If you think the mainstream media is liberal...?

Question

then why do they constantly lob softballs at Republicans and criticize Democrats? (see below)

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200711130005

Answer 1

The Liberal Media myth is a propaganda tool employed by conservative radio hosts, columnists and pundits as a convenient excuse why after 20 years their ideology has failed to convince the public at large, and as a memetic inocculation of the public against the evidence that the media bias is in fact a conservative one.

Not only does the liberal media claim have no basis in fact, it also does not make sense considering the issues of media ownership and influence of advertisers. Most media outlets are owned by a handful of conservative corporations and individuals, and funded by usually economically conservative advertisers who have no need for an educated, alert, independent and critical citizenry. What they need is a dumb, bored, cynical and apathetic public that has abandoned all critical faculties and is easily distracted by celebrity gossip and mindless sports games. A public that will believe anything it is told, or nothing at all, which amounts to the same end result. This pro-corporate conservative bias of the media is well-documented and shows itself in consistent under-reporting or ignoring of any information that would lead people to question the fundamental status quo.

Answer 2

All stations report the news - more or less. It's just that many liberal stations somehow neglect to mention it when a Liberal politician screws up but shout it from the roof tops 24/7 when a Republican does it. That does not go for editorial programs like O'Reilly on FOX or Ed Schulz on MSNBC. There the divide is more like the grand canyon. Probably that's the reason FOX has the most viewers on cable news if you have ever heard Mr. Ed.

Answer 3

To the person who claimed the "Liberal Media Myth" was created by Conservatives. It wasn't created by anyone. It's just a different perspective. Again, another politicised topic. It's all about the slant and the ratings.

I guarantee during WW2 a lot of the media tried to cover the good parts of the war, because people were sick and tired of all the bloodshed and misery. Now more people are desensitised, the media get more ratings from the misery and suffering. Whence the Iraq War coverage, not a lot of media sources are covering the good that the brave troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are doing.

Answer 4

Well, the people who claim this will tell you that Media Matters is part of the big conspiracy too...

Basicly, every website you've ever heard of, every cable TV station, the National Public Radio, PBS, Discovery Channel, History Channel, all the newspapers that Rupert Murdoch has not bought yet...

They are all the liberal media!

(but liberals are still just a small group of fringe whackos who infiltrated Congress last year...)

Answer 5

Since you like to check out these 3rd party media watchdog groups, check out the Media Research Center and Newsbusters. You'll easily find multiple daily examples of flagrant liberalism in the MSM.

By the way, I was willing to give Media Matters a chance, but when they launched their campaign (and it was a campaign including trying to get people to write and complain) and outright lied about Rush and the phoney soldiers flap, I knew they had no interest in truth, only spreading lies about conservatives.

Answer 6

The mainstream media is certainly more liberal than the fringes of the media represented by FOXnews and AM talk radio. It is arguably less liberally biased that Moveon.org or Michael Moore (or, clearly, 'mediamatters.org').

Thus 'mainstream.'

Answer 7

At the end of this editorial:

The opinions voiced in these columns are those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of Media Matters for America or any other organization or institution with which any author may be affiliated.

Just in case -
editorial
Function: noun
Date: 1830

: a newspaper or magazine article that gives the OPINIONS of the editors or publishers; also : an expression of opinion that resembles such an article

Answer 8

They do not think the media is liberal. To think the people who pilloried Clinton, endorsed Bush and are owned by billionaire business people who donate millions to the GOP are liberal would be too stupid for words. They just pretend they believe it so as to avoid having to answer for this pathetic president.
I know that pretending to be stupid seems pretty stupid itself - but hey - they are Republicans.

Answer 9

I don't think that one example listed by a group as liberal as "mediamatter" constitutes "contantly" lobbin softballs at Republicans.

If the media isn't liberal, why don't you ever hear liberals griping about it being conservative. Seriously, don't you think there would be at least some complaining about conservative media? The only thing liberals can even gripe about in the media is Fox News.

Answer 10

The research done said the TV-Media has more Republicans on than Democrats as "Guests" on political shows. Often, they bring in an actor to be the nominal Democrat, while they bring in the leaders of Conservative think tanks to argue against them. They give more time to Conservative arguments than to Liberal ones. That's what the research says. I guess it's because of the media monopolies. They benefit from Conservative, anti-capitalistic pro-monopoly policy.

Answer 11

media matters as a legitimate reference? c'mon. i seen one poll that shows 90% of nbc,abc and cbs reporters donate to the dems. all libs/dem bash fox because they are the only ones who at least try to find the middle. now, if you look at the rest, not one is conservative and most try appealing to the left or far left. this interview in more of an anomilie than standard practice. use better sources than the far left media matters next time. not a reliable, middle of road source.