# What news source do you use if not "Main Stream Media"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 13, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536 "2018-01-13T14:07:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/81 "2018-01-17T20:56:12Z")
> [@Unabashed\_Fascist](#): > > For the record Fox News IS mainstream media, isn’t it? How could it not be? Of course it is, based on it’s audience numbers. That would be hotly denied by many of its viewers, who have been taught that “mainstream = biased”; but of course, that’s a company that is deliberately established as a propaganda arm of the Republican party (undeniably so) and is intent on smearing anything left of them as “fake news”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/82 "2018-01-17T20:56:33Z")
For the record, I have more or less the same issues with Drudge and HuffPo - they both contain actual news stories but often with a sensationalized and/or partisan spin, and an unknown percentage of the content is utter bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/83 "2018-01-17T20:58:45Z")
Ah yes, Drudge is on the chart Ulfreida posted above, as is Huffpo. Huffpo is considered a little bit less clickbaity. Posting it again, straight link; [[Album] News sources bias and quality ![](https://i.imgur.com/12zRshe.png?fb "News sources bias and quality") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/m8jla) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/84 "2018-01-17T23:42:26Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > You keep conflating “truth” with “facts”. They are 2 different things. True, but irrelevant in this case. This is about reality, where “truth” is unavailable to us and all we have are facts. > [@](#): > > One side may indicate that they are perfectly safe Nobody who knows anything says this. Nobody. You’re straw-manning at this point. > [@](#): > > the other that they cause dire side effects. The truth is in between. It’s only in-between if you create an ignorant straw-man to go with the ignorant _real people_ on the other. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/85 "2018-01-18T08:41:39Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > People here seem to forget that Mainstream Media used to be pushed by the left though in their case it was labeled “Corporate/Government Media” back during the Bush years. CNN, MSNBC, and especially FOX News were seen as exclusively pushing the neo-colonial/imperialist agenda of the US Government. People still referred to it as such up until a few years ago and if you asked them what the only reliable American media was they’d reply they got their news from Jacobin. Wait, you think the left stopped hating corporate media? You watch CNN and MSNBC if you want to see smiling people advocating war crimes and grinding the poor into dust. Or nowadays, RussiaRussiaRussia. > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > If you live in an economic system where all the opinions expressed are controlled by those that can afford to buy them, you can really only rely on sources that aren’t owned by them. > > […] > > [The Intercept](https://theintercept.com/) The Intercept has some good journalists, but it’s bankrolled by a billionaire. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/86 "2018-01-18T12:02:04Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > I like [this chart](https://imgur.com/gallery/m8jla). There are others. > > I pretty much stick to online NYT, WaPo, and Al Jazeera. NPR in the car. I’m over getting enraged on purpose. Politico is missing from the chart. I’d probably put it somewhere between the BBC and NPR. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/87 "2018-01-18T14:41:55Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Nobody who knows anything says this. Nobody. You’re straw-manning at this point. > > It’s only in-between if you create an ignorant straw-man to go with the ignorant _real people_ on the other. A quick Google of “[vaccines perfectly safe](https://www.google.com/search?ei=rK9gWtCBLoPKsQX5hYGwAw&q=vaccines+perfectly+safe&oq=vaccines+perfectly+safe&gs_l=psy-ab.3...374285.381509.0.381962.23.22.0.1.1.0.250.2920.0j14j3.17.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.17.2767...0j35i39k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.0.HAKSYVyZcxs)” shows several headlines that say exactly that. But you obviously feel much more strongly about the issue of (not) looking at opposing viewpoints than I do, so I’m bowing out. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/88 "2018-01-18T14:47:30Z")
I pretty much get most of my news from the dread MSM. My main news sites are CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera English. I also watch a lot of YouTube Channels that give me a take on certain parts of the world, such as China Uncensored, Visual Politic, CaspianReport, NowThisWorld, TheDailyConversation and a few more, as well as some vloggers in a few different countries that I’m interested in. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/89 "2018-01-18T16:50:11Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > A quick Google of “[vaccines perfectly safe](https://www.google.com/search?ei=rK9gWtCBLoPKsQX5hYGwAw&q=vaccines+perfectly+safe&oq=vaccines+perfectly+safe&gs_l=psy-ab.3...374285.381509.0.381962.23.22.0.1.1.0.250.2920.0j14j3.17.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.17.2767...0j35i39k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.0.HAKSYVyZcxs)” shows several headlines that say exactly that. But you obviously feel much more strongly about the issue of (not) looking at opposing viewpoints than I do, so I’m bowing out. Being an anti-vaxer on this board isn’t going to go well. It isn’t a scientifically sound position, _doctor_. