Inventing conspiracy theories, embellishing the truth, and fomenting outrage

Krista Kafer writes in the Denver Post,

...Communicating complexity with accuracy, speed and dynamism without a script is challenging. Inventing conspiracy theories, embellishing the truth, and fomenting outrage requires comparatively less show prep. It may be entertaining, but it discredits the profession and distorts the truth.

In an environment where everyone is talking and few are listening, there is temptation to shout "Fire!" just to get attention. The 24-hour news cycle incentivizes sensationalism. We should not yield to it. Exaggeration eliminates proportion. When everything is terrible, nothing is terrible. When every disliked politician is another Hitler, it's only a matter of time before we can no longer recognize true evil among men.

...If that requires a little sensationalism to rally the troops, why not? Why have a measured discussion, for example, about the advantages and disadvantages of a primary versus a caucus system when it's so much more exciting to inflame passions? Some commentators and a certain politician have alleged corruption in the recent Colorado GOP selection of national delegates when there is no evidence of that whatsoever.

...Facts, perception, spin, error or deceit, there are lines in between that should not be crossed.

Read more here.