News is a powerful tool for holding governments accountable, reaching people with critical information and opening eyes to new perspectives. But it can also be incredibly stressful and negatively impact our mental wellbeing. A recent study by Allison Holman found that after viewing a series of videos and photos from the Boston Marathon bombing, participants experienced heightened levels of stress.
One of the most important things you can do to improve your mental health is to choose your news carefully. There are some sources that focus on solutions, rather than just problems, and are helping people feel less stressed while keeping up with what’s going on.
In general-interest newspapers, stories are typically about events, crime, politics, business, sports, and opinions (either editorials or columns). Many include weather news and forecasts.
If you’re looking for a trusted, global, and balanced news source that doesn’t push clickbait headlines, look no further than BBC News. Their journalists are stationed all over the world, so they’re always on the ground when big stories happen. They cover everything from money, politics, climate, science, and more — all in 16 languages.
The BBC has a long history of covering polarising issues, including promoting organised sceptic views about the science behind climate change, and using ‘experts’ who have ties to fossil fuel lobby groups. Other studies have shown that the way in which news is framed can influence how the public perceives an issue. When a story about Palestinian violence against Israel uses the word ‘occupation’, it implicitly suggests that Israelis are the occupiers – despite the fact that Israel has legitimate reasons to be on the land in question.
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