It's Not News, It's FARK: How Mass Media Tries to Pass off Crap as News

Introduction
" It's Not News, It's FARK: How Mass Media Tries to Pass off Crap as News" is a 2007 book by Drew Curtis, the creator of the popular news aggregator site, Fark.com. The book uses a vital evaluation of the contemporary state of mass media and journalism, examining how different news outlets typically turn to publishing sensationalist, unimportant, and even outright made stories for the sake of web traffic, scores, or ad revenue. In doing so, Curtis highlights the lots of methods which modern-day journalism has actually differed its initial objective of notifying the public about essential issues and events.

The Eight Categories of Non-News
According to Curtis, the mass media mostly focuses on 8 classifications of stories that do not qualify as genuine news. These categories consist of:

1. Fearmongering: News outlets typically publish stories that make use of individuals's fears in order to grab attention, even if the actual threats are very little or nonexistent.

2. Unpaid Advertising: Many posts discreetly promote services or products without disclosing the financial relationship between the news outlet and the business being featured.

3. Press Releases in Disguise: Some stories are bit more than rehashed press releases, permitting companies to manage the narrative around their products and services.

4. Out-of-Context Celebrity Comments: Comments from stars are often taken out of context and used to generate debate or interest in a particular story.

5. Seasonal Articles: News outlets often release generic, filler stories during specific times of the year, such as posts about vacation shopping patterns.

6. Unrealistic Health Claims: Stories promoting miracle remedies or quick-fix solutions to health issues are frequently found in the mass media, regardless of an absence of scientific evidence to support such claims.

7. News You Can't Use: Many articles supply info that is of little practical value to the typical person, such as updates on foreign disputes or the daily lives of celebrities.

8. Dominating Inequality: Stories about social or economic inequality typically go unreported in favor of more spectacular or attention-grabbing short articles.

The Role of the Internet
Curtis argues that the increase of the web has just exacerbated the problem of mass media prioritizing non-news. Considering that ad earnings largely depend on the variety of page views or clicks, online news outlets have a strong reward to concentrate on quickly consumable, sensationalist content that is most likely to produce traffic. Furthermore, the sheer volume of info available online makes it difficult for readers to distinguish in between genuine news and non-news, hence permitting media outlets to continue passing off "crap as news".

The Importance of Media Literacy
While Curtis is critical of the state of mass media, he recognizes the importance of journalists and the potential for top quality journalism to benefit society. To reduce the concerns detailed in the book, he encourages readers to establish their media literacy skills, consisting of the ability to acknowledge clickbait headlines and compare trustworthy sources and prejudiced or unreliable outlets. By becoming more critical consumers of news, people can push back against the spread of non-news and support more accountable journalism.

Conclusion
"It's Not News, It's FARK" uses a scathing review of the mass media's dependence on sensationalism, trivia, and outright dishonesty in location of sincere, helpful journalism. By highlighting the different methods utilized by news outlets to manufacture interest and generate clicks, Curtis intends to encourage readers to end up being more critical consumers of news and to require much better from the media market. Ultimately, the book serves as a call to action for both reporters and news consumers to recognize and reject non-news in order to promote a healthier, more informative media landscape.