"Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

[12Footer]

Jason brought this up in another thread. I thought it was well-deserving of it's own thread, because this topic is so central to how we decide personal opinion on most issues.<br />We differ in opinion that bias in the mainstream media exists at all ---and therein, lies the rub.<br /><br />Of course, i have,and will post my own arguments to support my opinion too, but i am more interested in what the REST of this forum believes. <br /><br />Does such bias exist, or is it all just so much right-wing talk show fodder?<br /><br /> <br />

Originally posted by JasonJ:<br /> Pointer, I think probably one of his examples of misrepresentations, as well as a lot of others who share his opinion, is his statements on the "Liberal Mainstream Media". During the Clinton administration, the mainstream news could not get enough of broadcasting Clintons rather interesting extracuricular activities. Yet, the news is unusually silent about Bush's binge-drinking daughters or the fact that he spends a whole mess of time clearing brush down in NeverNeverLand. I watch the news a lot, and I never hear anything bad about the current administration. I try to look for the leftiness of the media and I really don't see it. It <br />isn't for a lack of me not wanting to see it either.All I am saying is this "liberal media" for the most part seems to be a figment of a lot of peoples imagination. Are they perfect? God no, but the far right really has little to back<br />their claim up with. I know you are reaching for the keyboard to bring up the Rathergate incident. That was an example of poor decision making from a group of individuals, not the entire industry. Like I said, the media is not perfect, but they are not nearly as lefty as the Rush's of the world want people to believe.<br />If you say it loud enough and often enough, people will believe it. Doesn't make it true...

 

[12Footer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

I can tell by your objective, well thought-out opinion as stated in the above post, that you are genuinely convinced the "mainstream media" is not biased healily to the left.<br />I do not understand how, but have long ago, learned that two people can hear the same news report, and gather two different opinions from it. My guess is that this is normal, given human nature and pre-determined biases.<br /><br />But even after every effort i can muster, I am unable to understand HOW you miss the daily barrage of pro-left, anti-right progaganda from the mainstream media. I do not get it. You claim to " try to look for the leftiness of the media and (you) really don't see it. It <br />isn't for a lack of [you] not wanting to see it either."...I'll not despute that. Moreover, i'll have to admire your effort to remain objective. But this news spin is so regular, so predictable, so widespread amoung the sources, as to scream it to anyone.<br /><br />They report "Abu Greib as American war crimes", yet report beheadings of innocent truck drivers by the mutant terrorists as "acts of desperation by the insurgency" IF THEY COVERED IT AT ALL....I think i will hurl now. BRB.<br />See , it's not just what they report, but what they fail to report that slants their product.<br /><br /><br />You referenced Rathergate, but then, you state your opinion that this is " was an example of poor decision making from a group of individuals, not the entire industry."<br />Well, this "poor decission making by a group of individuals" was being made by them daily. They wanted GWBush's head on a platter so badly, they didn't bother vetting their "facts" or documents. They were no doubt taught in "Journalism-101", that this practice of presenting heresay and inuendo as factual news is a certain death-sentance to their employers' credibilty and reputation, not to mention (but i will), their individual carreer.<br />After being terminated for getting caught, Mary Mapes of Rathergate fame wrote a book to pay the bills and get grocery-money. I don't know if it is selling well, but that's not relevant. What is, is that she appeared on multiple TV talk shows and PBS radio to be interviewed, and to hawk her book. She remains not only steadfast in her belief the the original story is true, but that she did no wrong in going-forward in publishing the story in the first place. She claimed "it'e not up to me to proove the story is true. It's up to the individual to proove it is true".<br />Is this how journalism is supposed to werk, Jason?<br />And this was just one example amoung many we can debate.<br /><br />Are you willing to do the vetting for the news you receive from ANY media source, as opposed to having these reports vetted for acuracy BEFORE they are presented to you as fact?<br />If so, you deserve to be continually duped by those you trusted. This goes for everyone, and i am not recusing myself. I must (and do) vett my own sources of news. <br /><br />I have decided to present you with this example of "mainstream media bias, in the hope that you will see said bias:<br /><br />The reporting of Hurricane Katrina:<br />WE all viewed it live on every form of media, and it was all the same BS.<br />How anyone could've absorbed all the reports of murder, mayhem, rape, and pillaging within the superdome, and the projected death toll of "thousands" reported on the mulitude of biased "news" sources, and taken them as fact, have been duped. You can include me personally here. I bought the total BS also. I thought there were thousands of dead, rampant murder,rape,and environmental ruin that would spread around the globe too.<br />What did we later discover was true, Jason? <br />There were no mass-murders, no toxic soup rendering the city a "no-man's land for generations to come" --- <br />Not that the damage was not widespread, and that many of people were not deeply effected,and rendered homeless by this massive storm. But had the news reports been true, what would the truth now be?<br />They duped you. They duped me. I made the mistake of thinking my news sources were reporting the news also.<br />The mainstream media has certain goals as an industry that must also be considered. I personally think just as with Watergate, "mainstream media" gambled with injecting bias and calling it "news".. but lately, they have failed to get away with it.<br />Their ratings are prooving this out.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

