Poll

Does the Media have a bias?

Yes, it is Majorly Liberally Biased.42%42% - 34
Yes, it is Mildly Liberally Biased.16%16% - 13
Not really. I think it does a good job staying centrist3%3% - 3
Yes, it is Mildly Conservatively Biased.7%7% - 6
Yes, it is Majorly Conservatively Biased.13%13% - 11
I never thought about it.3%3% - 3
Other (please state...)12%12% - 10
Total: 80
G3|Genius
Pope of BF2s
+355|6643|Sea to globally-cooled sea
Being an election year in the United States, during a tumutluous time in our recent history, I think it is important to step back and evaluate the sources we trust to give us the truth about the news.

Initially I thought to simply make this issue a debate, but I thought, I don't want to start with an assumed premise that the media is biased either way.  That is why I decided to allow everyone here to vote, making the premise self-evident, and then I hope this will inspire a healthy debate over whether we are being told the truth, partial truthes, lies, or even being denied certain truths that people may not want us to know.

I look forward to (hopefully) a healthy thread from which we may all learn.  Please, if you can, use examples rather than stating blind opinions, and tell us where you observed what you have observed, if you remember.
Mason4Assassin444
retired
+552|6679|USA
This would depend on the channel you would watch right? All the repubs watch Fox. "liberals" watch other.....
mikkel
Member
+383|6618
Pretty much every single media outlet has some sort of bias. It's unavoidable, and it's obviously different from outlet to outlet. Boosting this bias is the common problem of media sensationalism, so I tend to not believe a word of what they say that isn't backed up by confirmed facts.

Mostly, when it comes to politics, I just read the Reuters articles.
-F8-Scotch
Member
+43|6586
Sure, all media has a bias. Generally it's from the stand point of whomever has thier hand up the reporters keister at the time.

Every politician knows how to work the media. Each political party strives to succeed by setting up action groups and agencies specifically designed to mislead the media.

In my opinion there is no one-stop-shopping in the media world, if you read enough of a wide variety of outlets a more clear picture can be obtained. It's just too bad the responsibility of mainstream media has been usurped by politics.

Scotch
wanderlost
Member
+20|6571|Des Moines, IA
I've been a "lurker" in these forums since December, but I can't take it any longer - I had to get an account and throw my two cents in...    THE MEDIA IN THE UNITED STATES IS LEFT-CENTRIC.  THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT OF THIS.

I'm afraid that the War in Vietnam, the War in Iraq, and Afghanistan are good examples of how domestic politics affect our foreign policy in a very negative way.  Our enemies understand this, and realize that they can't beat us in a head-to-head confrontation; but they can beat us back home by agitating the liberal media.

I'm not sure that I have a problem with the media being biased actually.  I only wished that americans were smart enough to read more than one article or news story about a topic before adopting that writer/editor's opinion as their own.  It's not that the american media is too liberal, it's that there aren't enough conservative media outlets to balance the scales.
notorious
Nay vee, bay bee.
+1,396|6763|The United Center
theres nothing to say that hasnt already been said.  all media has some sort of bias...it just depends on what you choose to watch.  also, it matters on who is in power at the time, be it who is in power of the country or just that one media outlet.
Marconius
One-eyed Wonder Mod
+368|6711|San Francisco
The media can be called left-centric, but the Companies that own and sponsor all of the media are run by extremely conservative boards.  (Rupert Murdoch, etc.)

The way the ownership is set up allows certain boards to heavily influence the actions of any programming on their networks or hiring and content practices in their papers and other media.  It doesn't mean that the media is constantly controlled like this, but in general, the presenters/faces of the media are Left, but the forces behind what is being presented are from the Right.
Naughty_Om
Im Ron Burgundy?
+355|6650|USA
you cant just say general media....you need to consider specific types of media and corporations....and yes, its all bias, both sides, left and right.
Marconius
One-eyed Wonder Mod
+368|6711|San Francisco
I'll take that back.  What I said doesn't reflect all media, but more of the mainstream media that we see every day, rather than what we can find on the Internet and get from small magazines and pamphlets like "The Week" or whatnot.  ABC, Time Warner, Fox, MSNBC, Viacom, all run by conservative boards of directors.
Naughty_Om
Im Ron Burgundy?
+355|6650|USA
no.... MSNBC is the most liberal media...Fox is very conservative.
liquidat0r
wtf.
+2,223|6644|UK
when voting on the poll: Surely it is a matter of which channel you watch?
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,973|6649|949

www.IndyMedia.org

Grassroots, non-baised.  I know people will say that this is left-leaning, liberal biased, but its not.  Anyone can contribute to it.

