Don’t be misled by the ‘facts’

In the past, we have urged readers to think for themselves, particularly with regard to information purporting to be news. At this time we would want to reiterate this advice as political pundits increase their presence – and will continue to do so – in anticipation of a General Election in the near future.

Previously, in an editorial calling for media literacy programmes to be implemented in schools, it was noted that balanced, unbiased, accurate information is not always a priority for some news sources, when compared to other factors like the bottom line.

Furthermore, it was revealed that personal biases based on socialisation may also impact on the quality of information presented; whether it be the unbalanced focus on a particular matter, the prominence given to a topic or even the style of writing or presentation of images or graphics.

At the time, it was suggested that individuals should be taught how to raise the right questions about what they are seeing or hearing, thus making them competent and literate in all media forms so that they cannot be mislead by interpretations of the facts. In the final analysis, people were told to always draw their own conclusions based on all the information revealed and even based on information withheld – as the latter can be just as important when making a decision.

All these points remain valid and are crucial to learning and understanding how to make use of media messages.

However, individuals should also realise the value of their own personal observations and critical analysis and not be swayed by others’ opinions, or fooled into making spontaneous, intuitive decisions. Where the upcoming election is concerned, this will be key. As campaign platforms go up and promises flow forth, one should always weigh words against actions and not let rhetoric cloud one’s vision for the future.

One should also consider each party’s plan for the country and not focus on personal gains alone. Exercising one’s right to vote is a serious responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly.

In the meantime, continue to field the “facts” being bandied about and use the news as a source of information and not as the gospel truth. Though there are still several schools of thought that remain convinced of mass media’s complete influence over a user’s judgement, it is widely established that the public is not easily brainwashed and Grenada’s population is highly discerning. Therefore, though it may be called the “silly season” by some, Grenadians will not be foolish when it comes to marking their ballots.