Greetings!
For news in the Tv, I don't often get to watch unless I'm at a place where the news is being shown at that moment. However, the most common means I use to get updates is via FM radio. Yes, go ahead and call me old school 😎. I've been a big fan of radio for a very long time, and although I don't always fancy the news aspect of it like the way the elderly do, I still find it interesting because I get updated on the things happening in the country and, most importantly, in the state where I live.
Do I believe the news on the radio?
From what I've come to understand, a TV or radio station that wants to keep excelling will not share anything that's incorrect. They're not like social media or blogging sites that post anything just to attract all manners of people and gain traffic. No, radio stations, especially the one I am very familiar with in my state, make sure they give out accurate information. Most times, they are slow about it because they want to confirm that the information is real before broadcasting it. As a result, I usually see most updates on social media before they air it on the news.
So yes, I believe what they broadcast on their newsline, and when they use the word "allegedly," I take it into consideration. The only thing I frown at is how these radio stations avoid broadcasting content that attacks the government on their newslines. They always justify this by saying they are supporting the government. That part is frustrating! Although, when it comes to other programs besides the news, these issues and critiques of the government are openly discussed without fear.
I remember very clearly during the #EndSARS protest when there was the case of genocide. Most radio stations were afraid to broadcast the real truth on air, and I always wondered if they were blind to the videos that circulated around the internet. The few times they were bold enough to include it in the news, the word "allegedly" was scattered throughout, and it deeply frustrated me.
I don't know about you, but I have a deep hatred to fake news. This is the reason I unfollow many pages on social media media and block them whenever I notice they're focused on generating traffic rather than sharing authentic information. As for the radio station I listen to, sometimes I wait to see if they will follow the same pattern as social media in sharing unconfirmed news, especially in sports, which is a field I am always updated on via confirmed pages I follow on social media. They have never shared any wrong or rumored information, always bringing it to the audience as authentic.
I remember a few days ago, after the Nigerian match with Rwanda, rumors spread all over social media that the interim coach had resigned. At one point, I almost believed it because the news was flying around on social media. If the radio station had shared the same news on their newsline that night before the governing body of football in Nigeria debunked it, I would have been disappointed.
So yes, I believe in my FM station because they confirm their information first before sharing it on their newsline.
Thanks for reading.