. For example, China is Uncensored, sure it is always negative of China but if you want positive coverage of China, you can go to business news (because they will cover China positively out of fear of getting banned from China) or state-sponsored propaganda.

Unfortunately, sometimes you need the bigger picture or the latest updates around the world which is what mainstream or corporate media specializes in. I have talked a few times about why they are horrid, but I think the picture here will summarize it:

Some topics are fortunately pretty cut and dry such as the war in Ukraine. As such I find myself going to the BBC News coverage simply because independent media may not have the resources for the extensive coverage. As a result, while certainly my opinion of the situation may be tainted, in situations where things are black and white, we cannot deny the resources of the corporate media are certainly superior.

In other words, it is fine to consume mainstream corporate media but only for the topics where the answer is clear to you. Just remember that this ease of access can leave you vulnerable to propaganda should you cover other topics. I say we should always choose our media sources carefully and be vigilant