Truth, Lies, and Bias: Decoding Media Narratives in a Politicized World

The news is an essential part of our nations and world at large because it plays a significant role in keeping us informed and up-to-date about happenings all around us and the world at large, which goes on to give us a headstart of things to come, awareness of what's going on at the moment, and updates about recent past events. I'm a big fan of news, and I can hardly go a day without sorting to find out the latest happenings, because information they say is power.

News, like I said, is one of my rituals that I can't just do without, and on a daily basis one of the things that's almost certainly you'll find me doing is either reading a random book, watching a skirt or cartoon, writing an article, and watching the news; all of these have been woven into me to the point where I'm just not myself until I indulge in them, and I enjoyed every bit of it, although it's worth noting that listening to news relating to my country, Nigeria, lately is like paving the way for sadness into our lives, and that's because lately they're 95% filled with bad news that leaves the citizens in worries.

Even though this has been the case for many years prior to now, the rate has increased even more, and now the only form of news that tends to put a smile on our faces are those relating to sports or entertainment; aside from those, others just seem like a fire of tragedy waiting to be ignited; from political news to economics, health, environment, education, and the likes are just a mess nowadays, and none of them seems to fail in making one more worried by the day amongst them.

But regardless of how terrible those news are, I still listen to them because it's always a good thing to stay informed about happenings around us, as it helps us to not only stay up-to-date about happenings but also helps us avoid tragedy' that might have happened to us had we not been up-to-date with news and quickly do the needful to stay safe. News also gives us room to find out about opportunities such as grants, employment, and the like, and when you are informed, you tend to grab such opportunities, likely those who aren't and might tend to miss it.

However, when it comes to news in my country and around the world, I can't help but believe that not all details and information are being passed on to us during the broadcasting of news, and although they might say they're trying to keep us safe by withholding some information, which is understandable, in other cases, such happens because they're trying to cover their tracks and so they feed us with half truth or an entire lie, which can be very annoying sometimes.

And so with that being said, let it be known that I don't believe most of the news I hear being broadcasted regardless of the medium or whoever is broadcasting it because everyone broadcasts news that suits their ideology and perspectives or that of their employees and the like. For instance, when it comes to political news in Nigeria, some parties have the belief that any news from TVC station is orchestrated by APC governance, while others also have the belief that news from Arise TV is also orchestrated by the Labour Party.

It's all more like a game of chess because there have been visibly happenings that affect both parties, and you see these news media defending it when it in a way would tarnish the image of the political parties they're alleged to be affiliated to, and this kind of disgusts me, but what can I do? than to use my own sixth sense to come to a conclusion on what might actually be the case after listening to divided opinions from that part.

But that's not only happening here in my country alone but across the world at large. Take, for instance, when it comes to the new sod COVID back then. I still have doubt within me that most of what we were told is just fabricated truth to blind us from the actual things that play out and lead to the breakout of the virus or even how the virus itself came to light in the first place, but then what can we do other than to listen to the news and take heed to the declaration or the governing authority?

Like I said earlier, how I gather facts from the lies that's loaded in our news media is by listening to information from different mediums that share divided opinions about their political stands and the like. I also go out of my way to sometimes do my own background research by comparing one of two happenings related to those involved in such news in the past and use that to reach a conclusion on what I decide to be my truth, but regardless of what my conclusion is, I don't force it on anyone but have it at the back of my mind, because forcing others to believe my conclusion might as well be tagged as me spreading fake news.

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