How to Choose the News Outlet That’s Right for You

We all have our own ways of receiving news. Whether it’s from hearsay, social media or a genuine news outlet, information travels to us from a variety of sources, some of which are reliable and informative, others of which are biased and unhelpful.

If you want to make sure you’re receiving accurate coverage on a particular subject, turning to a genuine news outlet is the best way to go. However, choosing your news outlet can be more difficult than it seems.

Here are three questions to ask yourself as you decide on a news outlet that’s right for you.

Can you understand the coverage?

As a journalism student, I’ve been taught countless times that conciseness and clarity are key to ensuring my message gets across to a wide audience.

However, some reporters and TV broadcasters make the mistake of using complicated jargon or unclear terminology when reporting the news.

Chances are, you probably don’t want to decipher hidden meanings or decode complex phrases in order to understand what’s happening in the world around you, so choose a news outlet that reports the news simply and clearly.

Is it unbiased?

There are many sources of biased news out there. Sometimes bias can be hard to detect, but other times it’s exceedingly obvious.

Do the reporters or broadcasters make subtle or direct jabs at specified people or groups of people? Do they conveniently fail to cover certain people or events, even if they’re newsworthy? Do they repeatedly use the same kinds of sources, never bothering to branch out and hear other sides of the story?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you are probably receiving a clouded or incomplete version of the real news. If you want to make sure you’re getting fair and complete news coverage, search for a news outlet that reports the news in a more thorough and balanced manner.

Does it cover the things you want and need to know?

Now that you’ve weaved through the information sources you find altogether unhelpful, it’s time to make your news outlet choice based on your personal preferences.

What types of things interest you? Considering what you want to know is an important part of the selection process, especially when it comes to topics like entertainment and sports.

If you’re only interested in football, you probably don’t want to get your sports news from outlets that focus on golf or hockey. Similarly, if you don’t enjoy hearing about preteen or teenage superstars, you shouldn’t get your entertainment news from outlets that only cover those types of celebrities.

You should think about things you need to know, as well. Though you may find political news uninteresting, it’s still important to be an informed citizen and show interest in the things your government is doing.

There isn’t one perfect news outlet that’s right for everyone, but there are many good options available. For more news-related tips, check out my other blog posts.