With the shootings of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and the shooting of Dallas police officers, social media became the hot spot for activism, news, and sharing emotions. Communities are healing and people want answers. However, as many of us know, social media can also spread misinformation.
In the Dallas police case, Mark Hughes was accused of being the shooter when it turned out to be someone else. Hughes was taken into custody and later released. While Dallas Police Department posted the photo and later released the man, the tweet was not deleted and has been retweeted over 40,000 times. Many news outlets, including Washington Post and New York Daily News, wrote articles acknowledging the mistake. Regardless on your views of the issues in the world, I think we can all agree that being informed with accurate information is something that we should have have in the public. There are so many resources out there, but it can be quite overwhelming at times. As a result, I put together a small list of outlets to keep up on current events. Your tastes in news and what you want to read are probably different than mine, but it does not hurt to be an informed citizen.
1. Associated Press (@AP)
Associated Press is probably the go-to for many consumers. They set the guide for journalists - hence AP style - and have many ways of accessing information. They cover pretty much everything that is breaking in many different topics from national to sports news. You can download a free app that gives quick pop-up notification when a major news event breaks.
2. BBC News (@BBCBreaking, @BBCWorld)
BBC News is a must for those interested in International News. Their information is very comprehensive and is respected across the world. BBC News comes out of the United Kingdom and covers various topics and issues in many different countries. They provide in-depth analysis that is thorough and informative and that sticks with many people. They also have a free app that is more compact but still contains just as much information as their web version.
3. Reuters (@Reuters)
Reuters is fairly similar to Associated Press and BBC News but different too. There is a little more emphasis on markets and business; however, there is certainly a breadth of knowledge that comes out of Reuters. I have personally enjoyed their photos a lot and that is also another stand out part to me. I enjoy reading international news when I can which is why I included this source on the list.
4. CSPAN (@cspan)
If you are even remotely interested in politics, CSPAN might be for you. Yes, you can access it on cable networks, but you can also stream online as well. One thing I dislike about it is that there is a radio/audio only free app, but I think it is also a good thing too because it can be geared towards your commute and you can listen to the same or similar material on the go. For me, my minor is in political science so this is kind of an obvious choice to share.
5. Local News Outlets (Varies)
If you are not interested in International or even national news, I feel that is very important to at least know what is going on in your community. Even a traffic update makes a big difference. Local news tells the news that is centered for your region, typically within a 50-mile or so radius which makes it very relevant to your every day life. Each news outlet has its own app or twitter account so it varies per city or region.
6. Topics/Special Sections (Varies)
This is probably a good place to branch out. If you're into sports, sports outlets and reporters. If you're interested in politics, there are plenty of websites. Be very skeptical of polls and look into them. If you're into entertainment, google your interests and you will find something. There is always some sort of entertainment news out there for shows, celebrities, music, etc.
While there are plenty of websites and news outlets available, I can not tell you what to follow or what to read. There are many factors that go into what you follow for news that are not factored into this list. Look into multiple outlets at the very least. This is just a starting point for those who just need a launching pad. Always be responsible on social media when sharing the news.