The television media does not play for any team but their own. They are only interested in sensational content that will keep the most viewers tuned in for the most important airtime, the segments which come between the "news": the commercials. If anyone takes television media with less than a block of salt that's too bad. There is a complete lack of context within 30 second bites that allows almost anything to be stated as reality for the sake of drama. The political talk shows are worse yet. These amount to nothing more than shouting points, distortion, and distraction.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

I distinctly remember the "mainstream media" having a rather conservative slant , 1992-2000......<br /><br />Bill Clinton and his dirty laundry.. Get Hillary for Whitewater.. All tried, convicted, and sentenced in the media before it ever went to court...<br /><br />Maybe it was just me.... <br /><br />Maybe it's just comming full circle... Paybacks, ya know...

 

[12Footer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Originally posted by snapperbait:<br /> I distinctly remember the "mainstream media" having a rather conservative slant , 1992-2000......<br /><br />Bill Clinton and his dirty laundry.. Get Hillary for Whitewater.. All tried, convicted, and sentenced in the media before it ever went to court...<br /><br />Maybe it was just me.... <br /><br />Maybe it's just comming full circle... Paybacks, ya know...

I remember all that too, but draw a different conclusion than you have due to what we now know was the truth behind the reporting --- the vetting and subsequent "investigations", impeachments, and evidence bore-out.<br />A fine example of dirty laundry (in particular, Monica's), boosting ratings. But also, of reporting the course of the investigations as they progressed, and even Clinton's damning speach that is now knitted to his legacy of shame ,drummed-home nightly like the famous OJ trials.<br /><br />There is a difference in reporting the appearance of foul play, and reporting foul play.<br />It is where, when, and how these differences play-out before our eyes, that i would draw your (and Jason's) attention to , wityh their attempts at swaying public opinion (otherwise known as propaganda) which is the issue.<br />I recall a certain spy caught in the act, reports on the mainstream media gave it the obligatory "NEWS" coverage, but no more. The spy was fined, given a six-month ban from anymore access (and future theft/destruction opertunities) . Where was the "mainstream media"?<br />Where is their outrage, and why does it not mirror my own, or that of the rest of the American people?

 

[technostingray]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

I'm a little fuzzy on the ground rules. Are we here to investigate, elaborate or just regurgitate? When the Commander in Chief was a Democrat and people were not being killed in the name of economic gain the press was willing to convict without a hearing. Now that we are at war and people are dieing the press is a lot less congenial toward the Commander in Chief and his helpers.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

By virtue of the number of journalists that admit to being liberal, I say this post is a moot point. Let those who will live in ignorant bliss do so. They do not want to see the reality.<br /><br />Most major news outlets are subtley if not blatantly liberal. Just because some of them report any news that is contrary to the interest of the left does not make them 'conservative'. <br /><br />Two of my little pet peeves are the reporting of accidents involving SUV's. As often as not the news is given as if the SUV was in control of it's own destiny. Often the driver is never even mentioned.<br /><br />The other is the reporting of shootings. Semi-Automatic weapons are most often blatantly reported as Automatic Weapons. These small examples are not mistakes or oversights. Their presentation is carefully chosen to support the 'anti' postition of the Left.

 

[Link]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Boomyal<br />You pretty much got it correct IMO<br />Techosnott/txwinner<br />We get it! You hate President Bush<br />Moveon.org

 

[treedancer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

12 footer <br /> In regards to the statement about the media bias I will take a little exception to<br />That statement. Will take a sample of only one media that being NBC.<br /> Wonder how can a company that is a small part of a division of GE that is comprised of eleven divisions.<br /> Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer<br />Jeffrey R. Immelt <br /><br />NBC Universal is one of the eleven branches.<br />Principal businesses are the furnishing of U.S. network television services to more than 230 affiliated stations, production of television programs, the production and distribution of motion pictures, operation of 29 VHF and UHF television broadcasting stations, operation of cable/satellite networks around the world, operation of theme parks, and investment and programming activities in multimedia and the Internet<br /><br /> One would hardly think that the stockholders of a multibillion dollar corporation would hold still if the executive officers had some type if bias that would cost them some dividends of which GE paid .$82 per share in 2004.<br /><br /> I am expecting that it will be a little bit higher this year.<br /><br /> As for as the reporting of the hurricanes lets not confuse incompetence with media bias after all we got the same fair and balanced reports from all the media. <br />

 

[12Footer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Originally posted by technonotS'illaround:<br /> I'm a little fuzzy on the ground rules. Are we here to investigate, elaborate or just regurgitate? When the Commander in Chief was a Democrat and people were not being killed in the name of economic gain the press was willing to convict without a hearing. Now that we are at war and people are dieing the press is a lot less congenial toward the Commander in Chief and his helpers.

Mogadishu?

