Trust Should Never Be Blind "The Hallo Effect"
giving misplaced trust or authority to a person (or group) based on an idealized impression we have of that individual (or organization).
Whether we realize it or not, the halo effect impacts humans in all areas of life.
Reporters commonly cite international agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and activists and academics viewing them as authoritative, non-political, and beyond reproach.
Their information is assumed reliable and their analysis is given great weight.
journalists should seek out expertise in the realms of NGOs, academia, professional associations, and elsewhere. But they must be careful not to cross certain lines.
Addressing the relationship between the media and the humanitarian organizations, Philip Gourevitch questioned why reporters don’t treat the NGOs with a heavy dose of skepticism.
"Why should we not regard them as interested parties in the public realms in which they operate, as giant bureaucracies, as public trusts, with long records of getting it wrong with catastrophic consequences, as well as getting it right?"
With greater awareness of issues such as the halo effect, anonymous sources, the power of headlines and the eight categories of media bias, we can become more savvy
when something about a news report niggles at you, here five things you can do to get beyond the media’s halo effect
And if it says “scientists say” or other non-specific group, not really a good sign.