Liberal Media: Fact or Fiction?

[duke]

I think there are plenty of liberals in the media. However, I don't see the obvious bias that many others do. Sure, I'm partially blinded by the fact that I'm on the left, but that doesn't mean that this is truely how things are.

Conservatives like to point out all the stories that promote the negative. Yeah, that's true. People like to watch the negative. Ratings drive stations. I certainly don't remember a lack of criticism of the Lewinsky scandal or many things during the Clinton admin.

While conservatives think that many newspeople don't give the administration enough credit, there are an equal amount of liberals out there who think they give them too much. Hell, crazy ass Michael Moore spent his entire Today show time criticising the cow-towing that that show has done to the Bush admin. I think he was wrong, but I also think it's wrong to accuse them of pushing the liberal agenda. Conflict is news.

John Stewart immediately following 9/11 turned into an ardent conservative (for a comedian). He stayed that way for quite some time until his personal distaste for the war in Iraq, Robert Novak, etc. swung him back to the left. His show is clearly biased now, but he still pulls no punches when it comes to the left doing something ridiculous. But then again, his is a fake news show, and anyone who considers it real news (who are far too many) are misleading themselves.

Ugh, just made this thread to head off the discussion in other areas. I'm sure I'll have more to say.

[Jafo]

There has been poll after poll of the press that overwhelmingly shows that the majority of them are Democrats. This is not your typical poll where you poll .05% of the population and derive a result, these are more like 40% - 50%.

If needed, I could go article by article and point out obvious left leanings. I remember during the Gulf War I, when there was no Foxnews or Internet to challenge the media, every story you read was about how then President Bush didn't know what he was doing and thousands of people were going to come back from Iraq in body bags. They even did stories about how many body bags were shipped into the theatre.

At the end of the conflict, nobody reported how there were actually LESS military deaths during that war then during peace time (Mostly due to the fact that most of the military were stationed in a country where they could not drink).

After the press took down a president in the 70's, it became every left wingers dream to be a reporter. They even made movies about it.

I do think that the Internet and Cable TV has broken this up a bit. The days where three networks and 5 newspapers controlled the majority of information is over. Anyone making minimum wage can host a website and become their own news source. Or instead of hundreds of millions of dollars, a few people with a couple of million can start their own cable TV network.

I believe the balance is starting to move back to the middle when it comes to media political leanings, but in my opinion, it is still dominated by the left.

[StudioAlex]

As someone who's neither specifically left or right, it's pretty obvious to me. The reason I think most lefties don't believe it is so is because they believe their view to be correct, objective, factual, and the truth. So if a liberal sees a story presented by another liberal that presents the world in the way he sees it to be, then why would a red flag go off in his head? The news item doesn't contradict what you already know to to be true, so how could it be biased?

I'd say the main problem is that a majority of news rooms use the New York Times as their template for the news. Which, when you think about how many people actually read the times, is pretty ridiculous.

Edit: Ok, look at this picture circulated by Reuters and tell me there isn't bias.

http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20050615/i/r1876538514.jpg?x=284&y=345&sig=A1giNSlOzYqVgm4jn4Q7lA--

[Sheeyt]

There has been poll after poll of the press that overwhelmingly shows that the majority of them are Democrats. This is not your typical poll where you poll .05% of the population and derive a result, these are more like 40% - 50%.

If needed, I could go article by article and point out obvious left leanings. I remember during the Gulf War I, when there was no Foxnews or Internet to challenge the media, every story you read was about how then President Bush didn't know what he was doing and thousands of people were going to come back from Iraq in body bags. They even did stories about how many body bags were shipped into the theatre.

At the end of the conflict, nobody reported how there were actually LESS military deaths during that war then during peace time (Mostly due to the fact that most of the military were stationed in a country where they could not drink).

After the press took down a president in the 70's, it became every left wingers dream to be a reporter. They even made movies about it.

I do think that the Internet and Cable TV has broken this up a bit. The days where three networks and 5 newspapers controlled the majority of information is over. Anyone making minimum wage can host a website and become their own news source. Or instead of hundreds of millions of dollars, a few people with a couple of million can start their own cable TV network.

I believe the balance is starting to move back to the middle when it comes to media political leanings, but in my opinion, it is still dominated by the left.

Ditto and Ditto to what Studio said.

[Warchant]

im a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Memphis...and I am a conservative. And seeing what goes on behind a lot of newspapers and in the classrooms I can, from experience, say, without a doubt, that there is a HUGE media bias today. And it's actually a lot worse than even most conservatives are even making it out to bed. I've studied a lot of things that go on with editors and how they are even pressured to put a leftist slant on the news. ive been chastised, put down, and even ridiculed in classes because of the view i have on politics and how the newspaper should be written. they call me an extremist and that i will never make it as a journalist. even after ive shown proof and fact of liberal bias they still toss it aside as if i have no idea what im talking about.

all though i do see a growth in conservative journalist out there (ie the Wall Street Journal), I still believe that conservatives have along ways to go before they are seen as equals in the journalism work force. I have a cousin who is also a journalism major and she got turned down for a job in memphis because they literally told her that she was too conservative for the newspaper. This was for the largest newspaper in memphis...talk about fair and balanced.

the reason why liberals play it down is because they are reading what they believe is true...they have no reason to want any change. but i feel with the growth of conservative talk show radio that a lot of these people are being shown for who they really are.

