Also, peruse your local newspaper and note where their information comes from. You may be surprised to see that much of the information is from other newspapers around the country and from UPS and other news wire services. CNN is a major news source for local TV newscasts. Beware of media bias, slanting, playing up and playing down of stories, sensational headlines, and the use of emotive language. It also is a major offender in engaging in nonargumentative persuasion.
Ads often exaggerate, mislead and even lie.
Some products are advertised so heavily that they skew choices. The psychology of ads is that they play on our fears, desires, prejudices and weaknesses. Ads that provide reasons, promise ads, submit reasons for buying the product. They tell us more than that the product exists, but not much more. If I have done all my homework ahead of time and then see a particularly good price on an item in an ad, then I would be justified in buying the product assuming I have a genuine need of it.