Real News

➡️ REAL NEWS Guide - Shaping an Informed Future

Better World Info is an excellent platform for real news providing you over 1,800 handpicked resources to the best in factual, independent, critical, and investigative journalism. News free from bias and censorship is essential to democracy, and political, social, and economic development.

Despite this, more than 80% of the world (almost 7 billion people) reside in countries where freedom of expression is suppressed and journalists face harassment, threats, imprisonment, and even death just for exposing the truth. A society which is unable to trust the news that they read leaves citizens uninformed, disempowered, and unable to hold leaders accountable.

‘What we know is everything, it is our limit of what we can be,’ Julian Assange.

Be sure to check out Better World Info's guide to News Media in general where you will discover 11,500 resources on investigative journalism, alternative media, corporate media giants, and huge country by country news media directories. For German speakers we invite you to visit our partner site Bessere Welt Info for over 700 links to Real News from a European perspective.

Where can I find Real News?

Real news is based on verifiable facts, credible sources, and ethical journalism standards. It is characterized by balanced reporting, transparency, and objectivity.

We have searched high and low to provide a platform where you can find only the most reliable news sources al in one place. In our critical comments category find top analysis of events from around the world and a special focus on issues in the both the U.S. and the UK.

In real news by region you can search for country specific media outlets dedicated to issues in that area, and written by journalists on the ground, from a local perspective. If you are looking for news on a specific topic, discover a treasure trove of media organisations who specialise in your field of interest. Find the most credible news sites on important issues such as environment, climate change, human rights, social justice, sustainability, peace, and all other major topics relating to our future.

Video news has transformed the way events are delivered to the public. Up to the minute, reliable, and engaging stories are broadcasted by our recommended video news providers. As one of the fastest and most compelling ways to convey news, video is an excellent format to educate the world.

For news on the go, radio and podcasts have made keeping up with global events easier than ever. Check out our top selections of reliable and informative hosts including The Take from Al Jazeera, and in-depth expert interviews from Democracy Now!

With social media now the primary source of news for more than 2.4 billion users, and with an unfathomable amount of information at our fingertips, it is essential that we are able to decipher fact from fiction. Endless scrolling, shock headlines, and unsourced articles and images are huge problems when trying to understand important issues.

We recommend following Better World Info’s carefully chosen up to the minute Twitter lists, featuring experts from all fields, and sorted by category. Be sure to check out our top social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram featuring inspiring organisations and individuals to follow.

If you enjoy longer reads that provide the full picture, our recommended blog category is for you. We suggest informative and independent bloggers who focus on global issues including conflict, environment, climate, and social injustice. Don’t forget to check out the Better World Info blog for new releases.

Finally, if you are craving something a bit different, we have collected a whole host of other kinds of special media that we love, such as good news, political cartoons, censored and under reported stories, and our personal highlights of real news that fall outside of normal categories.

Why is Freedom of the Press so Important?

A free, independent media allows the public to make informed decisions, become empowered, hold leaders accountable, and hear opinions and comment from different perspectives - all free from governmental influence.

Journalists expose corruption, rights abuses, greed, provide a platform for discussion, and play the role of watchdog to the powerful. It is no surprise that many governments and corporations wish to silence and censor the media.

In order to stifle criticism many media organisations receive investment in return for editorial influence. Independent organisations remain starved of funds and unable to compete with their subsidised rivals. Media conglomerates have a similar effect, they also are proven to be bad for democracy and result in less reporting of local news. Find a wealth of information on the issue of corporate media giants, including corporate propaganda, perception management, whitewashing, and pro-war narratives.

Journalism has now become one of the most dangerous professions in the world. From 2016 to the end of 2021, UNESCO recorded 455 killings of journalists. Just as concerning, is the global rate of impunity for these murders. Nine times out of ten, the case remains unresolved creating a continued cycle of violence.

We feature special guides to the courageous journalists Shireen Abu Akleh and Anna Politkovskaya who were both tragically killed in the pursuit of truth and justice. Currently the most dangerous place to be a reporter is Latin America. In 2022 this region of the world took the tragic top spot. By far the worst safety conditions for journalists was found in Mexico and Haiti.

Discover further information on press freedom and journalists as targets in Turkey, the UK, the U.S., and Israel, as well as freedom of expression as a basic human right, and the European Safety of Journalists Platform.

How to tell Real News from Fake News

Identifying the markers for real news and fake news is an essential skill in the digital age. Tools such as media literacy and critical thinking allow us to analyse, make informed decisions, and not accept things at face value.

Below are some top tips from Better World Info on how you can deifier truth from fiction and help to stop the dangerous spread of disinformation.

• Always check the creditability of the source. Research the website by checking the URL, their mission statement, the transparency of the site, and whether it is easy to find their contact information.

• Who is the author? All articles with integrity will name the author, provide a brief biography, and contact information. Search for other articles under their name on other sites to look for consistencies such as topics covered.

• When was the story originally published? Check that you aren’t mistaking a story for an event that happened in the past for an event that is currently developing.

• Do not fall for shock headlines. Sensationalist headlines are misleading, out of context, and often exaggerated. They are designed solely to draw your attention and create reader bias before you have even started the main text. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Are there any supporting sources? Credible journalists will list their sources either with hyperlinks embedded throughout the text or at the end as a reference tool. Check these sources and see if they corroborate with the original article.

• Was it intended as satire? Many news outlets will use cartoons, out of context quotes, statistics, and images for comedy value. Humour draws in readers and is entertaining but can lead to misinterpretation.

How can we Support Real News?

As independent media outlets are not subsidised by the government or other institutions, financial support is essential to keep the quality of journalism high. Subscriptions and donations are an excellent way to keep real news alive and to keep journalistic standards high.

As social media takes over as a dominant news source, these platforms have taken the gigantic advertising profits with them. One argument against paying for news is that there is so much information available online for free, why pay?

The truth is good journalism is expensive. Readers who subscribe are able to source information critical of officials and the elite, delve deeper into topics, gain a wide unbiased perspective of events, and trust the news that they are consuming. Another benefit to paying for news is reduced levels of advertising and better control over your personal data.

We already know that journalists around the world are being silenced. To counter this, we must honour, celebrate, and share the work of exemplary journalists and whistleblowers.

Our unique directory on journalism highlights the work of the world's most influential broadcasters, investigative journalists, and foreign correspondents. Learn more about the work of people such as Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, Amy Goodman, and Abby Martin.

For more information on whistleblowers checkout our excellent guides on Julian Assange and his Wikileaks project, Edward Snowden, Frances Haugen, Brittany Kaiser, Daniel Hale, and Chelsea Manning.

Every May 3rd marks World Press Freedom Day. This day is our opportunity to recognise the importance of free press and remind us of the dangers and challenges that journalists face every day.

Real News for a Better World

Our Real News platform is designed to support activists, NGOs, non-profits, campaigners, educators, students, and anyone who is interested in making our world a better place. By providing access to real news outlets, sorting fact from fiction, and highlighting the work of incredible journalists, we hope to enable the spread of reliable and trustworthy information.

“Journalists are not entertainers. We are reporters. We go to places that are unpopular. We broadcast voices that are controversial. We are not here to win popularity contests. We are here to cover the issues critical to a democratic society. We have to pressure the media, to shame the media into going into these forgotten places where so many are sent to waste away in silence.”
- Amy Goodman.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 22.10.23 licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0

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