I read Blur during a week when the Pew Research Center for the People & Press report on news media was released (66% of Americans say news stories are often inaccurate, overall performance grows more negative) and the satirical news Web site, the Onion, was dealing with a Twitter post that had caused strong negative opinion because some people had been unable to identify it as fake news ( Slate, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Mediaite, and the Atlantic Wire, for starters). This makes the text accessible and they further break down the process – using the clever term, tradecraft of verification – to enable any information consumer to create the habits necessary to look at online information with the appropriate level of skepticism. Kovach and Rosenstiel write engagingly, and any jargon is clearly explained both in general terms but also by providing context through examples. Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel discuss the challenges facing anyone who is trying to determine the truth of what they are reading online, the different types of journalism that you are likely to encounter, and how to identify not just the reliable sources but, on any given news-related Web site, the types of content that require more or less additional skepticism.Īlthough this book is placed under the journalism subject heading, it is perfect for just about anyone who spends time reading news and opinion content online. Blur: How to Know What’s True in the Age of Information Overload is a dense look at how journalism is changing and how consumers can utilize journalistic skills to understand the news and information around them.

Blur by Bill Kovach