Last edited by KEN-JENNINGS (2006-05-18 13:36:11)

G3|Genius
Pope of BF2s
+355|6643|Sea to globally-cooled sea
I should have specified in the poll...I'm talking mainstream media.  The internet "blogosphere" is offering an outlet for more conservative views.  However, I'm talking network news.
GATOR591957
Member
+84|6644
How an individual views the mainstream media is subjective to that individual.  For example, a conservative would view Fox news as middle of the road, where as a liberal or liberal slanted individual would view fox as extreme right.  It's all a feel good thing.  Everyone wants to hear what they feel is right.  That's why the media is not state run like some other countries.  Freedom of choice you know.  If you want the facts as they are, you will have to work for them.  Sorry to burst anyone's bubble out there.  You are not going to hear the whole truth on a station owned by someone with political ties which most, if not all currently are.
bruisehound
Member
+14|6797

-F8-Scotch wrote:

In my opinion there is no one-stop-shopping in the media world, if you read enough of a wide variety of outlets a more clear picture can be obtained. It's just too bad the responsibility of mainstream media has been usurped by politics.
Scotch
Amen to that.
I try to read news from different countries, because any American news station is America-biased as well as being liberal- or conservative- biased (Actually, I'm Canadian, but the same principle applies up here).

If you want to really freak with how you see the world, try reading the important Middle Eastern press outlet Al Jazeera at
http://english.aljazeera.net
I think it's run from Qatr, but I've never been sure.
Many Western news stations find out about Middle Eastern terrorist demands through Al Jazeera.

The people at that news outlet freakin' HATE Israel. Just check out their weird cartoons. Scary. Makes me wonder what I'm brainwashed into believing.

Last edited by bruisehound (2006-05-18 15:00:53)

Marconius
One-eyed Wonder Mod
+368|6711|San Francisco
Al Jazeera goes through a lot of strife, especially due to the basic Western distrust of anything Arabic or Middle Eastern in nature.  Check out the documentary called "Control Room" to get their perspective on everything.  It's really quite amazing.
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,973|6649|949

^^^Saw that doc., great movie.  Just shows how any news company runs really, except this time its a company in the mid-east.  The movie kind of gives insight into the way a news station is run, from the higher ups all the way down to the editors and reporters.  Definitely check it out.
Horseman 77
Banned
+160|6854
I can name only one Network that dosen't slant heavy left. That dosen't even say they are really right wing, Just not so left as the others.
You have to troll AM Radio for Right wing veiw points.

All the rest is left. Everyone knows this.

On that note, name another Major Network that " isn't left "  besides Fox ?

Last edited by Horseman 77 (2006-05-19 17:40:08)

bruisehound
Member
+14|6797

Horseman77 wrote:

On that note, name another Major Network that " isn't left "  besides Fox ?
I would say CNN is not left wing...

GATOR591957 wrote:

How an individual views the mainstream media is subjective to that individual.
...bearing in mind the truth of what GATOR said.

Let me give an example of CNN's non-left behaviour:
Earlier this year, Castro offered to take Americans in need of a certain kind of eye surgery, fly them out to Cuba, give them the operation, and then fly them back home, all totally free of charge and on Castro's tab. Obviously it was a publicity stunt on Castro's part, designed to show the superior medical care and human kindness of his socialist state.
Anyway, it was good news as a novelty at least, and you'd think a leftist station would have put in a segment about it. CNN didn't say a thing. They didn't even mention it. I think in the biz we would say they 'suppressed the story.' Seems to me that a truly "left" station would have aired it.
Horseman 77
Banned
+160|6854
Take just one topic, Private ownership of Firearms. The media has such a Bias that it staggers the Imagination.
They call it " Gun Control " It is not. All a gun can do on its own is rust.


This whole " USA " thing got started when (our Government at the time) deiced to Seize the Firearms stored at Lexington and Concord.
Someone had the sense to say " That sounds like the start of something very bad. Lets end our cooperation right here "

Here are some of their more memorable Hysteria bent tag lines and the reality to it.

Cop Killer Bullets .......... Doesn't wear the Barrel as bad because its Teflon coated. Basicaly a lubrecation.
                                     Used exclusively be Police, Never fired at a Police Officer.

Exploding Bullets........... Soft Point ammo will expand on impact with target about .50 in Dia. wont   

                                    over penetrate ( pass thru intended target ) less prone to ricochet.

Assault Rifles ..............  Only Look  just like Real assault rifles!

Devastator Bullets  ......  Soft Point ammo will expand on impact with target about .50 in Dia. wont over 
                                    penetrate (pass thru intended target) less prone to ricochet.

Sniper Rifles................. We hopefully all know That sniping is an "act" that can be done with most any weapon.