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/90 "2018-01-18T17:11:39Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > A quick Google of “[vaccines perfectly safe](https://www.google.com/search?ei=rK9gWtCBLoPKsQX5hYGwAw&q=vaccines+perfectly+safe&oq=vaccines+perfectly+safe&gs_l=psy-ab.3...374285.381509.0.381962.23.22.0.1.1.0.250.2920.0j14j3.17.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.17.2767...0j35i39k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.0.HAKSYVyZcxs)” shows several headlines that say exactly that. But you obviously feel much more strongly about the issue of (not) looking at opposing viewpoints than I do, so I’m bowing out. Of course you’re bowing out. You’re focusing on a minor matter to the exclusion of the actual point, on which you refuse to concede defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/91 "2018-01-18T20:36:27Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Being an anti-vaxer on this board isn’t going to go well. It isn’t a scientifically sound position, _doctor_. Not sure how you extrapolated a search to confirm that views **Derleth** claimed did not exist with those views being my own. Very poor comprehension or very great conclusion jumping, I suppose. > [@Derleth](#): > > Of course you’re bowing out. You’re focusing on a minor matter to the exclusion of the actual point, on which you refuse to concede defeat. I said only this: I use various sources from across the spectrum and determine the truth from there. You tried to make it a whole different math problem by telling me that the facts aren’t in the middle. If you don’t know the difference between truth and facts, well, that’s on you. I used your own vaccine example and you called it a strawman. I used your own words that a specific view did not exist anywhere and proved that they indeed do. I’m not after victory or defeat. You are welcome to disagree that multiple, varied sources is the best way to determine truth. If your intention is to get me to say that it is not, then you are wasting your time. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/92 "2018-01-18T21:18:21Z")
Offering an example of why I chose to follow journalists and issues (using Twitter as it functions best for this) rather than outlets. From yesterday, this is quite the brilliant, informative, provocative ding dong of an interview - give it a few minutes to warm up: > **[Jordan Peterson debate on the gender pay gap, campus protests and postmodernism](https://www.channel4.com/news/jordan-peterson-debate-on-the-gender-pay-gap-campus-protests-and-postmodernism)** > > Channel 4 News’ full, fiery interview with clinical psychologist and professorJordan B Peterson, whose views on gender have amassed great controversy - and a huge online following. He discusses the pay gap, patriarchy and his new book "12 Rules for... ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/93 "2018-01-18T21:27:20Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > A quick Google of “[vaccines perfectly safe](https://www.google.com/search?ei=rK9gWtCBLoPKsQX5hYGwAw&q=vaccines+perfectly+safe&oq=vaccines+perfectly+safe&gs_l=psy-ab.3...374285.381509.0.381962.23.22.0.1.1.0.250.2920.0j14j3.17.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.17.2767...0j35i39k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.0.HAKSYVyZcxs)” shows several headlines that say exactly that. But you obviously feel much more strongly about the issue of (not) looking at opposing viewpoints than I do, so I’m bowing out. The primary Anti-VAX position is one of the worst anti-science willfully ignorant positions to come out of the left and the right in my lifetime. Any checking at all would quickly disabuse people of this retched belief. So what is your point in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/94 "2018-01-18T23:26:15Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Not sure how you extrapolated a search to confirm that views **Derleth** claimed did not exist with those views being my own. Very poor comprehension or very great conclusion jumping, I suppose. OK, first page of Google, using your link: Top link is “Large New Study Confirms That Childhood Vaccines Are Perfectly Safe” from [thinkprogress.org](http://thinkprogress.org). Not Mainstream. Not that I think they’re evil, but ThinkProgress is not Mainstream, and I don’t claim they know about vaccine safety. You claiming they’re relevant is straw-manning. Next one down is “Childhood Vaccines are Safe | HealthLinkBC File 50c”. “Safe” is relative. Driving in a car is “safe”. Flying in a plane is “safe”. Next one down is “The Vaccine Safety Datalink - World Health Organization” Not making a claim about safety, at least not in the title of the article. Next one down _is_ Mainstream Media. It’s NPR, which I already said is Mainstream: “Schedule Of Childhood Vaccines Declared Safe : Shots - Health News” Again, “Safe” is relative. The only one on the first page of Google claiming they’re perfectly safe is an ideological source, not a Mainstream or scientific one. > [@](#): > > I said only this: > I use various sources from across the spectrum and determine the **truth** from there. You tried to make it a whole different math problem by telling me that the facts aren’t in the middle. (Bolding mine.) I made it a basic honesty problem by pointing out that mixing a good, **factual** source with a bad one makes the end