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| Dante, a very existential Tuxedo Cat |
NJNC serves in large part an audience of people who are trying to pour metaphorical hot patch into the potholes left by the decline of local media. Some are seasoned pros, others are newcomers sincerely trying to do a good job.
Whoever they are they often see rumors drop in like Carmine the Human Cannonball.
The Sasquatch-at-the-condos rumors are generally easy to debunk. It's the almost believable that was addressed by the NJNC checklist:
1) What is the source/evidence?
Seeking the source is just common sense. It's what real journalists do. We check and check again. Unfortunately, there is no professionalism requirement for posting to the internet, including in the comment section of many hyper-local news sites.
There are times I wish I could just post a sign:
Are you freakin’ kidding me?
what single-helixed-semi-moron came up with this?
Or something like that. But it pays to be more subtle.
So all reporters and editors, including of hyper-locals, need to do all the checking.
2) What is the history?
Looking into the history of a rumor tossed over the transom -- or crashed through the skylight -- requires research. It would be nice if the person who first stumbled on it did the research, but that would be too much to ask of most denizens of the social media alternate universe.
3) Who else is saying this?
It's a good clue to the possible veracity of a statement. If the rumor is being repeated by the usual suspects, the political axe-grinders, the local gadflies, the bus stop conspiracy theorists, there's a good chance it's myth.
Some folks, especially those with a political agenda (and this regardless of the political leanings), seem to continue to believe statements by people who were unreliable in the past.
Not to be too specific, but Bill O'Reilly. . .
4) What need does it fill?
The truth only has to fill the need of being true.
Rumors fill different needs: revenge, political intrigue. . .
Some people think they will gain something by passing along a rumor. And they may, but temporarily.
Regardless of what the need is, it's likely to be obvious to the discerning reader. Discerning being the operative word.
5) What is the motivation?
Same is true here. People post rumors or innuendo for their own reasons.
From a legitimate news outlet, the motive is to put the story out there, no ulterior motives or designs. But so much appears on the internet with obvious motive.
Sure, the musings of Henri, le chat noir, are designed to give humans a chuckle and the ennui of a tuxedo cat. Unfortunately, most postings on social media don't have that much value. The motives are either to preach to the choir or recruit converts. Or maybe just to spark controversy.
6) How do we add value?
That's kind of a strange way of phrasing it. Value-added tends to mean something like adding a petting zoo to your farm stand. But in this case, it means explaining where a rumor started, who started it or at least a description of our journey to discover who started it.
But wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to? If truth mattered to everyone?
Yeah, that's gonna happen.
