Are the news media biased in their reporting on Iraq?

Question

Here's how I'd answer the question - by first answering these questions:

What would the coverage look like if the media were slanting in a pro-war direction?

What would it look like if they were slanting in an anti-war direction?

What sould unbiased reporting look like?

And finally, what does the current media reporting look like?

So, what do you think?

Please also tell us whether or not you support the war if you answer. Thanks.

Answer 1

OK, let's answer your questions.

1. If the media were slanting in a pro-war direction, the media would show the stockplies of WMDs we found in Iraq, which is much more than have been reported, they would interview Iraqi citizens who are glad that the American troops are there helping to keep the peace, they would report on the number of innocent Iraqi citizens that have been killed at the hands of the terrorists and the religious factional fighting, and they would report on the cowardly tactics used by the terrorists (using innocent citizens as human shields, using hospitals and Mosques to store weapons and ammunition, planting IEDs on the side of the road, etc.)

2. The media IS slanting in an anti-war direction, and everything coming out of the mainstream liberal media about the war is negative. They talk about the soldiers who were killed, they lie about the innocent Iraqis that have supposedly been killed by U.S. troops (Air America claimed over 600,000 innocent Iraqis have been killed by U.S. troops, and that figure has been grossly inflated -- in reality, more U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq than innocent Iraqi citizens that have died at the hands of U.S. troops), they purposely ignore reports about finding WMDs and refuse to show the American people the stockpiles that HAVE been found (been to Iraq, seen them with my own eyes), they give no-holds-barred accounts of Abu Ghraib and the alleged rape of an Iraqi teenager by Marines -- whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? -- and they would glorify those self-serving cowardly Americans who betrayed their oaths and refused to serve in Iraq when called.

3. Unbiased reporting would be difficult. Everyone interprets facts differently, so it's next to impossible to report on something like the war in Iraq without spinning it one way or another. If a news network wanted to be unbiased, the best thing they could do is report the facts and then allow two analysts -- one who supports the war and one who doesn't -- comment on the facts being reported.

4. No question -- the current media reporting is an all-out anti-war anti-Bush crusade. The media portrays everything about the Iraq war in a negative light and purposely ignores stories or facts that don't support their anti-war anti-Bush agenda. Have you seen CNN or CBS interviewing troops that have returned from Iraq? No, you haven't. Why not? Simple: If they did interview the troops who have actually been there and know what's really going on, they won't be able to control popular opinion. They don't want American soldiers telling the American people that we found a heck of a lot more WMDs than the media ever told you about, nor do they want Americans to hear that the Iraqis are grateful for their liberation from Saddam and really do want to establish a Democratic form of government. The Democrats WANT this war to be a failure in the eyes of the American people so they can put a liberal in the White House, and their lap-dogs in the mainstream liberal media are supporting them.

Answer 2

if the media wernt biased they would have reported that:
47 countries have reestablished their embassies in Iraq

the Iraqi government employs 1.2 million Iraqi people

3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq

Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers

25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2004 for the reestablished Fulbright program

Iraqi Navy is operational. They have 5- 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a navel infantry regiment

Iraq's Air Force consists of three operation squadrons, 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers

Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion

that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers

there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks
there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.
that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations
that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October
there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?
Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations

Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004
that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent televised debate in their country recently

Answer 3

it is biased... because they do not just report truthful facts and let the people forge their OWN opinions.. media tends to spin the facts..leaving vital components out of the stories we read and watch. that's deceit, which is a form of untruth. and if the WHOLE truth is reported, certain facts are more prevelant according to what they want to report. e.g. you see the number of American servicemen/women casualties ALL the time... but, you never hear anyone talk about the fact that the 3500 plus is a RIDICULOUSLY low number for a major conflict in the timeframe we're talking about...not to belittle the lives lost, because each one is an important loss...but, we have to remember, people that make the decisions on what to report have their own agendas as well. news is no longer just that.. news... it's become more of a platform to convey the views of the people involved. sad, but true.
and let's not forget.. death and destruction sells.. i wrote for a paper that liked to report mainly the good news and it went under.. it's a business.

and yes, i support the War.

Answer 4

The thing is, if the military gets something good, like a piece of juicy intel, they aren't going to run to CNN or FOX and say. 'Look what we found!!!' They're going to use it, and it'll come into public knowledge when my kids are going through highschool (that's a ways away, btw).
Good news is classified, bad news shows at 7 and again at 11.

If they could show all the things going on that our enemy shouldn't know (like capturing of high officials or documents, or knowing locations of safehouses), then I sure hope they would. They aren't defeatists, this is the only 'exciting' stuff that goes on. Showing a new school won't get people to watch the news, but showing a burning wreck will. It's attention spans at work.

Answer 5

I think you are asking the wrong question here. The question should be:

Why is the media covering the war in Iraq so badly?

I think American media is not "biased", it's just pathetic, lame, clueless, lazy, gullible and corrupt.

I've given up. I get most of my news from Al Jezerra and BBC and the rest from eye-witness blogs, soldiers videos, etc. From all that I can sort of piece together a somewhat clear picture.

Based on what I've learned (and it's been a lot of work, which is why most Americans won't do it), I'd have to say I cannot support this war at all, given what has been revealed to me.

Good question, thanks for asking it!

Answer 6

Tokyo Rose would be proud of them in turning the public against their own!

Answer 7

ABSOLUTELY !
All you need to do is have a good discussion with an actual service man or woman and you learn this very quickly.....

Answer 8

Yes, in there selection of stories to cover. That's why you never hear the good news, they focus on the negative.

Answer 9

Some media outlets are a little biased but the majority of them are just trying to get to the facts and report them.