Author: Jim Boren
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Don’t be misled by those who are pushing dangerous misinformation about coronavirus pandemic
It is not surprising that with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are those who are attempting to use this crisis to spread misinformation, “phish” for personal information to rip people off and push conspiracy theories about all sorts of dark motives for the virus taking hold across the globe. One of the reasons we created the…
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In times of crisis, we need journalists giving us facts and guiding us to resources that will help us cope
I have appreciated the many news outlets that have been giving me important and useful information about the coronavirus in my community, as well as those that have been informing me about what’s going on nationally and internationally. Early in this crisis, we heard many people and some politicians saying this was an “emergency” manufactured…
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Use these tips and you won’t be caught sharing ‘fake news’ on social media
Concerned about fake news? Here are eight smart ways to determine if the news content you are seeing on your digital device is legitimate. Look past your personal biases. This is crucial in sorting out news content. We often believe the worst about people or politicians we despise. Those biases can blind us to what…
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In this digital age, too many lack even the most basic media literacy tools
We’ve been spending a lot of time discussing media literacy and fake news in our advanced reporting classes at Fresno State, and my students have been working to increase their skills in identifying phony news content and evaluating the veracity of other sites they encounter online. But as these students gain knowledge on the subject,…
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Boot camp for journalists offers intensive training on California water issues
At the end of our water boot camp for journalists on Friday, participants left thinking about a variation of this theme: “California water policy: It’s complicated.” But after nine intensive workshops throughout the day, most said they are now better prepared to cover water issues in the Golden State. The boot camp at Fresno State…
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Support media literacy by making end-of-the-year donation to the Institute for Media and Public Trust
The end of 2019 is coming fast, and we at the Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust would love it if you would consider an end-of-the-year donation so that we can continue our work to increase media literacy and fight fake news. Your donation is tax deductible. To contribute online, go to this…
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Agriculture is huge story in California, but newsrooms around the state aren’t paying attention to the details
UPDATED One of the big challenges for the news business is how to cover California agriculture during a time when there are fewer journalists in newsrooms around the state. Agriculture remains a top industry in California, but coverage mostly revolves around water, environment and immigration. Those are big stories, of course, but there are many…
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As newspapers shrink, other media outlets must spend more time doing watchdog reporting in their communities
UPDATED It’s a bad thing for our democracy when local newspapers must continually cut reporters to stay afloat financially. Those reporters too often were crucial government watchdogs, informing the community about the workings of city hall, school districts and other government agencies. While other local news outlets have stepped up their game to fill the…
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Fresno State Media Institute will celebrate Constitution Day on Sept. 17 with program on the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment
The Institute for Media and Public Trust will sponsor a program on Sept. 17 that is designed to educate Fresno State students on the freedoms that the First Amendment guarantees. There will be several activities to encourage students to learn about these important freedoms during the program that will run from 11 a.m. to 1…
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One company now owns 260 daily papers and 300 weeklies. How many will remain after merger of Gannett, Gatehouse?
The long-rumored coupling of Gannett and Gatehouse Media was announced on Monday, and should be finalized by the end of the year. With the newspaper business model broken, combining the two companies’ resources is seen as a way to protect journalism through administrative efficiencies and aggressively pursuing a digital transformation. While Gatehouse’s parent company, New…
Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State 