Media Companies are having some of their best days thanks to new president Donald Trump. The man is a walking media firestorm and it's easy for both newspapers and online websites to post stories that generate significant engagement and clicks. The controversial stories can be on either side of the debate and it doesn't really matter because of the way in which a media company makes money.
How Do Media Companies Profit?
In one word: Advertising. It used to be important for companies to have paid advertisements in newspapers that were once widely read by the population.
Today, people turn to online sources instead for their information. And how are websites compensated? Through advertisements. The larger the number of people who read and click through, the better. That means more money in both the media company's money and in the pockets of the advertising company.
Implications.
If the goal of a media company is to generate the most exposure possible, the truth doesn't really matter. It's almost better to report "Fake News" that generates controversy to maximize exposure for advertisers. In this way, a media company makes more money without ever telling the truth.
And that's a problem. Truth doesn't sell as well as fabricated stories that define issues in a different way.
The spin of certain stories can support one point while refuting another without even caring. And it doesn't even matter because the increased exposure from the support of one candidate helps immensely in this category.
How Consumers Can Evade "Fake News"
It's really hard to evade news that distributes controversial topics. It's even harder to avoid sharing news that supports your own viewpoint.
But consumers should be encouraged to do their own research and make a judgement about news for themselves. It's no longer enough to rely on any one source for information.
Don't be fooled by fake news. Strive to find the truth at all costs before choosing to believe everything that you read on the internet. Donald Trump's assertion might be ridiculed by the media, but that might just be because it isn't that far from the truth.
