CEO, Fleishman-Hillard International Communications
By Dave Senay
As a preface to what I’m about to say here, I must stipulate that I accept the concept of “truth” as a subjective pursuit. That is, in part, what makes truth so elusive. Facts, on the other hand, surely should be more accessible. And if we all find the same “facts” as milestones along our pursuit, shouldn’t we at least end up in the vicinity of truth?
We don’t, of course. And that is because everyone seems to feel entitled to his or her own facts. And the irony is that we’ve never been more surrounded by information and the opportunity to share it. You would think that in this Internet-driven information age, people would be more inclined than ever to change their minds, to consider new points of view.
My fear, however, is that the opposite is true. People are less and less inclined to change their minds or, worse, to seek other opinions. In fact, today it seems that changing one’s mind has become some sort of character flaw. Our opinions have become so hardened, that our tolerance for another point of view has all but disappeared.
Online, you can find support for almost every position imaginable. If you think the Incas were really aliens from outer space, you’re not alone. Maybe you believe the United Nations runs our military or Elvis is still alive. You’ll have plenty of company. After all, who am I to say these beliefs aren’t true? You have your facts.
The point is, we’re breeding a culture of intellectual isolationism, nurtured by intolerance for a differing point of view. And when there’s no agreed-upon common ground — like facts — the distance between us will only grow.
So where do we turn for facts? We could start with the news media, the vigorous fourth estate our founders deemed essential for a healthy democracy. Or should we start with reality TV, like “Survivor,” “The Real Housewives” or even “Jersey Shore?” Whose reality are we talking about?
Our politicians certainly aren’t helping. Political advertising is again approaching full voice, which is to say shrill and largely without merit.
We could turn to the tabloids that are scooped up at the grocery counter. Last year, the media watchdog website Gawker.com studied the accuracy of the cover page and the overall accuracy of five tabloids. In its findings, it revealed that only one, Us Weekly, had an overall accuracy above 50 percent. And while morality, not accuracy, was the main issue for the News of the World, its exposed phone-hacking practices aren’t likely to instill much confidence in media. Of course, many people will argue that these aren’t legitimate news sources.
In the spirit of balance, there is one news source that has emerged as the overall most trusted: PBS. According to the polling group GFK Roper Public Affairs and Media, PBS ranked as the most trusted source of news and public affairs on broadcast and cable TV. Of course, it should be noted that the study was commissioned by PBS.
In general, though, Americans have little trust in the mass media to report the news fully and accurately. According to a 2011 Gallup Poll, only about one-fourth of Americans say they have much confidence in newspaper and TV news.
Since we are in a “new media” era, it would be great if we could put our trust in these new channels. But apparently we don’t. According to a 2010 USC Annenberg study, 68 percent of participants indicated that half or less of online information is reliable, a new low level for this research project. The point is that online sources of news are earning our deep suspicion, but such news is so pervasive, and events are moving so quickly, we rarely go back and check the facts.
Let me add that, by and large, when major media get a story factually wrong, or are victims of fraud, they are quick to make amends. Those aren’t the examples that worry me. They’re the exception. It’s the many, many more subtle shadings of fact and emphasis — and sometimes the abuse of power — that worry me.
So what can we do? It’s clear we’re becoming more and more fractured as a society as we become more radicalized in our own beliefs. In the words of the old comic strip, Pogo, “we have met the enemy and he is us.”
What scares me is the logical outcome of a society that is more and more deeply divided, more and more strident and resolute in its positions. Our leaders may be failing us. Our media may be failing us. Yet the world is racing to our doorstep, and we understand very little about it. We shrink away in fear and propagate our own ignorance.
So, in this age of anti-enlightenment, where do we look for leadership? If the “enemy” is us, I believe that the solution lies with us, as well. I believe it’s time for each of us to assert our leadership as individuals. If there is hope, it is in more and more of us choosing to say: I am a truth-seeker. To be a truth-seeker, I must be restless and relentless. More than ever, I must have courage. More than ever, I must have an open mind.
If there’s one truth we all need to rediscover, it’s that there is no weakness in having an open mind. Weakness, my friends, hides behind a closed mind.
Dave Senay is president and CEO of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. During his 30-year career in public relations, Dave Senay has worked across multiple communications practices throughout several regions of the world, and been a driving force in the growth and development of the world’s leading communications firm.
