In the latest episode of the popular Netflix show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Hasan sheds light on how news today is “unwatchable”. In a YouTube clip from this episode, he talks about how unreliable mainstream media is in today’s day and age.
While most people consume their news from national TV, a large chunk also relies on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram, to get their daily updates on what’s what. He touched upon how these sources are constantly indulging in commentary rather than breaking out original stories, meanwhile, local newspapers that people tend to access for more dependable information, are being destroyed.
The video was uploaded on YouTube on 8 June and in just a day, it has over a million views. Netizens on Twitter too have shared the video rampantly as they commented on the importance of the subject Hasan spotlights in this episode. Here’s what some users said:
The episode has received a lot of love and support online for trying to highlight how local newspapers make for a small percentage of media, yet are responsible for churning more original reporting in comparison to any other outlets.
The pandemic has come down very hard on local papers, where honest and hardworking journalists have been laid off, thus it becomes of utmost importance to acknowledge their significance.
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