Liberal media bias?

Question

I hear a lot of people talk about a so-called "liberal media bias." I don't see any evidence of this. The only consistent bias I see in the media is a bias for making money, increasing viewership, and getting ratings. I'd like to hear a good defense of the idea of liberal media bias, since I've never heard a convincing or coherent one.

1. Can anyone give me a clear definition of what this fuzzy term "liberal media bias" means?

2. What actual proof or evidence is there for this so-called liberal media bias?

Reporting bad things in Iraq instead of good doesn't show liberal bias. The news always tends to report bad news. Tons of good things that happen in America and in other places every day don't get reported on. Crime, violence, and disaster, this is what the news always reports.

My not seeing the bias is proof in itself! Such wonderful "proof"!

Even if individual journalists donate to or vote for "liberals", that doesn't prove that their reporting has a liberal bias. You're only implying that someone who votes "liberal" (which you somehow equate with Democrat as if there can't be a more conservative Democrat) cannot be professional and keep their personal opinions out of the reporting. But you haven't demonstrated this, just alleged it.

I'm hearing all kinds of isolated examples of bias. That doesn't show a clear and consistent pattern of liberal bias. For all your isolated examples, I can cite you all kinds of other isolated examples of conservative bias.

1. The Clinton years where he was crucified by the media.

2. Regans' funeral coverage not too long ago. It was non-stop coverage for days and days where Regan was remembered with glorification and praise. Where was the anti-conservative bias there?

3. The lead up to the Iraq War, where all networks consistently took sides against any liberal, anti-war voices. Every major media outlet, without exception, was much more favorable toward conservative pro-war representatives, branding other views as traitorous.

Thanks for the source link, Chef Trav. The "A Measure of Media Bias" study comes to questionable conclusions based on questionable arguments based on a very questionable methodology, none of which I find to be convincing. Other more scholarly studies with more scholarly cited sources have demonstrated no demonstrable media bias. See this article http://mediamatters.org/items/200512220003

Answer 1

As a conservative, and a proud member of NPR, i can tell you this. There is NO liberal bias in the media. Its just that Bush has ****** up everything he has touched in the last 6 years, and the media reports this. Most of these wannabecon trolls here were only children during Clinton, and only remember cartoons. They do not remember the 24, round the clock grilling Clinton took on every major network in America. all the while ignoring the fact that Newt was ******* around at the same time. Liberal media is an excuse for the wannabe conservatives that actually corrupt and inept politicians to say its not their fault, its the media. And that is the the truth!

Answer 2

Proof Of Liberal Media Bias

Answer 3

I doubt that you actually want proof but I'll take a few minutes to point out the obvious.

There are several kinds of bias.
1. One kind is to favor one side over the other.
The Liberal Media will always favor the Liberal position over a Conservative position and never provide a balanced or unbiased position.
2. Another kind of bias to to denigrate one side and not the other. The Liberal Media will always attack Conservative positions and never attack a Liberal position.

The basic problem with these kinds of bias issues is that the news is (or should be) neutral. News agencies should give the news and not spin it to support their political agenda.

Evidence that a bias exists can bee seen in two situations.
First: Talk Radio is primarily Conservative. That's what the audience wants and will support in a free market. Talk Radio gives the news that the Liberal Media will never present to the public.
Second: Liberal media is failing. Air America was about hate and that's not what America is about. NBC, CBS, PBS, ABC The New York Times and the LA Times are all loosing audience. Americans are tired of having these 'Superior' people decide what is news and are looking to other sources.

You can see documented evidence of bias at the site noted below.

Answer 4

No, it's not biased in that direction, and yes, I have also noted that people don't even know which form of the word to use. It's part of a concerted and well-funded propaganda campaign, started back in the 1960s when conservatives complained that the war footage was biased because it didn't tend to make the Viet Nam war look good, clean and glorious. Their feeling was and is that, if the facts happen to refute conservative ideology on any particular topic, that the press should still give equal weight to the conservative view, otherwise it's a bias. Media does currently HAVE a bias, IMO, it's towards cheaper, dumber and lazy. There are TONS of people who talk about a "conservative bias" - liberals complain about the corporate, right-wing media all the time, so your contention that it's all on one side does not hold water. Even if it was true, would just repeating it make it true? "But the most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over. Here, as so often in this world, persistence is the first and most important requirement for success. " - Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Also, an old adage often misattributed to Hitler or Goebbels, but practiced widely by Newt Gingrich: "If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth" Don't you think that you should go with something more substantial than "lots of people say so"?

Answer 5

Okay, here's an example:

A news show invites guests to their program to get their "opinions" on a topic. However, these guests they invite are handpicked to support the viewpoint of the network. Then, the news show treats these "opinions" as fact.

Every station does this, even Fox. This is a serious problem because the bias of the network makes it difficult for the people to have a fair interpretation of the news which means the network executives, who evoke this bias, have the power to effect primaries or elections. It's not right that the rich and powerful can influence so many people and turn the tide of America's political scene.

Answer 6

If you want definitive proof, and you don't notice that liberal groups are the groups always quoted on the news channels or in the papers, and you don't see how often liberal congressman are shown on TV compared to conservative ones, and if all of the publicity given to celebrity's wacko liberal statements is not enough, think about this. Have you ever heard a liberal complain about the news being conservative? Do you really think if it was not biased in either way, only conservatives would be griping about bias, yet all liberals are so tough and opposed to whining, that they would never comment on it?

Answer 7

The networks are there to make money, but as a Democrat, I do believe CNN and MSNBC do lean to the left. Fox is so far to the right they can't see the line. Overall, I think a majority are liberal, but a big part of that is Hollywood tends to be a liberal place and the two are inter-related.

Answer 8

Here's the complete definition and explanation. The summary is at the bottom of the report.

http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/faculty/groseclose/Media.Bias.8.htm

Additionally today I heard a report that nine out of ten journalists surveyed contributed to the Democratic party. If they overwhelmingly support Democrats, don't you think that is going to influence how they look at and report things? Doesn't it influence how you look at things?

Edit: Did you look at the link?

Answer 9

You are correct, there is NO "liberal media bias"; it's propaganda that the ultra-conservatives use. The media, especially the American media, is CONTROLLED by the U.S. government and corporations. The fact that people PERCEIVE that there is a "liberal bias" is an illusion. The media ARE biased, all right, in favor of the ones in power. If you want to get REAL news and learn what is really going on, you have to turn to the internet and alternative news sites like: infowars.com, prisonplanet.com, commondreams.org, and truthout.org

Answer 10

Facts are facts.. Until not too many years ago, the entire media was biased to the left. In fact, many of the previous commentators have even admitted their slant.

Finally, FOX came out as did talk radio. Both became overnight sensations and to many, proved to be a breath of fresh air. If you see any slant to the right with the average media now, it's because they've been forced into it due to record losses of ratings.

At least now, we have choices. There was a time when there were none. :)