KATC and our parent company, The E.W. Scripps Company, are once again partnering with the News Literacy Project for News Literacy Week.
In the current media climate, misinformation can often masquerade as a seemingly credible news story. Even for those with a discerning eye, spotting fake news can be a challenge, which is why some parents are starting to talk about news literacy with their children.
“It’s hard because the definition of news is skewed,” said Rob Kirkpatrick, a father of two who worked in TV and radio for more than 10 years. “I think there was a time when there was more of a delineation between what is opinion and what is news.”
Kirkpatrick says as a parent, that means having to keep a closer eye on what’s on tv when the kids are around, especially since his nine-year-old daughter Leighton has started to show an interest in news and broadcasting.
“I did just start watching Nightly News Kids Edition,” said Leighton. “I like seeing all the things that are going on around the world!”
For Rob, he says it’s important on his end to set an example for his children when it comes to news literacy.
“I really appreciate the need for context,” he said. “I think that consuming it, having a regular source you can trust, maybe 10 regular sources and then maybe read the same story from a different perspective.”
Advice that could be beneficial to Leighton, should she one day follow her father’s footsteps.
