News in the U.S. became entertainment. Facts take a back seat to a strong opinion. If eyes and ears were on real news nobody would have ever cared about what is being shared on Facebook.
Long gone is the standard bar set by the Journalist's Creed [1] in 1914. To quote parts:
"I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust."
"I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible."
"I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service."
We have a number of news outlets just this week going back in time and quietly adjusting/censoring their own stories because they got some covid-19 "facts" wrong.
Truth embraces truth. Intelligence clings to intelligence.
We needed the scientific method last year. Many intellectuals were forced to hide in a figurative hole.