Transcriber: Tatiane Souza Reviewer: Annet Johnson
Having endured the last few years,
it can seem like those who had fewer hopes were spared the depths of disappointment:
cancelled trips, restrictions from meeting loved ones,
and crushed hopes for good health.
Still, it seems like humans are made to hope,
to learn, to work to make things better.
We can't help ourselves.
Now, what about the news?
The attention-grabbing visuals and bold headlines,
how does that affect our hope?
Is the ultimate goal to inform our decisions to make our lives better?
Or is it to merely catch our attention to sell ads?
We had an unspoken agreement with the news media,
the same way that we trust the weather network
in deciding what clothes to wear for the day
or the way we trust the ingredients list on the back of our food packages.
That contract of trust is broken.
Just take a look at the number on the screen.
Nearly half of Canadians last year
believed that the news is purposefully trying to mislead.
The demand for information these past few years has been insatiable.
Many of us even managed to get caught in the web of disinformation,
leaving us confused and struggling to know what to believe.
Currently, the news is politically and socially polarizing.
It is dominated by a narrative that can trigger widespread anxiety,
cynicism, and division.
By only showing the world’s failures
it creates an enticing visual that lures us to the sensational news and headlines.
But by doing this, it also illustrates an inaccurate understanding of the world.
What about our achievements?
What about progress?
I believe that we can fix this.
I believe that we can restore that contract of trust
that we once shared with the news media and have our best interests be respected.
The economics of the route being taken currently by the news media
means that they can’t rely any more on advertisements and subscriptions.
Many are now paid with your attention.
There’s actually a term for it, the “attention economy.”
We’ve all seen this, especially in the last few years.
We’ve seen misleading information, false claims, and clickbait.
With regard to the coronavirus pandemic, the news has preyed on those
who are worried and are searching for quick answers.
According to a recent study,
over a quarter of the most-viewed coronavirus videos on YouTube
contained inaccurate information:
from herbal remedies to essential oils to even inhaling hot air from a hairdryer.
The instant spread of information was, and continues to be, mind blowing.
Traditionally, news organizations tend to follow the old adage:
“If it bleeds, it leads.”
And that generally does hold true.
People are naturally attracted to negative news.
In part, because our brains are primed to scan our environments for danger
as a way of promoting survival.
However, being exposed to this cycle,
to this spiral of sensationalized news over and over again,
well, it can take a toll on our mental health.
Studies have linked the constant stream of negative news to increased stress,
depression and anxiety, even when the news in question is relatively dull.
The reality is, that simply giving us information
so that we as the public can better understand the world,
no longer keeps the news media in business.
But as I mentioned earlier, I believe that we can fix this.
I believe that we can restore that contract of trust
that we once shared with the news media.
But how?
What we need is solution-focused news.
This means taking disturbing news content
and infusing it with what’s being done to address these issues.
What’s being done to prevent them down the line.
Negative news is known to aggravate a range of personal concerns
that aren’t particularly related to the content of the news,
thereby causing that upset to leak into other aspects of our lives.
So how does constructive news offer something different?
Well, first, it must not be confused with feel-good news,
such as a cat being rescued from a tree.
Those warm and fuzzy stories, they have their benefits,
but they don’t necessarily provide the in-depth coverage
of important issues that we need.
Constructive news, or better yet optimistic news,
has to do with offering a far more complete, well-rounded visual
of the happenings of the world.
It acknowledges that there is a problem and focuses on finding solutions.
It uses historical and social contexts of events.
It uses long-term trends that use reliable data to back up their points,
and it avoids shallow interview topics that merely create turmoil
rather than increase their understanding.
Although studies on how this type of media affects our behavior,
they’re relatively new, studies have shown that people who read inspiring news
are more likely to act altruistically.
They’re more likely to sign a petition
or donate money to support a cause from the story.
But how do we support this kind of change?
Well, it's as simple as supply and demand.
When we lower the cost of human attention,
the demand for more informative articles increases,
which in turn causes news networks to be encouraged
to release more content, more constructive news
that works to help our society rather than hinder it.
According to the State of the Media report in 2013,
70% of evening cable news was opinion or commentary.
This means that correspondents understand issues well enough
to give you their take on the problem.
But with that as your only source, how do you honestly form your own opinion?
What we need to do is demand less opinion and more constructive news,
to ensure that the news we are supplied with is, in fact, productive.
The other thing is that we need to break away from this groupthink mindset.
And for those who don’t know what I’m talking about,
it’s a phenomenon that occurs in the desire for group consensus
that overrides individual desires to critique or present unpopular opinions.
In fact, go ahead and follow political figures whom you disagree with
and scroll through their posts to see what they stand for.
By demanding for opposing viewpoints, we push for the supply of objective news
that uses multiple perspectives to analyze an issue.
And on the topic of multiple perspectives, let’s go global.
Visit international news sources and see what the rest of the world thinks.
See where we stand in the global scheme of things and what viewpoints we’re missing.
Encourage the news media to supply us with a broader, more diverse scope of ideas.
And what about diversity in the newsroom?
I’m talking about race, sexual orientation,
culture, even political leanings.
When we see our ideas reflected in the contents we consume,
we're more likely to trust it.
And we need to rebuild that trust if we want more productive action in the future.
Another benefit of diversity
is that it helps eliminate culturally insensitive mistakes.
A lack of knowledge or unconscious biases may lead some journalists
to produce content which is, in fact, insensitive to certain cultures.
Of course, I’m not saying that journalists
should exclusively write on topics that they have a personal connection to.
But rather they should have a diverse team
that can help ensure that the content that is published is accepting of all.
Finally, diversity is a critical component of any news network, any news organization
which prides themselves on inclusive, authentic and well-researched articles.
As such, in order to better represent the diverse society it serves,
we need journalists to come from a plethora of different backgrounds.
But the big question right now
is how exactly do we demand for this kind of constructive news?
Social media is a critical catalyst for change:
support campaigns,
donate money to support causes that are being brushed aside,
and use your phone to capture and share information online.
Whatever method you choose, take advantage of social media
as a powerful virtual bridge that breaks communication barriers
and allows for the freedom of expression.
And for nonpartisan fact-checking organizations
that work to raise public awareness on networks
that do in fact produce content that is inclusive,
that is constructive and productive,
advocate for authentic news,
encourage diverse perspectives.
It’s easy to feel frustrated
with the direction the news media is heading right now.
I know I am.
Human attention is becoming an economic commodity.
Consumers, well, they’re becoming the product.
And quality news is struggling to make itself heard
against the loud noise of ulterior interests.
What we need is hope.
We need solutions.
We need change.
Kind of like those walkways at the airport
which transport everyone incessantly forwards,
change needs to be a perpetual, sustainable part
of our daily news consumption.
And as an audience, we need to be more mindful
of the way we access and process the news media.
Let’s harness the power of the free market to ensure that the news media
stop producing complex issues to clickbait and shallow headlines.
Inherently negative issues will always be reported on,
but by encouraging journalists to report in a constructive way,
we have a greater chance of being offered a more realistic picture of the world.
Thank you very much.
(Applause)