It's no surprise that the year "fake news" entered our vocabularies was a controversial one for media. NewsBusters' Curtis Houck joins Cheddar to break down the year's most polarizing press events. We consider how to hold journalists accountable without vilifying them.
Houck points to Vice President Al Gore's marketing strategy for his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth 2" as an instance of dishonesty. He also revisits the media's decision to use Big Bird as a symbol of PBS' budget cuts. Despite headlines saying the government was killing the children's character, Sesame Street is still airing on PBS.
Finally, Houck reveals some of the most infamous media mistakes of the year. From Brian Ross' false reporting about the Michael Flynn guilty plea to CNN's misrepresentation of Anthony Scaramucci's Russia ties, Houck says the media lost significant credibility in 2017. We also consider the apparent double standard different networks are taking in their approaches to punishing erring journalists.
Several civil rights groups are suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his new immigration laws.
A judge in Iowa temporarily blocked the state's six-week abortion ban.
A U.S. national is being held in North Korea after crossing its closely-guarded border with South Korea.
The Biden administration and major consumer technology players on Tuesday launched an effort to put a nationwide cybersecurity certification and labeling program in place to help consumers choose smart devices that are less vulnerable to hacking.
Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has received a letter informing him that he is a target of the Justice Department's investigation into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, an indication that he could soon be indicted by federal prosecutors.
A judge in Iowa has temporarily blocked the state's new six-week abortion ban from taking effect.
A U.S. national is being held in North Korea after crossing the border from South Korea, according to the Union Nations.
Alabama lawmakers have been tasked by Supreme Court to create a new, more representative Congressional map by the end of this week.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that hunger among college students is rising due to inflation.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed to sanction China over alleged fentanyl production and blamed them for the drug in the U.S.
