Fake News: Here Some Examples

It's time to combat fake news. What is fake news? To me, it's when reporters put their opinions in articles. Or, it's when they are flat out false in their reporting. Or it's when they don't report both sides. I am going to make an ongoing list here of examples.

Here's an article from the Associated Press.

• WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump tried to cast doubt Friday on wrenching tales of migrant children separated from their families at the border, dismissing “phony stories of sadness and grief” while asserting the real victims of the nation’s immigration crisis are Americans killed by those who cross the border unlawfully.

Okay, fine so far. But, then the "reporter" starts to editorialize. 

Bombarded with criticism condemning the family-separation situation as a national moment of shame, Trump came back firing, sometimes twisting facts and changing his story but nonetheless highlighting the genuine grief of families on the other side of the equation.

This is supposed to be a news story. But, it's not. It's an editorial. It belongs on the editorial page. The "reporter" put in her opinion. That's not news. That's opinion.

That's bad journalism. Journalists are supposed to report the facts. They are not supposed to put their opinions in articles. So, bias? Well, I'm thinking more like bad journalism.

I'm going to make this an ongoing theme on this blog. From time to time, as I run across fake news, I will post it here with a pithy explanation why it's fake. Well, I doubt I'll have to look too hard.