Cutting through rhetoric for truth

The proliferation of media, particularly online, has enabled individuals to access massive amounts of information, connect with others around just about any shared passion, and exchange ideas and perspectives like never before.

But how does one sort through all this information? Have all these perspectives simply caused confusion?

A few weeks ago, everyone – led by the media -- was talking about healthcare reform. It was the headline on every paper, it dominated the news talk shows, and it was one of the most-searched topics online.

Some media tried to break down the issue with headlines and segments like “Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Healthcare Reform” or “How the Health Care Bill Will (and Will Not) Change your Life.” The Washington Post featured an interactive tool that estimated “what it could mean for your health coverage and taxes based on your income, family size and current insurance status.”

But despite the prevalence of information on and interest in the topic, a majority of Americans admitted that they didn’t understand how health care reform would affect them.

One explanation is that many media seized on the politically charged nature of the issue – introducing heated ideological debate with competing versions of the truth. Rather than breaking the issue down and zeroing in on substance, media provided a soap box for pundits on opposite sides of the issue to battle it out – leaving observers wondering what to believe.

The healthcare issue may have simmered down a bit, but we’ll all have a chance to watch a similar drama play out in the coming weeks and months as financial regulatory reform heats up. And if we thought the health care issue was confusing, just wait until we see how media try to explain collateralized debt obligations.

Katherine Ducker