We’re hearing the term “fake news” being thrown around quite a bit these days.

President Trump is its most notable advocate. The phrase routinely appears in his Twitter rants, typically to smear the bearers of bad news. But the term is increasingly being used by others and other governments as well, largely for the same reason.

There’s no doubt that this form of denial is gaining newfound legitimacy. But truth be told, it never really went away.

Throughout the 1990’s, the nursing home industry tended to respond to negative press coverage in similar fashion. If an unfavorable story appeared, the usual retort was that the story got its facts wrong, was a hatchet job, or at worst was something about an isolated facility. Could the story reflect a deeper industry problem? No way!

During the past decade and a half, the industry has in many ways cleaned up its act. Quality care is something virtually all facilities are striving for. And it’s my belief that most operators are trying their best they can to provide care and comfort.

But some of the old mindset does seem to be creeping back in. And I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it is becoming more fashionable to shoot the proverbial messengers.

When I recently wrote a blog about the generator issue in Florida, several readers responded with how-dare-yous. One even wrote I should “get a clue.” Apparently, having the opinion that generators should be required in places where heat and hurricanes come with the scenery is a cockeyed notion. Makes you wonder what a person would have to do to be enlightened? Oppose their presence?

As a news organization, we at McKnight’s get a bit uncomfortable when we see the term “fake news” being tossed around with impunity. After all, if we are not seen as credible, it’s pretty much game, set and match.

It’s also my view that mainstream media outlets do not engage in fake news as it is generally defined. That is, as news reporting that is really propaganda designed to intentionally misinform.

But there are plenty of media outlets playing games in a way that’s more subtle and perhaps just as sinister. That is to say are playing favorites.

The obvious culprits here are Fox and CNN. Each is routinely guilty of attacking the other side with vigor, while at the same time turning a blind eye toward the home team’s transgressions. This bias appears both in how they cover the news, and in how they decide which stories to cover.

Such an oversight might not be so bad if people tended to switch back and forth. In fact, most viewers tend to pick one side, where they are basically led to believe that most issues are a matter of the Virtuous against the Barbarians.

As a consequence, we seem to be breeding unprecedented numbers of self-righteous experts armed with warped perspectives. In my view, that’s where fake news is doing its real damage. And by all accounts, things are only going to get worse.

John O’Connor is McKnight’s Editorial Director.