Considering authority in how to evaluate what you read

With authority comes a sense of trust.  If you consider a reporter to be authoritative you may be more likely to believe what is being written by that author, and vice versa.  If you consider the person sharing information to the news reporter to be authoritative you may be more likely to believe what is being said by both the person making the claims and the reporter sharing the information with the public. In addition, the ability to contact people responsible for a story lends a sense of credibility to the news report.

Consider...

Credentials of Author(s)

can you find information regarding the background of the author of the news report? does the background lend credibility to the ability of the reporter to convey the information related to the topic? what might affect the credibility?

Credentials of Primary Source(s)

is the primary source considered authoritative in their area? what makes someone authoritative? is the primary source providing information on an area outside of their purview? if so, how does that affect their authority?

Ability to Contact Author(s)

can you find contact information for the author of the news report?  can you find contact information for the primary sources?  how does having access to the originators of a report change how you feel about the authority?