Journalism may be too slow to remain credible once events are filtered through social media

Responsible journalists verify and fact-check information. That can create a lag, leading the audience to believe they’re not just slow but wrong.

By: Charles Edward Gehrke, US Naval War College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 9, 2026

Words: 949

Last Updated: 1 month ago

By Charles Edward Gehrke, US Naval War College

In the first weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a strange pattern emerged in Western media coverage. Headlines oscillated between confidence and confusion. Kyiv would fall within days, one story would claim, then another would argue that Ukraine was winning. Russian forces were described as incompetent, then as a terrifying existential threat to NATO.

Analysts spoke with certainty about strategy, morale …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.