Jinn of Quality and Risk

The science reporter was supposed to write about the new atomic clocks being installed soon on the space station ... [but] the reporter was woefully incapable of reporting on a scientific topic... [kuro5hin]

Many years ago, I came to the conclusion that one cannot trust the media. So I gave up on them: no more newspaper subscriptions and no TV. My reasons? In essence, I had repeatedly and systematically observed in areas where I knew the facts first-hand and/or was an expert:

• factual distortions;
• ignorance of science, technology, and history;
• pseudo-explanations;
• logical fallacies; and
• ideological prejudice masquerading as fact.

Further, I found that similar observations were made by experts I trusted in other subject matters — where I had been naively counting on the media for information. Today, when I want to know something specific, I search for multiple sources through the Internet and books, ask the experts I know, if any, and then I check the ultimate sources (such as original research experiments and reports). Objectivity and independence are worth the time it takes.

Further, it is vital to be explicitly aware about the distinction between what you know first-hand and what you've heard others say, as well as what you don't know. It's also useful to be open about it. Few people are willing to say I don't know.