In the post-truth era, when emotion triumphs over fact, a population is vulnerable to propaganda and false information. Thus, many media outlets depend on sensationalism instead of offering real information to attract viewers. A relatively new example of such a trend is Drop Site News (DSN), an investigative journalism media outlet founded by Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim in the United States on July 8, 2024. Nevertheless, DSN has received more attention for its crack news reporting, which is not appropriately sourced in most articles.
On November 26, 2024, DSN was embroiled in controversy when Ryan Grim and Murtaza Hussain reported that Rangers had opened fire on PTI protestors. The reports were based on incredible sources, which came under severe criticism. DSN has long been accused of sensationalism, excluding credible sources and ethical issues such as incorporating biases in reporting. One hundred fifty-one articles analyzed show an influence by writers Ryan Grim, Murtaza Hussain, and Jeremy Scahill, focusing on the U.S., Israel-Palestine, and Pakistan. DSN covers American politics, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and Pakistan’s political instability. The information was based on leaked documents and unknown sources, with 35% of the content lacking solid proof.
DSN exemplifies the propaganda filters of Noam Chomsky, focusing on ownership, corporate incentives, and source filters. The financial interests and ownership structure drive DSN’s sensationalized storylines with specific political agendas. The third filter—sourcing—is also evident as DSN relies on untrustworthy sources and leaked material; it has been speculated that 35% of the stories presented lack credible evidence. This accords with the Chomsky framework, which says that the media serves to advance elite interests by circulating selected narratives. Coverage of Pakistan usually contains a negative image of state institutions, creating conflict and sowing political narratives favourable to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In the post-truth era, disinformation is a grave threat to Pakistan, which can cause chaos and terrible implications. DSN, allegedly hired by PTI lobbyists, is a sign of this possible threat. Based on Intercept finance, DSN has been linked to bias reporting, mainly against Pakistan. This absence of media neutrality, balance, and accountability may cause division and conflict. Sensationalized stories of civil-military relations, political instability, and geopolitical configurations increase the tension even more. The spread of disinformation weakens public confidence in institutions, fosters political unrest, and destabilizes the nation.
In any protest, sanity cannot be maintained. For example, in the PTI rally, one Ranger and two policemen lost their lives. While there is a possibility that some protestors possibly died due to the chaos, painting that Rangers shot the protesters without evidence is highly exaggerated. DSN may grab PTI followers with shocking claims but risks losing its sustainable support. Credibility in fact-based rational thinking, not emotional narrative. DSN’s focus on participation over veracity affects journalistic credibility. To maintain such a reliable audience, the reliance on factual and balanced reporting has to be prioritized over sensationalism.
At its core, journalism does not manipulate information to give readers altered perceptions. When facts are distorted, then the information loses credibility. Without this, some media organizations tend to be propaganda agents, according to Noam Chomsky’s model. It states that media to serve the elite by creating some narratives for dissemination, to the detriment of facts and truthfulness. It is important to maintain journalistic integrity by making factuality and balance in reporting paramount for the audience to obtain credible information instead of propaganda-driven material.
Politicians use rhetoric generally in their campaigns; they put up ethical, emotional, and logical grounds to garner support. However, media outlets must verify their claims and credibility before releasing information. A few authors create the content of the website, and it poses problems of diversity and fairness in reporting news. DSN’s message strategy and focus on sensationalism tarnish its image and journalism. Journalists should emphasize verifiable facts and neutral reporting to ensure that the public receives reliable news and not emotional manipulation tales. The two approaches would help journalists uphold professional integrity and create an informed society.
In the post-truth age, disinformation might destabilize Pakistan and may bring chaos along with grave consequences. According to Noam Chomsky’s propaganda model and Michel Foucault’s theory of powerful discourse, media may even alter facts for specific agendas. If journalistic practices do not change with time, they will continue spreading deception, and people will lose trust in journalism.
The quote by Chomsky says, “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion strictly.” This means that the media must focus on accuracy and ethics so that truth comes above sensationalism and misinformation.