LOCAL MEDIA & INFORMATION DISORDER

Our Perspective

The specter of mis- and disinformation poisoning each of our many varied and ever-evolving news media channels, collectively referred to as “information disorder,” has become increasingly worrisome to the Colorado Forum.  Information disorder has weakened the public’s trust in objective facts and once-commonly held truths and led to increasingly siloed and contentious factions throughout our state.  With the nation’s digital revolution and incredibly powerful and addictive online social media platforms undercutting the business models of traditionally admired local newspapers, investigative journalism - governed by a rigorous code of ethics (honesty, independence and objectivity, fairness, diligence, and accountability) - has been overwhelmed by conspiracy theorists and purveyors of opinion.  Information disorder threatens Colorado’s cohesion as a state. By sowing distrust in Colorado’s elections information disorder furthers dissension and weakens our civil society.  

Our Work

The Colorado Forum believes that both the private and public sectors must work together to ameliorate this issue. We work with a diverse range of partners to bolster our local media outlets as a key strategy to combat information disorder propagation. The Colorado Forum applauds its members representing local media organizations for the crucial work they do on behalf of the State and its citizens. Alongside various national organizations, the Colorado Forum is committed to identifying and boosting proactive solutions which will eliminate the scourge of information disorder in our State, revive the public’s trust in objective facts and impeccable investigative journalism,  and stand as a model for other states to follow.