The rise of instant news has led to the creation of information bubbles, where viewers only consume news from sources that align with their political views. This phenomenon is fueled by the perception of political bias in news organizations like CNN and FOX News. However, this can lead to media isolationism and a lack of exposure to opposing viewpoints. Professional journalists must continue to report news objectively, but some viewers prefer news spun in a specific direction.
Historically, gathering important news and information and then reporting it to the masses was a full-time occupation for a select group of professional journalists. It was not unusual for news of a military victory or epic human tragedy to take days, weeks, or even months to reach the general public, and that was assuming members of the general public also had access to those reports. Today, there are literally hundreds of different news organizations working around the clock to deliver near-instant information to their respective audiences.
However, this immediacy and accessibility has created a troubling new phenomenon. Because viewers and readers can literally pull their news and information directly from competing media trees, some have begun to gravitate towards news sources that more closely resemble their worldview or political leanings. By isolating themselves from the entire media spectrum, they have virtually created an information bubble around themselves as a form of ideological or political self-defense.
Forming an information bubble assumes that most news organizations do indeed espouse various political biases and leanings. Currently, one of the most commonly cited examples of biased news is the ongoing rivalry between cable news organizations CNN and FOX News. CNN is often characterized as a more politically liberal outlet, while FOX News is generally viewed as more politically conservative. This apparent bias towards one end of the political spectrum or the other has often led to a polarization of potential viewers.
It would not be unusual for a politically conservative viewer to form an information bubble exclusively using FOX News or a similarly conservative news channel. The same would be true for a more liberal viewer who considered only CNN or other liberal-leaning news organizations to be accurate and reliable. While both organizations have the ability to present essential news in an objective and professional manner, some of their most ardent viewers can become very exclusive in their viewing habits.
This growing phenomenon of the information bubble could have the unintended effect of media isolationism. Professional journalists continue to have a responsibility to report the news without bias or bias, but not all viewers or readers may agree with this standard. Some living in information bubbles may prefer to have their news spun in a specific political or ideological direction before it even reaches their ears or eyes. The deliberate avoidance of opposing viewpoints or negative news through the creation of an information bubble can indeed be a potentially worrying development.
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