In a world overrun with cyberspace technology, which has enabled various information services to pump out reports sharply conflicting with truth, it is a nightmare for journalists who still rely on facts while trying to do their job.

Journalists use key principles that are founded on accuracy in telling a story.

In an atmosphere overflowing with confusion over what is fact or fiction, along with a never-ending stream of negative and positive material, truth could be that needle in the haystack.

In the political arena, whether it is on the international stage or right here in our lovely Bermuda, with social media now a part of flowing information, both negative and positive, there is always the question of what is truth from what is generally called these days fake news.

Making things even more difficult is that there are always those, especially in the political arena, who choose their own version of the truth. This happens so often in the political arena that people often feel as though they are pawns in a giant media war, where truths and untruths are so jumbled at times.

Trying to determine what is genuine and accurate is a daily challenge.

It could be said that fake news is designed to feed pockets of society that are more vulnerable and susceptible to accepting whatever satisfies their yearnings without question.

This is always a challenge for good journalists, who strive to examine any situation with the single objective of uncovering truth.

Tragically in some countries, that job could be a death sentence, as a reporter in Mexico recently stated.

So many journalists have paid with their lives for trying to expose corruption in the continuing war against powerful people in the illegal drug world who are believed to be connected with various government officials.

While Mexico is a beautiful country with many beautiful people, there are parts where the cartels practically call the shots, and anyone stepping out of line could meet with the ultimate sentence.

For journalists who attempt to expose truth in such an atmosphere, the risk of danger could not be higher. Despite this, there are brave journalists who persist in trying to inform the world about life in that region. That is a story in itself.

Of course there are many parts of the world where the only voice of the people is through the hard and dangerous work of highly trained professional journalists, who are still willing to put their lives at risk to expose truth.

Much of the world is baffled and bewildered over what is happening in America today, with what appears to be a new type of civil war on the media where highly trained professional journalists are locked in a daily struggle to keep truth out front.

This, after coming under attack from the highest office in the land. Journalists would be the first to admit that they are not perfect, but this is not a reason to hide truths, no matter which political group is affected.

What people need to know is that dictators throughout history have no room for a free press.

Quite a number of Americans are gravely concerned as to whether the present administration is on a glide path to some form of dictatorial rule.

That perception has a great deal to do with the nation’s leader having what some feel is a cosy relationship with Russia, which many feel is a country under what could be described as a dictatorship after an election recently when opponents were restricted from openly campaigning to gain the highest office.

Such a situation creates an extremely difficult task for Russian journalists, who know that their work could place them in danger, especially given the incidents of the past when reporters have been silenced by the authorities. The world has many complex situations where some leaders maintain power with brutal force, even at the cost of many innocent lives. It will always be journalists who must look into these situations, asking questions that authorities would rather not have answered.

In Bermuda, journalists and the people must never cease to ask questions about any situation, which is their right.

Unless truth is held as one our most solid pillars of society, many problems of today will remain problems for the next generation.

Journalism will have a tough struggle in this new cyberspace world, but telling the truth will always be the key to protecting democracy as we know it.