The trouble I have with most self made documentaries, program or shows online is CREDIBILITY
I need to know who made the program and where they got the information and what background they have … are they a professional in their field? Did they talk to professionals? Do they have any support, backing or endorsements?
And I need to know a bit about the person or people who made the program … not completely doxxing themselves but a bit of background of who they are and what their credentials are.
Without a bit of background and a bit of info about themselves up front … I’m always skeptical of the quality of the content they provide.
And yet, if it’s from a corporation none of these requirements are usually needed. The History Channel can go on about aliens, the BBC can downplay Israel’s genocide, and the general population will not question it. A homemade show however, is held up to incredible scrutiny in comparison. The world is a topsy turvy place where those with resources and reach are deemed credible by default.
Now I’m not saying that scrutiny of homemade shows isn’t wise, far from it, I’m aware of the amount of misinformation in the world. But what I am saying is people need to apply those same standards of scrutiny to mainstream media. In most countries these are regulated in some way, so if you see bullshit contact the regulator. Too many people just go “oh well, that’s just how it is”.
Ofcom is rather inept and toothless, but I think that’s likely in part due to a lack of usage. People don’t generally see it as a required government service. Recently an American “comedian” called for the starvation and shooting of disabled people to reduce benefits claimants on GB News (our version of Fox News). Ofcom received less than 50 complaints so determined no action was required. There was later an online backlash and more complaints were sent but still not many. Ofcom continued to sit on its laurels and do fuck all. But if the service were more regularly used I think it likely it would be more willing to, y’know, do its job and regulate.
The trouble I have with most self made documentaries, program or shows online is CREDIBILITY
I need to know who made the program and where they got the information and what background they have … are they a professional in their field? Did they talk to professionals? Do they have any support, backing or endorsements?
And I need to know a bit about the person or people who made the program … not completely doxxing themselves but a bit of background of who they are and what their credentials are.
Without a bit of background and a bit of info about themselves up front … I’m always skeptical of the quality of the content they provide.
And yet, if it’s from a corporation none of these requirements are usually needed. The History Channel can go on about aliens, the BBC can downplay Israel’s genocide, and the general population will not question it. A homemade show however, is held up to incredible scrutiny in comparison. The world is a topsy turvy place where those with resources and reach are deemed credible by default.
Now I’m not saying that scrutiny of homemade shows isn’t wise, far from it, I’m aware of the amount of misinformation in the world. But what I am saying is people need to apply those same standards of scrutiny to mainstream media. In most countries these are regulated in some way, so if you see bullshit contact the regulator. Too many people just go “oh well, that’s just how it is”.
For those in the UK, go here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-tv-radio-or-on-demand-services
Ofcom is rather inept and toothless, but I think that’s likely in part due to a lack of usage. People don’t generally see it as a required government service. Recently an American “comedian” called for the starvation and shooting of disabled people to reduce benefits claimants on GB News (our version of Fox News). Ofcom received less than 50 complaints so determined no action was required. There was later an online backlash and more complaints were sent but still not many. Ofcom continued to sit on its laurels and do fuck all. But if the service were more regularly used I think it likely it would be more willing to, y’know, do its job and regulate.
I tend to agree. But the pool of food documentaries is thinner than I’d like, I’ll settle for accurate sources linked in the description.