There is a growing, if not urgent, need to understand the difference between the advocacy journalism being practiced today and Real Advocacy Journalism®. More importantly, an observer needs to readily recognize when one or the other is at play in trying to influence public opinion, or urge a call to action of a hopeful, ill-informed, trusting public. What passes as advocacy journalism today is often characterized by rumors, innuendo, conspiracy theories, sensationalism, and all kind of drama that is carried out in mainstream media, social media, and most critically in conversations, presentations, public forums—within whatever orbit of influence of the practitioner—all reinforcing false information that leads to further divisiveness, poor policy decisions, detrimental actions, and sometimes apathy with no actions at all when they are critically needed.
Why not learn how to do recognize and practice real advocacy journalism?