Describe what you do in five words or less:

Make local news for millennials.





What makes a ‘trusted’ source?

In general, I tend to trust official government agencies (not to be confused with political parties), established advocacy organizations, accomplished experts, peer-reviewed academic studies, official authorities such as police, fire, EMS, doctors, and people who have experienced something newsworthy.

​I always turn a skeptical eye on press releases or bunk “studies” from commercial entities, random self-proclaimed subject matter experts trying to promote themselves, and rumours that circulate via social media. 





How do you fact check information?

It depends on the story, but I will always verify something is true before reporting it—whether that means calling up police to confirm that an incident took place when a witness says it did, or going to visually verify a controversial new piece of street art with my own eyes, checking location tags, or performing reverse—Google image searches.

When people report business closures and commercial real estate evictions, I will confirm with the owners that a place is in fact closed and, failing that, go to the restaurant to see if an eviction notice is on the door.




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Opinion versus news: how do you tell the difference?

Good newspapers label opinion pieces as such. News is based on concrete facts and, in general, it is written using neutral language—you won’t find many loaded adjectives in a straight news piece.

There are exceptions when it comes to some universally-held opinions, like when a reporter says that “fortunately” there were no injuries after a collision or that a child was “tragically” murdered. We can all agree that it’s fortunate when nobody is injured and tragic when someone is murdered. Not everyone will agree that a government “failed” a group of citizens or “mishandled” a complicated situation. 





Tips for spotting untrue or misleading information?

If it seems like a crazy, outrageous claim—especially one loaded with emotion—seriously consider the source.

If you see a wild claim on social media, do some searching around—if most major news outlets are reporting something, you can likely believe it’s true. Speculation is not truth.




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What's your favourite verb?

I’m really feeling “eschew” lately for some reason. “Skyrocket” is one I probably use too much, but only because I spend a lot of time writing about Toronto real estate prices.

I always turn a skeptical eye on press releases or bunk “studies” from commercial entities, self-proclaimed subject matter experts, and rumours that circulate via social media.

–Lauren O'Neil
proactivecitizen.org