News Clubs!
Like a book club, but for news. An antidote to doom-scrolling and confusion!
Distrust of the media is totally understandable – but it’s also a passive and powerless state of mind, which can increase feelings of isolation.
In that situation, we are more easily confused, susceptible to disinformation, and receptive to fake news – especially when it provokes a strong emotion and creates a sense of shared anger and injustice.
Stoked by social media algorithms, those feelings disconnect us from our real-life communities while drawing us into online comments sections (which are full of fake accounts) or groups that reward and encourage extremist views.
News Clubs disrupt that process by bringing people together to make media consumption an active, empowered and collective experience in community – with feedback from other human beings who live in the real world.
News Clubs also signpost participants to alternative, less mainstream sources of news such as independent, well regulated media – helping people to make an active, informed choice about where they get the information that shapes opinions and political beliefs.
By improving media literacy, News Clubs make people less susceptible to disinformation and better able to see the bigger picture of how powerful organisations use the media to influence public opinion.
What’s a News Club?
The concept is simple – people get together to look at a few news items that have caught their attention – whether that’s online news articles, videos, social media posts, or newspapers and magazines – and to discuss their reaction to them.
Media Revolution provides guidance and support to set up a news club, and demonstrates how to run one – how to dig down into what it’s really being said, who is really saying it, and why.
We’re building a network of interconnected news clubs who can support each other as they grow, and be supported by Media Revolution when needed.
Turning apathy into action
Surveys carried out by Media Revolution have found that many people are aware of disinformation in the news media, but don’t feel equipped to recognise or challenge it.
This often results in a widespread distrust of any media that doesn’t echo their own beliefs and opinions – a kind of fallback option.
News Clubs and the CAPE toolkit put the power back into the hands of the news consumer, encouraging participants to discuss their views with a real-life group whose opinions are likely to be more varied, more nuanced and less extreme than the online narratives.
Online or in person?
Whatever works for you and your group!
Media Revolution has organised and run both video call and ‘in-real-life’ News Clubs, and those running them also do a mixture of both.
Online is a good way to introduce the concept and demonstrate a suggested format, but it’s even better to apply that framework in an in-person gathering, perhaps with a group of people who already come together regularly in a particular venue such as at work, in a social setting, at a community cafe, repair cafe or student union.
See ‘Setting up a News Club’ for more ideas and suggestions!
Generally speaking, News Clubs work best with someone who is organising – a sort of chairperson – and a back- up (co-chair) to support and help stand in if they’re not available. You can share or rotate these roles if other members want to take their turn.
The group needs a minimum of three people to function. In a larger group, it may be best to split into smaller groups of three, four or five to discuss each topic.
News Club membership can be:
Closed – invitation only, keeping to just people you know
Mixed – mostly closed, but sometimes running an open session for anyone interested in seeing the club in action
Open – welcoming any members to come along (best once you’ve got a bit of experience)