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WXYZ Editorial: Why National News Literacy Week is so important to America's future

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Posted at 5:29 PM, Jan 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-28 17:29:06-05

WXYZ DETROIT — It’s an important issue that affects all of us. All week long, we at WXYZ, in partnership with E.W. Scripps, our parent company, have been focusing attention on National News Literacy Week. It’s a public awareness campaign to help news consumers learn more about credible information and the role of a free press in America.

One of the biggest challenges today is sorting out misinformation. What are the news sources the public can fully trust and how are these professionals trained to get the facts and double check their reporting? It also involves working with our communities to help empower them to recognize real news that they can responsibly share with others.

You can find all of our special news literacy reports on the homepage of wxyz.com as well as all of our mobile and social media platforms. We invite you to watch them. You’ll get an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the changes we’ve had to make to gather the facts and stay safe during this health pandemic. You’ll also learn how to file a Freedom of Information Act, how you can quickly spot fake news, and what kind of literacy skills are being taught to today’s students.

Studies show that a majority of Americans have trouble discerning real information from misleading information. But through news literacy projects across the nation, we have an opportunity to educate a new generation of media consumers.

Working together, we can help make Southeast Michigan one of the best informed news consumer markets in the nation. Most of all, news credibility and truth are essential for a healthy community and democracy.

I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: January 28 - 31, 2021