The job of a journalist is to report fact, not fiction. But, with social media being what it is today, that job becomes increasingly harder with all the rumours.
Lately, Meridian Source staffers have been receiving quite a few news tips.
A number of tips turned out to be rumours, and in several cases, the narrative changes.
This makes it difficult for us to do our job. Also, when it comes to relaying information, it also makes it next to impossible for the RCMP to do theirs.
According to social media posts/a message to our office, a drive-by shooting occurred close to E.S. Laird Middle School early Sunday.
We wanted to see what kind of truth was behind these claims and reached out to our local RCMP contact for further info. We even obtained a file number from the resident to ensure everyone was on the same page.
According to the Lloyd RCMP, the caller told the responding member a rock went through their window. By the time the story got to our office, however, it was gunshots ... not a rock.
This online game of telephone is getting out of hand. We’re here to report the news, but there’s a big difference between fact and fiction. The RCMP also gets a lot of shade on the topic ... perhaps dispelling Facebook rumours isn’t a good use of anyone’s time?
Read more: Editorial: In defence of our furry friends
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