War Against 'Fake News': The Difference Between Fact And Opinion In The News

Both fact and opinion help shape our understandings of information. The facts are the foundation while the opinions help us determine how those facts affect the people and society we are connected with.

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Let us take a look at what Fact is and what Opinion is and so we can see the difference between them.

Facts

High-quality news should focus on the indisputable information needed to relay events. This includes the people
involved, the places where it happened, and any additional important details and evidence.

Opinion

An important part of the news involves an individual’s interpretation of the meaning or impact of an event or facts. Opinion can be a specific point of view or can be meant to convince others, as long as it is clearly labeled as opinion. Even opinion columnists and commentators should place a high value on facts and, when crafting editorials, make sure their opinions are backed up by factual evidence.

Factual reporting sometimes also includes or is supplemented by analysis, where the writer or speaker, who may be a news reporter, but could also be an academic researcher, will put the story in context, or quote experts who explain the meaning or implications of the facts. This is not the same as an opinion piece where the person is expressing a point of view. The purpose is to help the reader or viewer better understand the meaning of the facts.

Though analysis may include quotes from people with different points of view, its purpose should be to explain, not to convince. Sometimes journalists will interview “analysts” who do have a point of view or a partisan affiliation, which is OK as long as their affiliations are made clear. Students also need to understand the difference between speculation and fact.

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Sometimes all the facts aren’t in, such as immediately after an attack when it’s not known whether or not it’s terrorism. Journalists have an obligation to present the facts and, while they can offer various theories as to the cause, they shouldn’t assume a cause until it’s confirmed.

Finally, it is important to point out that sometimes advertisements are designed to look like news reports, but are not. One way to recognize them is to look closely at whether the report is using the information to encourage the audience to purchase a particular product or support a candidate or cause. Sometimes they are labeled as “sponsored stories,” but sometimes it's totally up to the reader to figure out that they’re ads, not editorial content.

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