Campus News

CBS News team brings truth-seeking expertise to Newhouse

CBS News brings truth-seeking expertise

Journalists share personal front-line tactics against misinformation and disinformation.

CBS News Team and Newhouse Dean Lodato at panel discussion.
Les Rose
The Newhouse School welcomed the CBS News team to a panel discussion January 30th titled “An Eye on Misinformation and Disinformation.

In today’s complex media landscape, distinguishing fact from fiction has become increasingly difficult. CBS News has partnered with Syracuse University’s Newhouse School to address the most pressing issues journalists face today: the battle against misinformation and disinformation. 

The recent partnership began this month with a panel discussion featuring award-winning CBS News journalists, including reporter Ali Bauman ’15, congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane ’98, and CBS News Confirmed executive editor Rhona Tarrant. 

The partnership’s goal is for students across all majors to get first-hand advice from established journalists and alums who have faced misinformation in their jobs. These stories show how crucial it is for a journalist to be accurate. 

MacFarlane recounted having to go live across America one minute after the assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump on July 13. He recalled feeling the pressure of this high-profile story.

“I had to be right. I couldn’t get this one wrong,” he said.

MacFarlane encouraged students to report what they know to be true to prevent the spread of misinformation. 

During the event, Tarrant shared insights into CBS News’ approach to handling misinformation versus disinformation.

“We try to pick out the main themes of misinformation that could have a genuine, real impact on somebody’s life,” she said.

For instance, after a natural disaster like the California wildfires, the team focuses on combating false information about recovery efforts that might affect people’s decisions. Tarrant addressed the challenge of addressing disinformation, mainly made with AI or internationally by other countries. “Russia loves putting out fake videos. But most of the time you don’t hear about it because we ignore it. It’s the oxygen of amplification.”

She described the delicate balance between exposing false information and avoiding giving bad actors the attention they seek.

CBS News reporter Ali Bauman emphasized the importance of maintaining objectivity as a reporter while still acknowledging personal perspectives.

“Every person comes at every situation with some kind of perspective,” she advised. “To fully have zero subjectivity is almost impossible, but it’s important not to let your bias or your perspective dictate what you’re reporting on.”

Ali Bauman and Dean Lodato at panel discussion
Les Rose
CBS News reporter Ali Bauman and Newhouse School’s Dean Lodato discussed her career during Thursday’s panel on misinformation and disinformation.

In a one-on-one interview after the event, Tarrant shared more insight into how she handles misinformation and disinformation. With today’s rapidly changing media landscape, it’s essential for not just journalists but anyone on social media not to take information at face value.

“I think it’s really important to differentiate between a regular guy who’s putting out something that he thinks is true, that’s not actually true, versus very sophisticated disinformation,” she said.

She emphasized how social media has amplified the challenge.

“We’ve always had that,” Tarrant said. “But it travels so fast and so far, and it takes us time to verify, get the facts, put it all together.”

When asked about CBS News’ role in combating false information, Tarrant stressed the importance of putting out reliable information and remaining a credible source. Instead of fighting falsehoods she said, “Our responsibility is to put out the good information.”

The team carefully considers whether misinformation “is going to have a real impact on a lot of Americans’ lives” before deciding how to address it.

The CBS News team offered valuable career advice to the attending students.

“Don’t be afraid of looking dumb sometimes… we’re asking the questions because we don’t know everything,” Tarrant said.

She said journalists serve as voices for their audience, asking the questions that viewers want answered. 

Tarrant provided one last piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid to fail a lot.”

She emphasizes that successful journalists often take unconventional paths.

“I have people on my team who are among the best in the business, who went very untraditional paths, who walked away from jobs at a certain time, who came back in.”

The hope for elimination of misinformation and disinformation continues, as the next generations of journalists are prepared to combat it.