A Zine by Kaleb Cheek

Objective

What is fake news? We will define

this term, discuss how it can be
spotted, and most importantly, we
will outline some tools to counter-
act it.
Table of
Contents
1........................................................What is Fake News?

3..............................................................History of News

4.....................................................Politicization of News

5..................................................How to Spot Fake News

 What Is
Fake News?
Let’s explore what fake news is, so we can be better informed
and assure a well-rounded perspective.

1
The term fake news refers to news articles things that will blow your mind about...”
that are intentionally and verifiably false, - and start with a number. According to a
with the aim of manipulating people’s study by Martin Potthast and colleagues,
perceptions of real facts, events, and clickbait teasers use strong nouns and
statements. It involves information adjectives, along with simple, easy-to-read
presented as news that is known by its language. You’ll see words like “these” and
promoter to be false based on demonstrably “this” a lot.
incorrect facts, statements, or events.
Clickbait encourages you to keep reading,
Fake news is essentially fabricated which benefits website publishers through
information that resembles increased advertising revenue.
news media content “information It’s a common practice that
but lacks the editorial
norms and processes for
presented as can be seen in fake news
headlines, reminiscent of the
ensuring the accuracy and news that is sensationalism of tabloids and
credibility of information.
It is closely related to known by its yellow journalism.

misinformation (false or promoter to be

false”
misleading information)
and disinformation;
false information spread
intentionally to mislead people).

While the definition of fake news may seem

a bit vague, it is important as people may
use the term differently. This definition
specifically excludes unintentional reporting
mistakes, rumors not originating from
news articles, suspicions, interpretations,
conspiracy theories, satire, and biased but
not false reports.

To better understand how fake news is

spread, let’s talk about clickbait. Clickbait is
a common way that fake news is spread. It
relies on creating a “curiosity gap,” leaving
you wanting more and clicking on the
link to find out. The more outrageous the
headline, the more likely you are to click.

Not only does clickbait spark curiosity

and outrage, but it also utilizes specific
language techniques to grab your attention.
Many clickbait headlines use lists - “10

2
 History of
News
Throughout the past 1,300 years,
newspapers have gone through a
fascinating evolution. Starting from
government announcements written on
silk in China, they have now transformed
into digital platforms that deliver a
wide range of content 24/7. From news
updates and blogs to podcasts and
videos, newspapers today offer a variety
of content to their audiences.

The newspaper industry has witnessed

numerous changes due to innovations
and external factors. Economic cycles,
material supplies, and talent availability
all play a role in determining the
profitability of newspapers. As we
navigate through the 21st century, the
industry faces challenges in adapting to
new economic models. The question of
whether newspapers can survive in the
digital age looms large.

Traditionally, newspapers have

played a crucial role in informing
citizens and shaping their decisions in
democracies and capitalist societies.
Local newspapers, in particular, serve
as a vital source of credible news about
communities. However, the decline of
newspapers in the Western world and the
shrinking of newsroom staff present a
significant challenge.

To ensure the survival and success of

newspapers in the 21st century, new and
innovative business models need to be
explored. It is essential for newspapers to
adapt to the changing landscape and find
ways to thrive, whether in print, digital,
or broadcast form.

3
Politicization
of News
Reporting on just about every topic has or cultural shifts. The divide between
become more politically charged. The liberal and conservative media narratives
world of journalism has now evolved has widened as Americans have sorted
into a realm where truth is often seen themselves into regions based on their
as subjective and relative. It seems like ideologies.
politics will be a big part of journalism
moving forward, whether it’s coverage of When discussing the politicization of the
big events like Wimbledon, the Oscars, or media, it’s essential to consider social
even a presidential election. class as well. Journalists at major media
outlets like Fox News, the New York
If you browse through news websites, Times, CNN, and others typically come
you can’t escape seeing political news from the top journalism schools in the
at the top of every front page. The only country and belong to the wealthier
time this seems to change is in the classes. The rise of political populism on
aftermath of a major tragedy or mass both sides of the spectrum has led to a
shooting, but even then, politics tend to decline in the credibility of these cultural
creep into the conversation. elites.

Over the past fifty years or so, political

news has become increasingly polarized
and intense. The current situation
reflects the intense battle between liberal
and conservative media outlets. These
changes are rooted in deeper factors and
are not solely driven by recent economic

4
 How to Spot
Fake News
Be Spell Check
Skeptical Locate the article’s
URL. Does it contain
Does the headline seem unlikely or far any strange suffixes or
fetched? It is best not to take headlines at letter substitutions? This
face value. This guide will outline ways to could be a sign of a fake
determine the validity of a news source. news site. If the article
contains misspelled words,
words in ALL CAPS, poor
Check the Author grammar, excessive use
It is common for fake news of exclamation marks, or
sources to be anonymous. lacks proper punctuation,
If the author cannot be it is likely to be deemed
identified, or seems to lack unreliable.

abc
credibility on the subject, be
cautious when reading the
piece.

Compare and Contrast

Compare the headline you are reading against the content the article holds.
Do they match? If not, further considerations should take place: is this
intentional? Does this comparison create a misleading message?

5
Consult Multiple Fact-Check It Out
Sources
Fact checking is one of the best ways
Check other sources. to verify that the information you
Are these other sites are reading is accurate. Fact check
reporting news that is the your story with sites like PolitiFact.
same, or similar? This com. They are tasked with making
is particularly relevant sure news sites are releasing accurate
with big stories. What stories.
do opposing sources say
about the same story? If
facts are used, are they the
same facts or statistics? Dig Deeper

Do the sources cited have

traceable quotes? Research
and read the actual
information to confirm the
information you read. Put
these quotes in context to
better understand.

Be Aware of Be Open-Minded
your Biases
Confirmation bias, the tendency to
Are predictive searching services believe reports that confirm the way
biasing the information you’re you already think, can put you in an
receiving? Social media sites have the echo chamber. Remain open-minded,
ability to feed you information that ask questions, and investigate the
is similar to information you have stories you read to assure you are
already interacted with. Thus, you may accurately informed.
not see both sides of the story.

6
Thank
you!