 

[JB]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Telling only selected, sensational bits of truth has the effect of telling a lie.<br /><br />The prosecution always describes the evidence of guilt, the defense describes the evidence of innocence. Neither is the truth.<br /><br />Beyond that, selection of adjectives in describing what is essentially true bends that truth by inserting editorial bias.<br /><br />All of the media are guilty of both on many occasions.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Originally posted by JB:<br /> ....Beyond that, selection of adjectives in describing what is essentially true bends that truth by inserting editorial bias.<br /><br />All of the media are guilty of both on many occasions.

And there you have it in a nutshell, from the great and timeless wisdom of JBsan!

 

[12Footer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Agreed, JB. <br />Treedancer, well-known flamin socialist liberal, George Soros owns so much "mainstream media" it is condemning. But the ownership and management of any one branch (or all of them for that matter), is a moot point. GWBush owns some GE stock...BFD.<br />That doesn't mean he copntrols the product on a micromanaged level. Nor does Soros. Rather than drawing-in con/lib ownership and management as anchormen and reporters, listen to the CBS evening news tonight.<br /><br />Hmm. I may have gotten those two links reversed. Whatever... Surely, you get the point, i hope, that this is not an issue of management in most cases. It it an issue of those producers of the product that IS.

 

[technostingray]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Originally posted by Link:<br /> Boomyal<br />You pretty much got it correct IMO<br />Techosnott/txwinner<br />We get it! You hate President Bush<br />Moveon.org

I do not hate anyone, not even you.

 

[CJY]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

I think the point of media bias is mute as stated above. In the end, Americans were not swayed by, as some have stated, a liberal stamp on reporting the news. Some say W is attacked by the "lib" media regularly, which may or may not be the case. He was however, elected for a 2nd term, even against, as some have stated, the wishes of the media. <br /><br />Clinton was elected for a 2nd term, even after his issues with truth or the lack of it.<br /><br />It did not matter then, and it will not matter in three years. Americans will continue to pick the candidate of their choice no matter what the media says. <br /><br />How the news gets reported is in the hands of the media. Whether there is bad news or good, is in the minds of each and every one of us.

 

[alden135]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

There is no such thing as media bias.<br />The earth is flat.<br />Keebler cookies are made by elves.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

12, I do not dispute the fact that the media has issues. They are selling a product just like anyone else. The Katrina fiasco was abhorent, they were going off of info that they recieved. In the flurry to get it to air, they skipped that all important confirmation part. The SUV thing is the same deal. They forgot to mention that most drivers slam the brakes when a tire blows, due to being complacent and lets face it, poor drivers to begin with. <br /><br />My point is, with as flawed as the media is, I just do not see some Bush hating agenda. If anything, they are doing a decent job of half arsed reporting his mistakes, and then it is never heard from again. For example, the whole Tom Delay thing and CIA leaks and all that junk. I have only seen those as quick blurbs on the media, but Rush et all obsess over it daily. <br /><br />There very well may be some degree of bias in the media one way or the other, I still do not believe it is to the degree the Talkies want us to think it is. I think maybe a good compromise is that the media in general just plain sucks, I will concede to that....

 

[treedancer]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

This so-called MAINSTREAM MEDIA BIAS as if all the mainstream media gets a e-mail every morning on what to bash George the second on.<br /><br /> I will believe this but will any body believe me if I said that every conservative talk show host gets a e-mail also?<br /><br /> Another question where does the e-mail originate from perhaps an undisclosed location or maybe Al Franken?

 

[technostingray]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

I don't have anything to say, just trying to bury my insulting threads.

 

[rolmops]

Re: "Mainstream Media Bias" -- Deserves it's own thread(imho)

Interesting subject.<br />12footer,can you please tell me where exactly the line between left and right is drawn? It seems awfully subjective depending on one's starting point.Most people like to think of their own opinions as unbiased and close to truthful.<br />In my fairly privileged world(I own a boat)I can afford to be a mildly interested spectator and try to be a responsible member of society.My education is good enough for me to realize that the mass media are biased, but not to the left or the right.They are a cynical tool for the production of shallow emotions and reactions of fear and anger.Why???<br />Any advertisement agency will tell you that anger and fear emotions will lead to increased attention,which is instantly taken advantage of by advertisement.(As in "More news after these messages")The bias is mostly provided as an added bone to be upset or happy about.This provides more cheap thrills that will peak your interest seconds before the next add.<br />12footer you react by being upset and listening to Rush Limbaugh,who is an expert at the game.He has gathered a captive audience and he tells them what to buy in his own voice (some would say :"straight from the prophet's mouth")<br />Rush provides you with the good feelings and cheap thrills that work best on you.He takes bias to the right and loves to make it sound wild for the same reason the mass media goes just a bit left of center.<br />We really are in a big media show where goods are offered for sale and blood, rantings and cute little puppie stories provide the cheap thrills that suggest to us that we should consume more.<br />The political bias as you perceive it,is just another gimmick.<br />If you want news,read the Wall Street Journal.