For decades most Americans got national news from a few broadcast networks and a local newspaper. From 1949 the Federal Communications Commission’s Fairness Doctrine required broadcasters to cover controversial issues and present contrasting views.
The FCC stopped enforcing the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and formally removed the rule in 2011. Over the same years cable news, talk radio and then the internet and social media multiplied the number of sources, many of them aimed at a particular audience.
More choice means people can find coverage that fits what they already think, and platforms that rank posts by engagement tend to reward content that provokes strong reactions. Many local newspapers have closed or shrunk at the same time, so fewer reporters cover city halls and statehouses.
Not one cause
Researchers disagree about how much media change drives division and how much it reflects divisions that already existed. Polarization in Congress began rising before cable news and social media.
The same changes make it easier than ever to check a claim: original documents, court rulings, votes and official data are online for anyone to read.
When a story makes you angry, find the original source it is based on, and see who else is reporting it before you share it.