NAVIGATING THE NARRATIVE WAR

NAVIGATING THE NARRATIVE WAR By Carla Grace Skinner The Information Age, also called the Digital Age or the New Media Age, can be difficult to navigate. Establishment Media is quickly becoming irrelevant. The simplicity of turning on our television and tuning into the news to stay informed is a thing of the past. Ratings are in decline due to lack of public trust and as a result, competing platforms have emerged. How we source information has evolved and the demand for journalistic integrity has increased. With so many information sources including mainstream media (“MSN”), government funded media, digital media, print media, social media etc., how do we know who to trust and how do we know what is factually true? Prior to the pandemic, I paid very little attention to news or politics. Tuning into cable news to stay up to date on the spread of the virus was a real eye opener for me. Because I had no preformed biases or political affiliations, I was consuming the news from all MSN Outlets, without prejudice. I realized very quickly that there were two completely different narratives being reported to the public. I began to see highly credentialed experts being censored; that some narratives were 100% fabricated as well as MSN warnings of misinformation, disinformation and warnings to stay away from social media. It was clear to me that this was a tactic used to attempt to control the narrative. I began to see citizen journalists being silenced for reporting evidence-based information; breaking stories with zero mainstream coverage; fellow citizens labeled and shamed for having a differing opinion; a divide forming within the collective psyche. As a result, I became fully committed to learning how to navigate this evolving media landscape in the search for accurate information. I committed to listening to content creators from both mainstream and independent media sources focusing on which side gave the most supporting evidence. Despite whether I agreed and aligned with every belief of the content creator, I concerned myself only with the quality of information being provided and their knowledge of the topic. Navigating the Narrative requires us to understand all sides and to carefully analyze the facts and supporting evidence, whether the sources are mainstream or independent. Seeking out the stories that MSN fails to report on can provide a wealth of information. Listen to what several experts have to say about an issue, especially those being censored and shadow banned. Social Media is home to many quality content creators and should therefore be judged based on their content rather than the platform they use to deliver their message. Always do your own fact checking and seek understanding vs confirming whatever supports your current beliefs. We believe what we believe based on what we’re told. Remember, history is written by the victors, therefore, questioning your sources makes good common sense!