Columns, Opinion

Editor’s Column: Step away from the fake news

mug2016_2
There’s a kerfuffle afoot about the prevalence of “fake news,” particularly in social media (which is where 62 percent of U.S. adults get their news nowadays). Unfortunately, as we’ve all been told all our lives, you can’t believe everything you read. You can’t even believe everything you see anymore, what with video and photo editing and computer generated imagery.
But we shouldn’t pretend this is new. We just used to call it by a different name: propaganda.
Propaganda is defined as “information that is not impartial and used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda.” This is accomplished by selectively presenting (or omitting) facts in a way that is designed to produce an emotional reaction. Sound familiar?
One of the earliest instances of propaganda is generally considered to be the Behistun Inscription (c. 515 BC), which detailed the rise of Darius I to power in Persia. In a nutshell, Darius himself is the author of the inscription, written in multiple languages on a limestone cliff along a road connecting two Persian capitals, and recounting how wonderful Darius the Great was, and how all the rebellions he had put down were the work of imposters to the throne. Gee whiz. There really isn’t anything new under the sun.
Interestingly, the development of the printing press was the birth of a whole new era of propaganda, which influenced the Reformation, the American Revolution, and the abolitionist movement during the Civil War. Basically, every war ever fought has been accompanied by an onslaught of propaganda, whether engraved into the side of a cliff, dropped as leaflets from airplanes, or spread virally via scam news websites. What’s its purpose? To control the “collective mind” of a group of people. It’s insidious, sneaky and generally underhanded. It’s the stuff of Orwellian dystopian fiction.
And we’re being bombarded by it today, maybe more than ever. We’re all going to have to become a lot more skeptical and a lot more media savvy, not just when it comes to social media. A lot of what floats around on the internet finds its way to mainstream media without benefit of fact-checking.
Speaking of fact-checking, did you know there is an International Fact-Checking Network, and its members all agree to abide by a code of principles? You can check out the list, and the code, here: www.poynter.org/fact-checkers-code-of-principles/
Some of this fake news (propaganda) nonsense is politically inspired, as always. But a lot of it is just plain, old greed. Some of these fake-news proprietors are making between $10,000 and $30,000 a month selling ads on their sites.
Sometimes it makes me wonder if I’m on the wrong side of the news business, wanting to tell the truth and all…
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After a blissfully long and mild fall, it would appear that Jack Frost has finally arrived. Temperatures next week are expected to drop below zero at night. Let’s hope Jack’s late arrival doesn’t indicate his intention to hang around late next spring.
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Welcome to the merry month of December. Get out this week and next and enjoy some of the local holiday events: concerts, plays, business open houses, parades, sleigh rides, visits with Santa, etc. Set aside all the arguing and contention and go enjoy the spirit of the season with your friends and neighbors!

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
  • It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
13 hours ago
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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