Has anyone noticed how information is now political?

Question

I know that this may be an impossible question to get a legitimate answer or, on another hand, one which is simply unanswerable without perpective. However, when people comment or post a link to a particular site with information on it, those who see the site will often comment that the information is "right-wing propaganda" or "liberal bias" depending on where the link originates.

So, have we come so politically polarized that there are no legitimate news sources anymore, ones which both parties can agree upon that they are just news and not proponents of an agenda? I would say that the answer is "no."

I posted the following link today and got a slew of conservatives attacking it as propaganda. Now, the source of the link is PBS and the information provided lists where the information came from, even showing the actually people mentioned giving their verbal accounts? And, yet, people attacked it for being biased?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/view/

What a crazy world...

Answer 1

Because the modern reporters do not follow the primary rule of reporting: If your mother says she loves you, check it out!
They rely too much on the information given them in press releases and permit others to "herd" them into interviews designed to enforce a certain political point of view. Add to that a great compunction to use words which are descriptive of an emotion, rather than recitation of a fact, and you have your answer.
The partisanship among the readers and viewers are reflective of a certain social conjugation:
1. I am firm
2. You are stubborn.
3. He is pig-headed.
Personal attacks seldom advance an idea. But, the name callers on both ends of the political spectrum hold to a false belief that it does. I'm a conservative. But, I believe that a liberal (like a broken watch) can be right twice a day.

Answer 2

I'm sure you've heard the expression that statistics don't lie, but liars use statistics. That's the case with a lot of articles. I think most things done by the press are done with the idealogical slant of the writer.

For example, in my local paper every article that appears on illegal immigration has quotes from the illegal himself, followed by quotes from illegal immigration advocacy groups, then sometimes elected officals that support illegal immigration, and then close saying how wonderful it is to have illegal immigration.

Now, all the facts in the article are true. However, what's missing is quotes from the American people who are negatively affected, as well as from groups and officials opposed to illegal immigration.

Also, if a story happens that supports the papers liberal views it will be on the front page. If a story comes out that contradicts what the paper belives, like the murders in New Jersey by an illegal alien who should have been deported, it is either not reported or given a very small space.