Why don't people understand that there is no media bias in any direction?

Question

The bias is in your head because you choose to see the reports the way you want to see them. Anyone who's ever worked in the news industry (and I have) knows that any hint of bias outside the columnists and editorial is the deathknell for your news organization. So why would any reputable news organizations risk that?

Answer 1

That's just silly. There is most certainly bias. All people have bias, and it is impossible for this to not come out. It runs the gamut from deciding which stories to cover to how much coverage to give to deciding which words to use to describe the story.

Of course you are right that the person receiving the news also has a bias. That is why, for a conservative, a "conservative" presentation of a story would sound unbiased while a "liberal" presentation would sound biased. (The same, but opposite, for a "liberal" listener.

By the way, the way you "asked" your question shows a bias on your part, especially starting off with "why don't people understand..."

Answer 2

I have not worked in the news industry. I still believe that there is media bias, the media wants viewers, listeners, readers. To get these they push news that stir up people. The more viewers, listeners, readers the media has the more they charge for advertising and the more advertisers want to advertise in the media.

How come someone with an outstanding record accused falsely by someone, is written up across the page from a person that is a known criminal for an incident that is like what the other person is accused of. Granted this is two separate stories, but it is the same media.

Answer 3

Ask Fox News, clearly the most biased "news" organization that broadcasts to the US.

I just heard a 2004 interview with Molly Ivins on NPR (sadly, she just died) whiere she discussed how the Pentagon supplied the Fox "commentators" with talking points [i.e. propoganda] that the Fox people took onto the air hook, line and sinker. So this is not my opinion, but from a respected journalist and writer.