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Last updated on October 7th, 2024 at 02:44 am
Raw Story: The Truth Behind Progressive News
Raw Story is an online news website that claims to be “celebrating 19 years of independent journalism” and “bringing underreported news to light”. But how reliable and trustworthy is this source? And what are the challenges and risks of consuming and sharing its content?
What is Raw Story?
Raw Story was founded in 2004 by John K. Byrne, a former editor-in-chief of The Oberlin Review, who wanted to create an alternative news source that would cover the stories “ignored” by other outlets. He was joined by Michael Rogers, a blogger and activist, who became the vice chairman of the company
According to its website, Raw Story delivers “award-winning investigative reporting, breaking news and bold opinion columns, reaching more than six million readers a month” It also owns and operates other websites, such as AlterNet, The New Civil Rights Movement, and DCReport
Raw Story covers a range of topics, such as politics, science, health, environment, culture, and entertainment. It has a progressive and liberal leaning, often criticizing conservative politicians, media outlets, and movements. It also features stories that expose corruption, injustice, and abuse of power
How reliable is Raw Story?
Raw Story has been allegedly criticized for its lack of editorial standards, accuracy, and balance. It has been to be heard to be accused of publishing misleading headlines, sensationalized stories, unverified claims, and biased opinions. It has also been involved in several alleged controversies and lawsuits over its reporting
For example, in 2005, Newsweek described Raw Story as one of the “Top 30 Junk News Sources” that spread misinformation and propaganda online In 2017, The Washington Post fact-checked a Raw Story article that claimed that President Donald Trump had plagiarized his inaugural address from the movie Avatar. The Post found that the claim was false and based on a hoax tweet In 2019, Raw Story was sued by One America News Network (OANN) for defamation after it published an article that alleged that OANN was a Russian propaganda outlet. The case was settled out of court in 2020.
According to Media Bias / Fact Check, a website that evaluates the credibility of news sources, Raw Story has a “left” bias in terms of political affiliation and a “mixed” rating in terms of factual reporting. It states that Raw Story “often publishes factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes” and that it “sometimes sources to other questionable sources such as Occupy Democrats”. It also notes that Raw Story has failed several fact checks by independent organizations such as Politifact and Snopes
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What are the challenges and risks of consuming and sharing Raw Story?
Consuming and sharing Raw Story content can pose several challenges and risks for readers and writers alike. These include:
Being misinformed or misled by inaccurate or incomplete information
Being influenced or manipulated by emotional or sensational language
Being exposed or contributing to echo chambers or filter bubbles that reinforce existing beliefs or opinions
Being alienated or polarized from other perspectives or viewpoints
Being vulnerable or liable to legal or ethical issues arising from defamation or plagiarism
To avoid these pitfalls, it is important to apply critical thinking skills and media literacy strategies when reading or writing about Raw Story content.
These include:
Checking the credibility and reputation of the source
Verifying the facts and evidence presented in the story
Evaluating the tone and purpose of the story
Comparing and contrasting different sources and perspectives on the same topic
Citing and referencing sources properly and responsibly
Conclusion
Raw Story is an online news website that aims to provide alternative and progressive journalism on various topics. However, it has also been criticized for its lack of editorial standards, accuracy, and balance. Consuming and sharing its content can pose several challenges and risks for readers and writers alike. Therefore, it is important to apply critical thinking skills and media literacy strategies when reading or writing about Raw Story content.
FAQs
What is the difference between Raw Story and Real Raw News?
Raw Story and Real Raw News are two different websites that have similar names but very different content. Raw Story is a progressive news website that publishes investigative reporting, breaking news, and opinion columns on various topics. Real Raw News is a website that publishes sensational and fabricated stories of arrests, trials, and executions of prominent figures, often aligned with the QAnon conspiracy theory
How can I tell if a Raw Story article is accurate or not?
There are several ways to check the accuracy of a Raw Story article or any other online source. Some of the steps you can take are:
Look at the author, date, and source of the article. Is the author credible and qualified? Is the date recent and relevant? Is the source reputable and reliable?
Check the facts and evidence presented in the article. Are they verifiable and supported by other sources? Are they consistent and logical? Are they free from errors or contradictions?
Evaluate the tone and purpose of the article. Is it informative or persuasive? Is it objective or biased? Is it factual or opinionated?
Compare and contrast different sources and perspectives on the same topic. Are they similar or different? Are they balanced or skewed? Are they fair or unfair?
Why should I be careful about consuming and sharing Raw Story content?
Consuming and sharing Raw Story content can pose several challenges and risks for readers and writers alike. These include:
Being misinformed or misled by inaccurate or incomplete information
Being influenced or manipulated by emotional or sensational language
Being exposed or contributing to echo chambers or filter bubbles that reinforce existing beliefs or opinions
Being alienated or polarized from other perspectives or viewpoints
Being vulnerable or liable to legal or ethical issues arising from defamation or plagiarism
To avoid these pitfalls, it is important to apply critical thinking skills and media literacy strategies when reading or writing about Raw Story content.
