false narrative

False narratives involve the presentation of incorrect information regarding a particular situation. A news story could contain a false narrative if it falsely portrayed a situation or doesn’t provide necessary background information.

False narratives may develop due to insufficient information garnered from reporters due to the time sensitive nature of a news event. For example, when an accident happens, a reporter may not be able to receive all the information at that moment their article is due. Therefore, they may be sharing the incomplete story and not making that clear to readers about the information not entirely known. The information received could also be incorrect or change in time, causing misconceptions and miscommunication about a particular event. After an event is initially reported on with a false narrative, many audiences may have trouble seeing the updated information and continue believing the false information.