WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chroniclers, Washington Bureau) – U.S. President Donald Trump has complained about it.  So has supporters of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. FOX News and CNN have been accused of it.  And netizens overwhelmingly rely on it to keep up with current events.

So, in a historic move, the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE), meeting in Washington D.C. over the weekend, has adopted a resolution officially embracing fake news as an integral part of the Fourth Estate.

In a statement announcing the resolution, ASNE said that the newspaper industry — and its online incarnations — can no longer ignore the impact of fake news on the lives of everyday Americans and citizens of the world. “The more fake news is repeated, shared and tweeted, the more it becomes reality,” the statement said. “So it is time to embrace it as part of our industry.”

Meanwhile, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), the broadcast counterpart of ASNE, is reportedly considering a similar resolution that would apply to its members  in the radio, television and digital news media.

Fake news is not a modern phenomenon.  It has existed way back during the time of Truman and Dewey.

And it’s here to stay.