VATICAN CITY - Speaking to Catholic news reporters at a celebration for his 81st birthday, the Pope Francis criticised journalists who sensationalise the news. He referred to journalism as an art that needs to be conducted correctly. 

 The Pope advised that reporters “shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication:’ disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalised, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today.” These actions are a “grave sin that hurts the heart of the journalist and hurts others.”

 The pontiff will be dedicating his upcoming annal communications message to fighting “fake news.” Obviously, the widespread use of social media and the internet has its drawbacks, in that comments or events from the past can be recycled into public attention with ease, but presents us with more evidence when figures engage in any dubious activity. By criticising journalism in the modern day, the pontiff follows other world leaders who call for accurate news.