Media Bias

[Continued from the McCain/Romney thread]

Firstdown,

I don't agree with your claim that PBS is as biased to the left as Fox News is to the right. I think PBS is pretty balanced and far better than, say, CNN or Fox News. Keep in mind, I am an independent who leans right on about 50% of the "issues" and left on the other 50% of the "issues." As for Fox News' bias, I wasn't referring to the O'Reilly Factor, I was referring to their "news segments."

I often struggle to see why it is simply accepted that Fox News is right wing fanatic while mainstream media is simply cneter-left. For my money watching Fox News I often wonder if the fact that they are not left simply makes them appear so much more conservative than they really are.

Alas I do find myself having to work to keep my opinions in check while watching the networks and CNN because I am so ingrained to be skeptical of their reporting. Bernie Goldberg's book on media bias is great and he wrote it before he ever started working for Fox News. His point is essentially that the media culture is one of liberals and that they do not intentionally turn the news left but they simply see the world through that view and their reporting reflects it.

I have less a problem with media bias than I do with with people who seem to want to assert that it doesn't exist or those who minimalize it.

I often struggle to see why it is simply accepted that Fox News is right wing fanatic while mainstream media is simply cneter-left. For my money watching Fox News I often wonder if the fact that they are not left simply makes them appear so much more conservative than they really are.

Alas I do find myself having to work to keep my opinions in check while watching the networks and CNN because I am so ingrained to be skeptical of their reporting. Bernie Goldberg's book on media bias is great and he wrote it before he ever started working for Fox News. His point is essentially that the media culture is one of liberals and that they do not intentionally turn the news left but they simply see the world through that view and their reporting reflects it.

I have less a problem with media bias than I do with with people who seem to want to assert that it doesn't exist or those who minimalize it.

I read the book and agree with the bolded statement above. The difference between CNN and Fox News is that most mainstream media outlets unintentionally/subtly lean left whereas Fox News is unabashedly right leaning. Fox News has a purpose, it caters to those who feel the mainstream media is too liberal.

As a centrist independent, I think it's pretty clear that Fox is more biased than most news outlets, even if there are more numerous left-leaning media outlets. Do you really disagree with that statement?

I read the book and agree with the bolded statement above. The difference between CNN and Fox News is that most mainstream media outlets unintentionally/subtly lean left whereas Fox News is unabashedly right leaning. Fox News has a purpose, it caters to those who feel the mainstream media is too liberal.

As a centrist independent, I think it's pretty clear that Fox is more biased than most news outlets, even if there are more numerous left-leaning media outlets. Do you really disagree with that statement?

I'd probably agree that they are more overtly biased. They have people who are recognized as leaning one way or the other and they do seem to accept the notion of media bias. Being as their slogan is "Fair and Balanced". Whether they are moreso biased than others I may not be able to tell but I would say at least they don't just ignore the notion of bias like the networks and CNN basically do.

Honestly I don't really care much for CNN or Fox or MSNBC for that matter. I expect news outlets to report the news not have some talking head telling me their opinions as if they were fact. My main problem with Fox is that they claim to be "Fair and Balanced" which I find very insulting. Seriously, that has to be a joke. They often dumb down their news, almost to a Jerry Springerish level.

And yes, there is biased everywhere. To be human is to have bias even if you don't think you have none.

[Continued from the McCain/Romney thread]

Firstdown,

I don't agree with your claim that PBS is as biased to the left as Fox News is to the right. I think PBS is pretty balanced and far better than, say, CNN or Fox News. Keep in mind, I am an independent who leans right on about 50% of the "issues" and left on the other 50% of the "issues." As for Fox News' bias, I wasn't referring to the O'Reilly Factor, I was referring to their "news segments."
Everything they talk about is bashing the Rep party and Bush. I can not think of the guys name he is a left winger and he even says that PBS leans heavy to the left. Why do you think that the Rep. party wanted to cut off funds to PBS?

Honestly I don't really care much for CNN or Fox or MSNBC for that matter. I expect news outlets to report the news not have some talking head telling me their opinions as it they were fact. My main problem with Fox is that they claim to be "Fair and Balanced" which I find very insulting. Seriously, that has to be a joke. They often dumb down their news, almost to a Jerry Springerish level.
Speaking of MSNBC. Last Tuesday night in their coverage of the election and the results they showed Hillary & Obama's picture whith these big smiles. When they showed the Rep. they all had frowns and just laughed. I almost started a thread about that. So watch the next primary. It sounds like we all pretty much agree that their is bias in the media but disagree on how much from different sources.

Everything they talk about is bashing the Rep party and Bush. I can not think of the guys name he is a left winger and he even says that PBS leans heavy to the left. Why do you think that the Rep. party wanted to cut off funds to PBS?

A PBS show, Bill Moyer Journal, convinced me that Bill Clinton needed to be impeached and I believe that's the most liberal show on PBS.

I find PBS by far the best source for pure news. They truly report the news, news that really matters.

Everything they talk about is bashing the Rep party and Bush. I can not think of the guys name he is a left winger and he even says that PBS leans heavy to the left. Why do you think that the Rep. party wanted to cut off funds to PBS?

I don't think that's necessarily true. Moreover, Bush hasn't been a great success. He's pretty unpopular with people of all political affiliations. I support the surge, but the Iraq Qar was a mistake of massive proportions. Bush has managed to alienate most of our allies, even after they rallied to our cause after 9/11. The economy is in or headed for a recession. The Bush administration has been riddled with scandals and the list goes on. Again, I'm no leftie, but it's pretty hard not to be hard on Bush.

Just a pet peeve, but why not throw it in here: appropriate use of the term "bias."

Good: Fox News has an incredible right-wing bias.
Bad: Fox News has an incredible right-wing biased.

Good: CNN is biased.
Bad: CNN is bias.

Good: Everyone has a little bias.
Bad: Everyone has a little biased.