Saturday Night specials........ Small and less likely to kill

Anyone with any real knowledge on this topic (particularly Police) will tell you it was

"All over hyped manufactured phrases" to push through, unneeded, useless, Hindering legislation to promote the left wing agenda and weaken the Conservative base of support, which it did. The NRA walked out on G.H. Bush in 92 an it hurt him. No bias? hardly. Unless some people can own up to the Fact that the Media is Slanted left and heavy,  ( Cheering in the News rooms when states came in for democrats ) no real discourse can take place.


I didn't buy " the Media has no agenda ". They NRA never gets its voice heard, Ever.

They won't even let the NRA purchase adds Is that not Bias? so cancle that whole theroy.

They harp on pet phrases, Falsify stories and statistics and down right Vilify Gun owners.

When Katie Curaic asked about the ( then new ) " Brady Bill "

A ( Hero of the Day ! Foiled a Bank Robbery single handed ) Cop replied

" Its no help at all and useless. It will only hurt the Law abiding. "

Her 15 minutes of fame was cut short. Katie didn't want to continue her interview, Hero or not.

When a Florida Law enforcement official was asked By Brant Gumball

" why so many tourist are getting mugged at the Airport? " He candidly replied.

" We had bad Crime here so we made it easier to get a concealed carry permit. Now the only safe place for a criminal is the Airport were these people just passed through a metal detector. "

End of his interview.

When a Woman on a Donahue show  about Rampant crime said she
" prevented her rape with a Pistol she kept in her purse "

Phil ended her interview and said " thats for a different show "

The list is Endless.


A gun owner can say, " No thanks ,  I don't want to get on the Train. " can you ?

Last edited by Horseman 77 (2006-05-20 09:06:53)

yerded
Bertinator
+255|6653|Westminster, California

bruisehound wrote:

Horseman77 wrote:

On that note, name another Major Network that " isn't left "  besides Fox ?
I would say CNN is not left wing...

GATOR591957 wrote:

How an individual views the mainstream media is subjective to that individual.
...bearing in mind the truth of what GATOR said.

Let me give an example of CNN's non-left behaviour:
Earlier this year, Castro offered to take Americans in need of a certain kind of eye surgery, fly them out to Cuba, give them the operation, and then fly them back home, all totally free of charge and on Castro's tab. Obviously it was a publicity stunt on Castro's part, designed to show the superior medical care and human kindness of his socialist state.
Anyway, it was good news as a novelty at least, and you'd think a leftist station would have put in a segment about it. CNN didn't say a thing. They didn't even mention it. I think in the biz we would say they 'suppressed the story.' Seems to me that a truly "left" station would have aired it.
CNN is owned by Ted Turner who is a communist. Ask him. If one is looking for non stop subtle anti American harping you'll find it on CNN. It's funny you cite one of the best known and most biased leftist megaphones as an example of a non biased station.
     You do watch the same CNN, right?
Horseman 77
Banned
+160|6854
me and yerded hate commies, now that we are cool on the nazi thing, lol
Jinto-sk
Laid Back Yorkshireman
+183|6608|Scarborough Yorkshire England
Depends on the news story

I think a lot of media don't portray the correct facts, they basically scare monger or over react to make the news more interesting, regardless of their political stance
atlvolunteer
PKMMMMMMMMMM
+27|6788|Atlanta, GA USA

Jinto-sk wrote:

Depends on the news story

I think a lot of media don't portray the correct facts, they basically scare monger or over react to make the news more interesting, regardless of their political stance
That's definitely true.  They always get half the story from someone who doesn't know what they're talking about without following up and getting the real facts.  Scare tactics make for a better story.
mp30
Cynicism is an art, right?
+13|6748|It Rarely Rains in Seattle
How many times is this question going to be raised until everyone becomes fed up with hearing the same fanboy defenses and nearly cliched retorts about Fox being "conservative" and CNN being the voice of all that is evil? Why don't we neglect the fact that these channels have a definate bias in their programming, and focus on the more horrifying truth, that being their inability to report on anything that actually constitutes relevant news. And herein lies the other problem, I'm forced to repeat myself on the same topic as has been brought up countless other times to try to articulate the same point. However, if you want to venture into the realm of mainstream media that is unashamed of its bias and makes it quite obvious, go take a leap into AM talk radio, listen to whatever you prefer, at least they talk about "news" from time to time.(But for the love of God, do not listen to Air America, if it even still exists, not because of the viewpoints presented, but because the shows are horrendously boring.)


CNN,MSNBC,CNBC,FOX...blah,blah,blah: OMFG Jennifer Wilbanks' fiance called off the marriage!!!!!!!

I just used an internet acronym, albeit for sarcasm, that depresses me.

Last edited by mp30 (2006-05-20 13:12:33)

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