Island Hopping

In Conversation with Andrea Palasciano.

Andrea Palasciano is a reporter renowned for her coverage of Europe and Russia and a former Knight-Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University. Andrea spent a decade with Agence France-Presse and other international outlets in France, Italy, Germany, and Russia as an economics and business correspondent. In Russia, she covered some of the biggest upheavals in the country’s history and remained to cover the impact of the war in Ukraine despite a mass exodus of the foreign press.

To understand the dynamics shaping people’s perceptions of the news and the information they consume, we turned to Andrea Palasciano. Through our conversation, we reached a significant conclusion: despite its shortcomings, journalism remains indispensable to society. However, to overcome background noise or unfounded suspicion, one must navigate four evolving realities shaping the journalistic landscape, akin to “island hopping.”

A New Economic Landscape

Over the past decades, traditional print media has experienced a pronounced decline, completely transforming the media’s economic environment. With the rise of the Internet, publications initially shifted towards offering online content for free, attributing it a lower value than print media and assuming it would somehow pay off by attracting readers.

Though this approach has largely proven unsustainable, Andrea has seen a shift in consumer behaviour that has generated success stories in the industry. For instance, after publications like the Financial Times pioneered a strict paywall to access their content, it emboldened other publications to do the same. This has provided newsrooms with new OSINT (open source intelligence) tools, such as satellite imagery, which have become invaluable in reporting conflicts and wars.

While expanding online subscriptions remains crucial for sustaining this progress, there is a growing appetite among consumers for thoughtful and accurate information, signalling a recognition of the value placed on quality journalism.

A Disconnected Community

The success of major media outlets like the New York Times has coincided with the decline of local news, creating a void in regional and community coverage. Fifty years ago, households typically subscribed to a particular newspaper or tuned in to nightly news broadcasts,

fostering a distinct media culture. Andrea argues that this era provided a unique sense of connection within communities, where familiarity with local journalists or sources minimised the potential for speculation or manipulation of narratives.

As traditional media sources fade and new digital platforms emerge, some have been left to grapple with conflictinginformation. In print media, the separation of opinion/editorials on the one hand and news on the other is physical: they are physically different sections of the paper. That distinction is harder to pick up on if you haven’t grown up reading newspapers. What’s more, the ease of starting a blog means that virtually anyone can publish content without rigorous editorial oversight, making it harder for ‘consumers’ of information to sift through the abundance of words and images online without guidance.

A Flood of Fake News

These changes have facilitated the spread of misinformation. However, it’s important to note how the definition of “fake news” can vary depending on the cultural and political context. Andrea highlights the stark contrast in definitions, noting that in countries like Russia, where independent journalism once thrived, the term is now used to discredit information that is not aligned with the state propaganda.

Conversely, there are journalists, including Russians working abroad, who now denounce state-sponsored information as fake news. Andrea stresses that regardless of one’s stance, the term hasbecome politically charged and often used as a weapon. She advises caution, urging us to consider the motives of those using the term and their underlying agendas.

Media outlets and major technology companies have started investing in fact- checking tools to combat the proliferation of misinformation. These tools, including digital verification technologies, are designed to authenticate sources, detect possible alterations, and uncover the true meaning behind an image or a video.

While Andrea acknowledges the effectiveness of such technologies in debunking false claims, she also highlights the challenge of countering the immediate impact of sensational headlines. People react swiftly to misleading content, particularly if it reinforces their beliefs. This means that even if a news outlet publishes a fact-check or debunking, readers may have already moved on.

A Generalised Critique

As social media becomes more popular, public opinion becomes increasingly polarised. Yet, as Andrea highlights, this polarisation is more pronounced among readers than within newsrooms themselves. Reputable news outlets typically uphold clear boundaries between their news section, opinion section pieces, and editorials, ensuring transparency for readers.

Andrea recognises the human element in reporting, likening the practice to cooking rather than an exact science. However, she notes that despite the potential for subjectivity, the basic rules of the craft remain. All the nuances that applied to serious quality journalism over 100 years ago still apply today—and have, in fact, become more robust. Meticulous fact- checking, statistical scrutiny, and the need for multiple sources continue not just to be best practices but essential pillars of journalistic integrity that are prevalent across all legacy media.

However, the problem today is two-fold:

• media critique often overlooks the intricate layers of scrutiny stories must undergo before publication,

• newer platforms like social media and blogs lack the same adherence to traditional ethical standards.

Andrea views education as a solution to mitigate this confusion and suggests including media literacy programs in school curricula from a young age. Hands- on experiences, such as producing a school newspaper or visiting a newsroom, can empower younger generations to navigate an intricate media environment. They can teach kids to seek information actively and critically evaluate sources, ultimately demystifying journalism and fostering informed citizens.

Interview by Cristina Rue, 05/2024.