What if the American news networks started airing fake news?

[The Arizonan]

Donald Trump is constantly complaining about the liberal media airing fake news (not true). What would happen if they actually aired fake news?

[Ronnie]

https://apnews.com/5508111d59554a33be8001bdac4ef830?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP

If you read that article, you would see that AP said the administration "weighed" the policy, but eventually rejected it.  What about that is fake news?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It happens all the time. Remember the chair throwing BernieBros at the Nevada state convention? Or the Nevada BernieBros who chanted "English only"?

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

It happens all the time. Remember the chair throwing BernieBros at the Nevada state convention? Or the Nevada BernieBros who chanted "English only"?

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Nothing would change. At all. I wouldn't be surprised if the New York Times comes out with an article tomorrow that Trump plans to abolish government.

[ShamDam]

It happens all the time. Remember the chair throwing BernieBros at the Nevada state convention? Or the Nevada BernieBros who chanted "English only"?

There's a distinction between goofing -- running with news that hasn't been fully verified -- and deliberately constructing entirely fabricated stories, which I think is what is being suggested here. And you say it happens all the time but those are two examples from the exact same overarching story that happened a year ago. Not denying the lack of credibility that comes with those examples, but there is a difference

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Donald Trump is constantly complaining about the liberal media airing fake news (not true). What would happen if they actually aired fake news?

They started airing fake news some time ago. Among the results was a malign scam-artist being elected president of the United States.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It happens all the time. Remember the chair throwing BernieBros at the Nevada state convention? Or the Nevada BernieBros who chanted "English only"?

There's a distinction between goofing -- running with news that hasn't been fully verified -- and deliberately constructing entirely fabricated stories, which I think is what is being suggested here. And you say it happens all the time but those are two examples from the exact same overarching story that happened a year ago. Not denying the lack of credibility that comes with those examples, but there is a difference

They didn't retract the chair throwing even though it was obviously fake at the time. The media destroyed their credibility. Especially Jon Ralston. That chair throwing thing was deliberately made up by 3rd way hacks to discredit progressives. It was showing how they have all the power to get the media to make sh**t up and progressives are powerless.

[Mr. Reactionary]

There's been fake news in this country for centuries.

[Crumpets]

It happens occasionally already, but not enough for it to really be a problem with any network. The whole fake news discussion got started because of websites like:

http://baltimoregazette.com/
http://nationalreport.net/
http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/

which are satirical sites, but don't make this nearly as obvious as the Onion, and operate more as National Enquirer-style tabloids but with even less basis for reality in their stories. Some of their more-plausible sounding stories got cited by more mainstream media outlets as real, hence the term "fake news." At the same time, you get folks at CNN with their "did MH370 get abducted by aliens, and should we use a psychic to find out?" which is pretty much its own form of fake news. At the same time, probably at least 95% of what the main cable news channels air is well-researched and well-sourced, even if sometimes they intentionally portray it in a way to gain partisan advantage. That doesn't make it fake news, though.