The war we are facing today is unlike any other, except perhaps the Ukraine-Russia War.
It’s not because of the tanks, bombs, guns, or drones; it’s not because of tunnels or terror attacks or antisemitism or Islamophobia.
It is because of the war on information.
In previous wars, people received information from newspapers, radios, and television, and the information garnered from said sources, you knew you could trust. It was the work of journalists in the field, interviewing commanders, activists, and people on the ground to bring the most accurate information to their readers, listeners, and viewers.
But it is 2025, and news consumption on traditional media is reaching new lows, while social media is at its prime.It is convenient and it is addictive. Lord knows, I have spent countless hours doomscrolling through book recommendation videos and Jimmy Carr’s best stand-up comedy lines. But that is also where people get information about what’s happening in the world, and that’s a problem.
Algorithms are made to shove you down a rabbit hole. That’s how they keep you around. That’s why, when you look up “vaccines” and “autism” in the same line on Facebook once, you’ll soon find that all the videos that you see are conspiracy theories by anti-vaxxers.
For this misinformation to be consistently and thoroughly combated, news agencies must work twice as hard, but the very opposite is happening; AI is prevalent in newsrooms, journalists are relying on dry press releases without demanding evidence, and fieldwork is a rare occurrence.
As I write this, I admit I feel like a hypocrite, sitting in my office, comfortably under the AC vent, to return home to my husband, son, and cats later today. Yet, acknowledging this hypocrisy is the first step; it’s a reminder that even those of us behind desks have a responsibility to push for truth over convenience, to demand evidence over narrative.
So I dedicate my letter in this issue to exactly that: The top 10 responsibilities carried by modern news media today.
1. The public’s watchdog
You may subscribe to a specific watchdog and follow its investigations and revelations, but it is the news medium in general that has the constant task of checking on power by investigating corruption, exposing misconduct, and holding individuals and institutions accountable. That is why investigations in journalism, like Watergate and the Panama Papers, involve extensive research, fact-checking, and interviews.
2. Fact-checker
In an era of widespread misinformation, the media plays a crucial role in verifying claims, debunking false narratives, and ensuring information accuracy.
This is vital for any newspaper or news show’s credibility, and it helps, in turn, to gain public trust. While most news organizations attempt to incorporate this into their overall news strategy, others are more effective in creating internal organizations just for this task, such as Reuters Fact Check.
3. Dissemination of information
Modern media has managed to provide both timely and relevant information about politics, economics, diplomacy, health, technology, and more. The very basic of keeping people up to date on what is happening is exactly that: basic.
Now some news agencies have specifically targeted content that is necessarily not “breaking,” as we refer to it in the biz; that is to say, it is not to give you the immediate information but rather to contextualize, explain, and analyze – goals equally as important as breaking the news.
4. Shaping public discourse
News outlets can sway public opinion so easily. So can social media users. News outlets on social media can be a powerhouse when it comes to telling the public what they should care about and why through editorial choices, tone, and framing, pushed forward using opinion pieces, editorials, and pundit commentary.
A media outlet consistently portraying a political candidate in a negative light, for example, can shape public perception and voter behavior. This is both a burden and a responsibility, and it must be handled with care.
5. Agenda setting
The media has the power to shape public discourse by choosing which topics to cover and how to frame them. This function influences what people think about and perceive as important, even if it does not dictate what to think. The COVID pandemic is an ideal example. In such situations, the media can and should focus heavily on vaccination, making it a top priority for public discussion and policy consideration.
6. Education
News media educates the public. While people go to short-form social media videos by uninformed vloggers, the place to go when you actively want to learn – if the media does its part – is the news.
Offering in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and context surrounding complex issues is vital to maintain high-level content, whether it be explaining political processes, economic trends, scientific discoveries, or social movements.
7. Activism
Journalism can also function as a platform for advocating social change by highlighting underreported issues, amplifying marginalized voices, and pressuring for policy reform.
That being said, activism does not justify preventing coverage; rather, the news has the responsibility to be critical where it can, showing the public the questions that should be asked – and the ones that should be answered by those in charge.
8. Social connection
Media fosters a sense of connection by covering stories that resonate with shared values, experiences, or cultural events. The Israeli media is one fine example. We have a common narrative – the one that believes in the existence and success of the Jewish state – that can unite people across demographics.
9. Entertainment
Who says we can’t have a little laugh here? Beyond hard news, the media also offers content for leisure and entertainment. While this attracts broader audiences and advertising revenue, true, it more valuably provides readers and viewers with much-needed reprieves from the heavy and often depressing experience of consistently monitoring the hard news alone.
10. The commercial concession
It is unavoidable: Modern media outlets rely on advertising to generate revenue. Ads, sponsored content, and partnerships fund news production. This can lead to conflict, which is where the responsibility of news outlets once again comes into play to balance these ads and commercials, to filter the content for legitimacy and propriety, and to give space to the news without bias based on income.
It is our responsibility as journalists to meet these guiding principles; it is also our responsibility, as readers, viewers, and listeners alike, to read carefully and methodically, to avoid laziness and to consume news responsibly.