In 2–3 sentences, identify two traits of narrative nonfiction and explain how they differ from other types of nonfictioUse the passage to complete the activity. Why Is the News Sometimes Controversial? Reporters gather facts and write about them—so why do some people say the news is unreliable? They are worried that news stories might be biased. Bias is an unfair representation of something or someone. It can happen when only one side of a story is presented, when only certain facts are shared, or when news organizations choose which stories they want to publish. Readers sometimes worry that news organizations, intentionally or accidentally, publish biased stories. News organizations try to avoid bias as much as they can. They hire trained reporters who know how to ask good questions about all sides of a story. They also employ many different editors to double-check all of the facts cited in the articles. Readers of the news can take their own steps to avoid possible bias in the news they read. They can read news from multiple sources, or they can look up facts on their own to make sure the news matches other websites and records. It is impossible to avoid bias completely, but news writers and news readers can still do a lot to make sure the information they share and read is accurate. In 3–5 sentences, identify and explain an inference you made about news media based on the passage. Support your answer with text evidence from the passage.
Based on the passage, I inferred that news media can be prone to presenting biased information. This is evident when the author states that "bias can happen when only one side of a story is presented, when only certain facts are shared, or when news organizations choose which stories they want to publish." Furthermore, it appears that news media must take deliberate steps to mitigate this risk, as they "hire trained reporters who know how to ask good questions about all sides of a story" and "employ many different editors to double-check all of the facts cited in the articles". Despite these efforts, the passage suggests that it is impossible to completely avoid bias, and recommends that readers fact-check news stories from multiple sources.
Based on the passage, one inference that can be made about news media is that it is important for news organizations to strive for impartiality and accuracy. The passage states that news organizations hire trained reporters who know how to ask good questions about all sides of a story, employ different editors to double-check facts, and encourage readers to seek information from multiple sources and cross-reference it. This suggests that news media acknowledges the possibility of bias and actively takes steps to minimize it and provide accurate information to their readers.
Based on the passage, one inference that can be made about news media is that bias is a concern for both readers and news organizations. Readers are worried about biased stories, and news organizations strive to avoid bias by hiring trained reporters and employing editors to fact-check articles. The passage also suggests that readers have a role in avoiding bias by seeking news from multiple sources and verifying facts independently. This inference is supported by the text evidence that mentions the concern about biased stories, the efforts made by news organizations to address bias, and the actions readers can take to avoid bias.