[MixMasta]

im a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Memphis...and I am a conservative. And seeing what goes on behind a lot of newspapers and in the classrooms I can, from experience, say, without a doubt, that there is a HUGE media bias today. And it's actually a lot worse than even most conservatives are even making it out to bed. I've studied a lot of things that go on with editors and how they are even pressured to put a leftist slant on the news. ive been chastised, put down, and even ridiculed in classes because of the view i have on politics and how the newspaper should be written. they call me an extremist and that i will never make it as a journalist. even after ive shown proof and fact of liberal bias they still toss it aside as if i have no idea what im talking about.

all though i do see a growth in conservative journalist out there (ie the Wall Street Journal), I still believe that conservatives have along ways to go before they are seen as equals in the journalism work force. I have a cousin who is also a journalism major and she got turned down for a job in memphis because they literally told her that she was too conservative for the newspaper. This was for the largest newspaper in memphis...talk about fair and balanced.

the reason why liberals play it down is because they are reading what they believe is true...they have no reason to want any change. but i feel with the growth of conservative talk show radio that a lot of these people are being shown for who they really are.

Majoring in journalism? Good luck!

I almost considered applying to Northwestern for their Journalism Program (was eligible for their high school program last summer) but I had a long talk with my newspaper advisor last year and decided journalism is not a solid career path nor was it what I should do with my life. But each to his own, I hope you find a job that you enjoy.

Anyways, I think there is a ton of liberal bias in journalism. I've been to workshops, seminars, conferences for newspapers and all the speakers, teachers, etc. have had very biased views when talking about news, what to cover, etc. The Wall Street Journal and Fox News represent the only conservative strongholds in print and broadcast journalism. Thank god we have talk radio or else the liberals would totally dominate all of America's media.

[Warchant]

my focus is internet journalism...so hopefully ill be able to get somewhere online...not really wanting to go into newspapers...but yea, if you want to make a lot of money...journalism is not the major for you

[Annex]

I feel there is definetly a liberal bias in the media today, and its not always how they report the news that gives it a bias, its what they report. Throughout the Reagan and George HW Bush presidency, one of the big issues of the time was the homeless. The media portrayed them as people who had gotten screwed over by the reagan economy, not as a a group who most likely suffers from a mental illnes(not all, but alot). Suprisingly the day Clinton took office this was no longer an issue; it was non existant. This is just noe example, but the news, on basic cable(ABC, CBS, NBC), should personaly be looking out for Americans like they say. I like to know whats going on in the world today, but with this easibly detectable bias its hard. Thats why ive turned to FOX news with shows like Hannity and Combes(1 republican, 1 democrat, each giving theyre own opinions) and The O'Rielly Factor(an independant conservative who often disagrees with president Bush, who talks about issue that arent presented on the regular news). If any one would really like to read aobut this, i strongly suggest BIAS by Bernard Goldberg, a CBS reporter who is talking about his personal expirences in this matter. The book was also a Times best-seller.

[Ford Mustang]

Yeah, I don't know where people come from saying that O'Reilly is a Bush lover or a puppet of his administration...He criticizes them all the time. He's registered independent, but he is a conservative one. He slams both sides, and when they deserve it.

[StudioAlex]

O'reilly's show is good, but I don't much like his politics. He seems to favor government control, in both the personal and business realms, far too much for my tastes. I'm pretty much the opposite.

[duke]

Yeah, I don't know where people come from saying that O'Reilly is a Bush lover or a puppet of his administration.

I agree some. Still, he goes much easier on guests who aren't completely nuts on the right than those he does on the left.

And as far as people saying that, well Stewart never fails to make fun of any left leaning idiots, but is still seen by many as only criticizing the right.

[Annex]

True, I dont agree with him on alot of issue, but i believe that everything he says b/c he feels its important for us no know. And you have to admit though FOX in general has alot more nut jobs than the other stations...well that might be b/c of lack of guest but its nice not seeing lawyers and activist all the time.

[StudioAlex]

And as far as people saying that, well Stewart never fails to make fun of any left leaning idiots, but is still seen by many as only criticizing the right.The Daily Show is so partisan it's pretty much ruined for me now. It's used to be something I tried to watch everynight, but ever since the begining of the last election cycle, it's pretty much been turned into a tool for liberal didacticism. I didn't get the chance to see if the ripped Durbin a new one but I'm doubting they did.