Misinformation, manipulation and journalistic credibility: A historical perspective

Abstract

Misinformation and so-called «fake news» are not completely new phenomena. The socio-professional and technological context that allows a massive and rapid diffusion of false contents is new. However, journalism has coexisted since its inception with the interested lie, deformation or manipulation of news. This has had as a direct or immediate consequence a certain loss of credibility. This article aims to analyze from a historical perspective that loss of journalistic credibility. Contrary to what one tends to think, the model of informative and rigorous journalism supposes almost a historical anomaly, since the ideological and commercial interests have tended to impose their criteria in the prevailing journalistic practices.