result worse. It’s like you think people never lie. It’s like you think every “issue” really does have two honest sides to it. I’m saying that either some things aren’t “issues”, in that reasonable people do _not_ disagree on them, or that some issues have all the facts and logic on one side. > [@](#): > > If you don’t know the difference between truth and facts, well, that’s on you. I could write you a whole post on the difference. You’re the one trying to nitpick an irrelevant distinction. When we’re talking about epistemology as relates to math versus science, I’ll be open to such nitpicking. Here, it’s a pointless distraction technique. > [@](#): > > You are welcome to disagree that multiple, varied sources is the best way to determine **truth**. (Bolding mine.) The only way to use some sources to determine **the facts** is to ignore them completely. Do you agree with that, or are you going to defend Alex Jones? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/95 "2018-01-18T23:33:31Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > [https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/drudge-report/](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/drudge-report/) > > “The Drudge Report focuses on sensationalized stories with a right wing bias. They have a poor record with fact checkers. (7/19/2016) Updated (4/5/2017)” > > [Drudge Report Media Bias | AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news-source/drudge-report) > > “The Drudge Report is a news aggregation website. Run by Matt Drudge with the help of Joseph Curl and Charles Hurt, the site consists mainly of links to stories from the United States and international mainstream media about politics, entertainment, and current events as well as links to many columnists. Its viewpoints are often considered conservative.” > > I’d consider that fairly accurate. > > And then this; > > Matt Drudge is a gay right wing conservative blogger who runs the Drudge Report, a conservative news aggregation and gossip website, and a popular news and opinion source for American conservatives and man-made global warming deniers. Note, from Media Bias Check on CNN: > [@](#): > > CNN has a left bias in reporting and sometimes uses sensational headlines. CNN typically sources its news sources. Do not confuse CNN’s talk shows with actual reporting of news. Further, they have failed numerous fact checks from Politifact. (5/16/2016) Updated (6/4/2017) Slee ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/96 "2018-01-19T00:04:26Z")
How is pointing fingers at a different news source a valid answer to providing data on another? **Whataboutism**. Just knock it off. I don’t know that anyone in this thread has said that CNN is a perfectly non-biased source. In fact, the link provided by Ulfreida, repeatedly mentioned by me and even re-linked by me says otherwise. So in short, your response to me isn’t an answer, it is a distraction. Be better than that if you want to be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/97 "2018-01-19T01:00:10Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > A quick Google of “[vaccines perfectly safe](https://www.google.com/search?ei=rK9gWtCBLoPKsQX5hYGwAw&q=vaccines+perfectly+safe&oq=vaccines+perfectly+safe&gs_l=psy-ab.3...374285.381509.0.381962.23.22.0.1.1.0.250.2920.0j14j3.17.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..5.17.2767...0j35i39k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.0.HAKSYVyZcxs)” shows several headlines that say exactly that. But you obviously feel much more strongly about the issue of (not) looking at opposing viewpoints than I do, so I’m bowing out. Strange, but on the first page of the search results, there is only headline that says that. And only the headline, since the story doesn’t imply or say “perfectly safe” Also amazingly, when you put those search terms in quotes, a surprising lack of headlines that say “Vaccines Perfectly Safe” results. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/98 "2018-01-19T01:47:43Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Strange, but on the first page of the search results, there is only headline that says that. And only the headline, since the story doesn’t imply or say “perfectly safe” > > Also amazingly, when you put those search terms in quotes, a surprising lack of headlines that say “Vaccines Perfectly Safe” results. Yup, just the one. And a youtube video. Which isn’t news, but unfortunately, some people in this country confuse with news. I went through the next 4 pages and nothing else says that. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/99 "2018-01-19T06:01:56Z")
Every morning I listen to 1010-WINS (AM radio) to get the local NYC weather, traffic & transit, and murder news. While I brew my tea. Then I read the dead-tree NY Times. Then I check the Huffington Post (left-leaning); Wonkette (humor and Socialist-leaning) and Jezebel (feminist and left-leaning). Three or four times a week I read the Fox News site and Breibart…including the comments, which generally make me ill. They are still claiming that Michelle Obama is some sort of huge mutated male gorilla. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536/100 "2018-01-19T14:44:04Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > … > [@Slash1972](#): > > … > [@Chimera](#): > > … Gee, you guys win. I’m still going to look at multiple news sources with opposing biases to get my information and draw my conclusions. But you win. Happy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-news-source-do-you-use-if-not-main-stream-media/806536.md?page=6)