The Roots of Fake News argues that âfake newsâ is not a problem caused by the power of the internet, or by the failure of good journalism to assert itself. Rather, it is within the newsâs ideological foundations â professionalism, neutrality, and most especially objectivity â that the true roots of the current âcrisisâ are to be found. Placing the concept of media objectivity in a fuller historical context, this book examines how current perceptions of a crisis in journalism actually fit within a long history of the ways news media have avoided, obscured, or simply ignored the difficulties involved in promising objectivity, let alone âtruthâ. The book examines journalismâs relationships with other spheres of human endeavour (science, law, philosophy) concerned with the pursuit of objective truth, to argue that the rising tide of âfake newsâ is not an attack on the traditional ideologies which have supported journalism. Rather, it is an inevitable result of their inherent flaws and vulnerabilities. This is a valuable resource for students and scholars of journalism and history alike who are interested in understanding the historical roots, and philosophical context of a fiercely contemporary issue.
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