University of Maryland Global Campus Digital and Media in Society Discussion

Topic 1: Fake News
This week, you watched Fake news vs real news (PBS online video): https://www.pbs.org/video/fake-news-vs-real-news-l…

Discussion:
Fake news is no longer a matter of the occasional hoax. There is growing evidence that fake news has the power to shape public opinion and even sway elections. As more Americans get their news online, it is increasingly vital that we as consumers know how to verify sources and spot fake news.

Questions:

1. Explain at least two ways fake news could affect the results of the upcoming 2020 Presidential elections?
2. What can companies like Facebook and Twitter do to stop users from spreading fake news? What can we, as consumers, do? What do you think would work, especially with younger users?

Topic 2: The Decline of the Newspaper Industry

This week you read “Current Popular Trends in the Newspaper Industry” https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/4…,as well as Newspaper Fact Sheet

Discussion:
It is clear that the newspaper industry has undergone major changes. Over the next several years, the industry will likely continue to experience a complete upheaval brought on by dwindling readership and major shifts in how individuals consume news. As newspapers scramble to find their footing in an ever-changing business, readers adapt and seek out trustworthy information in new ways.
Question #1:
Pick a recent major national event or news story that interests you (the event/news story must not be more than 2 months old). Then, select two newspapers of the six discussed in the reading for Week 3 (USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and Chicago Tribune). After you have chosen your news story and have selected your newspapers, explore the differences in how those newspapers reported on the story. How does the newspaper’s audience affect the way in which a story is presented? Include a link to the news stories you selected in both newspapers..

Minimum Topic Response: Word Count = 70 (per topic question). Your response to each question is required to be AT LEAST 70 WORDS long. If your reply to each question is less than 70 words, you will lose points. You can use Microsoft Word to count the words in your response to make sure you have met the requirement.
NOTE 1: Please make sure you answer EACH item and LABEL each item (#1, #2, #3, etc) so that I can easily check that each item has been answered.