Not good. Reflex response from journo class is public being manipulated by social media, fake news, & politicians discrediting.

True, but it’s deeper. Easier to discredit an industry out of touch with ordinary people.

One reason why more representation & authenticity are key https://twitter.com/chriscurtis94/status/1253363615572406273

2. That way you bring the public with you. They see you as one of them, rather than a distant ‘other’ that can’t relate - reporting on ‘them’ rather than with.

This physical & emotional distance has let the political manipulation in through the back door.

3. Which is why local journos embedded in their communities, journalists from a range of class & cultural groups, with authentic understanding of issues, staying after stories written, building trust is the ONLY way to combat this insidious manipulation.

4. And national journalists only recruited from a narrow social-economic pool, Oxbridge, middle class, white, etc will never be able to relate & dispel this. Real recognises real, & unless the industry truly grasps this reality, trust will only get worse.

5. This isn’t the only answer of course. A concerted effort to dispel many social media myths is, & an increasing appetite by politicians to feed this for their own agenda needs combatting. But WHO is doing the challenging is key - the public won’t believe you otherwise.