Navigating Misinformation was a Key Topic at Connecticut Forum Discussion

Three prominent members of the media addressed the challenges of modern journalism during a recent Connecticut Forum discussion that was attended by members of the Trinity College community.

The conversation, “Misinformation and Finding the Truth: Reckoning with Today’s Media Landscape,” was held March 23 at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts. Trinity is an education partner of the Connecticut Forum, which supports open dialogue, lifelong learning, and the free and active exchange of ideas.

“[Seeking truth] doesn’t mean you can’t have a point of view,” said panelist Brooke Gladstone, award-winning journalist, author, and host of NPR’s On the Media. “We all come to the world with certain values and certain principles. As a journalist, write according to your values, but don’t edit to win the argument. Good journalism doesn’t require the myth of objectivity; it just requires integrity.”

Gladstone was joined by panelists Ronan Farrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning and Peabody Award-nominated investigative journalist; and Stephen Hayes, CEO and editor of The Dispatch, NBC News contributor, and author. The event was moderated by John Dankosky, director of news and audio for the NPR podcast, Science Friday.

Farrow said that the problem of misinformation has flourished online and via social media, where people are turning for information as public trust in the news media decreases. “Misinformation is an absence of fact that then gets filled with fantasy,” he said.

Gladstone added, “People say they want accuracy, but what they really want is confirmation of their own point of view.”

A lack of local reporting is also creating vacuums where misinformation fills the void, the panelists noted. “There are news deserts all over this country,” Farrow said. “In the last 20 years, more than 200 newsrooms have closed across the country.”

The panelists united in voicing the need to support media organizations doing good work, as they said direct subscribers and donors are often the only way to ensure that those publications continue to operate.

As the self-described conservative Hayes suggested, the emergence of former President Donald Trump on the political scene could be seen as a turning point for what has become known as right-wing media. “There has been a flight from truth of some conservative news consumers and people who run certain conservative news organizations,” he said.

In discussing the danger of not getting news from reputable, accurate sources, Hayes said, “When we all live in different bubbles and you don’t have any outside perspective, does that become your reality? … What happens when people don’t want the truth, or when they don’t have the breadth of sources to realize they’re not getting it?”

“It’s very important to go to critical sources—and more than one,” Gladstone said. “You need to cross-reference sources. If there’s any doubt, go to another credible source.”

Meckenzie Boylan ’26 said she learned from the panelists about what it takes for a journalist to find the truth, and how to seek out the truth as a news consumer. “When reading papers and articles, now I think I will look more carefully at multiple sources and try to actually look for the truth,” she said.

As a member of Trinity’s Kelter Career Leadership Program for first-year students, Boylan completed an internship this semester with the Connecticut Forum, helping with projects and with the production of this event.

Interning at the Connecticut Forum has given Boylan a better appreciation for hearing different perspectives. “I think these discussions are helpful because we get to hear from professionals who have plenty of advice to offer that students could definitely benefit from,” she said. “It is important for the Trinity community to support and continue those discussions. They provide the opportunity to learn so much and have a broader understanding simply because you hear different people’s views.”

Gabby Nelson, assistant director of urban engaged learning at Trinity, was among the staff members who attended the event. “It was really interesting how this panel brought together liberal and conservative news experts. Seeing the areas of commonality and disagreement among three very different panelists working in journalism left me with a lot to consider,” she said.

The Connecticut Forum concludes its season on May 4, 2023, with “Husky Nation! UConn Women’s Basketball: Leadership, Teamwork & Life Off the Court.”

Nelson said she looks forward to the ongoing discussions. “The Connecticut Forum events are an opportunity for Trinity students, faculty, and staff to get off campus and into the Hartford community for a visit to one of Hartford’s beloved cultural institutions. Attending the events allows everyone to gain new insights on important and timely political, social, and cultural topics.”