Ward,+Megan


 * News Bias**

The issue of whether media bias exists is becoming an increasingly popular discussion topic. Currently, acquiring news is so effortless and plentiful, simply the process of choosing what stories to present to the public and which ones to leave out can be considered bias. The question of whether news coverage tends to sway in a more liberal or conservative direction may not have a simple “yes” or “no” answer. After reading a few studies concerning the debate between liberal versus conservative bias, it seems it's not as prevalent as some would have the public believe. On the other hand, there is no question that the consumers //perceive// media bias and the consequences of these perceptions should be evaluated. It is interesting to see the scientific data acquired regarding the debate of liberal versus conservative bias. According to Tien-Tsung Lee, author of // The Liberal Media Myth Revisited: An Examination of Factors Influencing Perceptions of Media Bias, // “Conservative critics believe that most journalists are liberal and Democrats and that news coverage reflects reporters’ political leanings” (Lee 1). On the other side of the coin, different critics argue the opposite: “…conservative voices dominate the mainstream media, and news organizations-most of which they see as controlled by the government and large corporations-are ‘agents of power’” (1). Lee goes on to explain how scholars have tried to conduct surveys to establish whether a political bias exists, however, “…a link between reporters’ political beliefs’ and news coverage has never been convincingly established” (2). And yet, if one were to ask the average Joe his opinion-if there is, indeed political bias in media-he would say yes. Why is that? Lee Explains:

"Media critic Michael Parenti (1996) offers several explanations for conservatives’ consistent accusations. First, most U.S. media are owned and controlled by large corporations, and consequently conservative voices are dominant and can repeat their complaints with greater frequency than liberal critics. **Second, conservative politicians and commentators habitually attack the media to put them on the defensive. As a result, liberal opinions often are self-censored by journalists because 'anything short of unanimous support for a rightist agenda is treated as evidence of liberal bias'** (Parenti, 1996, p. 103). Third, social realities reported in the news, such as wrongdoings in the government and large corporations, or poverty and pollution, appear liberal or even radical to conservatives" (Lee 2). In the video below, notice how the reporters separate themselves from the "main stream" media. It is a prime example of conservative commentators on the defensive.

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In her study, Lee concludes with speculating why conservatives or republicans push the idea that there is a liberal bias to news. First, she says that conservative politicians frequently push the idea that the media cannot be trusted (Lee 14). Second, because many social issues are perceived to be liberal, (she cites poverty and environment) conservatives conclude that the news, in general, is liberal too-even if the issues are presented in an objective manner (Lee 14). The third, Lee states, “is both psychological and sociological. This study’s findings suggest that conservatives tend to be uneasy about new and unfamiliar situations at a personal level. They prefer things to remain unchanged and traditional. It is therefore logical to expect conservatives to harbor a similar attitude toward societal changes” (Lee 14).

In the second study I have cited, // Measuring Media Bias: A Content Analysis of Time and Newsweek Coverage of Domestic Social Issues, // conducted by Tawnya Covert and Philo Wasburn, they make the same observations as Lee: “The vast literature on media bias, almost exclusively based on analyses of major television network news programs and elite newspaper coverage, provides contradictory findings” (Covert 1). In their study, which encompassed a span of 25 years, (1975-2000) Covert and Wasburn compared //Time// and //Newsweek// as well as the more conservative //National Review// with the more liberal //Progressive.//

To conduct the study, they chose four relevant topics to focus their attentions on: Crime, the environment, gender, and poverty (Covert 5). At the end of the 25 year study, Covert and Wasburn concluded that the //National Review// did stay more on the conservative side and the //Progressive// remained more liberal (Covert 13). What is interesting, however, is that //Time// and //Newsweek// remained balanced (that is, neither blatantly liberal nor conservative) when it came to the four topics chosen (Covert 13).

Though this particular study was limited to only four topics and more research should be done that encompasses even more issues, the results are still quite interesting. **If conservatives or republicans //perceive// a liberal bias in mass media (which, according to the two previous studies cited may not even exist) then they are possibly more inclined to turn to other news outlets.**



The Fox News Channel being thought of as a very conservative news station is an idea shared by many liberal (and probably even conservative) viewers. In a recent study conducted by Jonathan Morris entitled, // Slanted Objectivity? Perceived Media Bias, Cable News Exposure, and Political Attitudes //, Morris does not look at whether media bias actually exists, but instead seeks to examine what effects the public’s //perceived// media bias has on them (Morris 3). Morris explains that The Fox News Channel has become a primary source of political news for many conservatives who turned to it to get away from the “liberal” news environment (Morris 4). As a consequence of the consumer’s perceived media bias, Morris writes, “Individuals with negative perceptions of mainstream media are increasingly turning to Fox News as their primary source of news on national and international events” (Morris 19). Perhaps the most stunning results of Morris’ study are that Fox News consumers not only have a negative view of mainstream media, but that “The use of Fox News as a primary source of information is significantly associated with a higher tendency to subscribe to negative stereotypes of Democratic leaders… More importantly, this analysis also shows…that the Fox News and CNN audiences perceive the current state of domestic and international affairs differently (Morris 19). Finally, Morris concludes by saying that the more consumers of news who turn to stations that they feel fits their “views” are less likely to hear other opinions (Morris 20). As a result of this, the public “are getting different versions of the same issues and events, which may hinder the chances of political moderation and compromise among the mass public” (Morris 20).

It is questionable to me why “conservatives” would imagine a “liberal” bias in the news. Perhaps what it boils down to are the issues in which they don’t particularly care about-one being the environment-are talked about too much for their tastes. It is my belief that media outlets are catering to what their customers want; conservatives wanted a different version of the news and so they got Fox News. That is why more and more self-proclaimed “liberal” or “conservative” news shows are emerging. As for the publications that try to remain objective, I think they are doing a good job.

 __Works Cited__

Covert, Tawnya J. Adkins, and Philo C. Wasburn. "Measuring Media Bias: A Content Analysis of Time and Newsweek Coverage of Domestic Social Issues, 1975–2000." //Social Science Quarterly (Blackwell Publishing Limited)// 88.3 (2007): 690-706. //Academic Search Premier//.EBSCO. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Lee, Tien-Tsung. "The Liberal Media Myth Revisited: An Examination of Factors Influencing Perceptions of Media Bias." //Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media// 49.1 (2005): 43-64. //Academic Search Premier//. EBSCO. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Morris, Jonathan S. "Slanted Objectivity? Perceived Media Bias, Cable News Exposure, and Political Attitudes." //Social Science Quarterly (Blackwell Publishing Limited)// 88.3 (2007):707-728. //Academic Search Premier//. EBSCO. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.