...research...
For my research done for the J-50 Treasure Hunt, I looked at Political Media Bias, and how it affects the public's perception of politics and party views on various issues. My research concluded that there is, in fact, a bias in media, where various media outlets sway to either the left or right in their presentation of news. Yet, people are becoming more and more aware of this bias, and, as a result, several watchdogs have appeared to make sure that even the media is doing their job of providing neutral, fact-based information.
Political Media Bias
Section I:
Before the start of the "Treasure
Hunt," I knew little about political bias in the media. I had heard that
CNN was slanted to the left, and FOX News was slanted to the right, but that
is about all I knew. I was very curious to find out if those rumors were true
or merely speculation.
From this assignment, I wanted to find out if the majority of Americans also felt that there was a strong bias in political media, and to which side it really was leaning. Also, I wanted to find evidence for slanted media bias, instead of just adhering to speculation and assumption.
My intended audience is the general public, because no one is immune to news
and media, especially in politics. The media helps to shape our own ideas and
conclusions about the society we live in, whether we know it or not. Therefore,
uncovering media bias is important for everyone in order to disclose true, factual
information about politics and government. However, more specifically, readers
of national and local newspapers, listeners of radio, and viewers of network
news are specific targets for this bias media information.
Section I-b: Keywords
UNC
library catalog:
Nesting: bias and (media or journalism); Boolean Operation: media and bias
Academic
Universe Lexis-Nexus:
Proximity Operators: political journalism n/2 bias; Boolean Operation: political
and media and bias; Truncation: politi! Media w/2 bias
Infotrac
(Search Engine on the Web; www.infotrac.com):
Proximity Operators: media w/2 bias; Nesting: media and (bias or propaganda)
Section II: UNC-CH Libraries
Print Sources:
Baker,
Brent H. How to Identify, Expose and Correct Liberal Media Bias. Alexandria:
Media Research Center, 1994.
Davis Library,
call #: PN4888.025 B354
Goldberg, Bernard. Bias: A CBS Insider
Exposes How the Media Distort the News. Washington: Regnery Pub., 2002.
Davis Library, call #: PN4784.024 G65
Non-Paper Source:
Schwartz, Tony. Media in Politics. Produced
by Charles Boyd. 90 min., Films for the Humanities, 1989. Videocassette.
UL Media Resources Center, call #: 65-V3406
Section III: Electronic Indexes and Database Sources
Dionne, E.J. Jr. (2002, December 6). Media bias is real. These days, however, the conservatives are steering. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [Online], 810 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2003, January 31].
Gabler, Neal. (2002, December 22). The media bias myth; Liberal? Conservative? It's not about ideology. The real battle is over the proper role of journalism. LATimes [Online], 1936 words. Available: Infotrac Custom Newspapers [2003, January 31].
Goldberg, Bernard. (2002, January 19). Liberal bias is real. The Washington Post [Online], 788 words. Available: LEXUS-NEXIS Academic [2003, January 31].
Jacoby, Jeff. (2002, December 15). US Media retain their liberal bias. The Boston Globe [Online], 841 words. Available: LEXUS-NEXIS Academic [2003, January 31].
Jensen, Elizabeth. (2000, December 15).
"Nightline" E-Mail goof renews cries of media bias; Television battle
over message's perceived political bent reflects postelection feedback to networks.
LATimes [Online], 1123 words. Available: Infotrac Custom Newspapers [2003, January
31].
Section IV: Web Sources
1.
Title of Web page: Media Bias Basics
Web address: http://secure.mediaresearch.org/news/mediabiasbasics.html
Brief Description: A basic explanation of what media bias is and how it affects
readers' opinions of politics. It discusses the widely held conservative belief
of a liberal-slanted media and cites newspaper data to support this position.
Source of Web site: Media Research Center
2.
Title of Web page: Jeff Greenfield: Liberal Media Bias: A new twist on a very
old theme
Web address: http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/02/opinion.greenfield.media/index.html
Brief Description: A new look on the liberal argument of conservative-biased
media; a twist from the usual argument of liberal-slanted media. The article
also discusses how the idea of conservative-biased media isn't new, but dates
back to the 30s, 40s, and 50s, when journalism was mainly pro-Republican.
Source of Web site: CNN
3.
Title of Web page: Evidence of News Media Political Bias
Web address: http://www.ncpa.org/pd/govern/pd051200g.html
Brief Description: A Nationaljournal.com writer, Eron Shostek's evaluation of
media bias from a Nexus database search of "English-language news."
His results prove that there is, indeed, a liberal media bias in political journalism.
Source of Web site: National Center for Policy Analysis
4.
Title of Web page: Examining the "Liberal Media" claim; Journalists'
Views on Politics, Economic Policy and Media Coverage
Web address: http://www.fair.org/reports/journalist-survey.html
Brief Description: This site researches the conservative critiques of media,
namely their beliefs that journalists' views are leftist and that they show
news that is slanted to the Democratic left. This research site looks at the
alleged left-slanted media by researching Washington-based political journalists.
Source of Web site: Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Sociology
and Anthropology
5.
Title of Web page: Most Deny Conservative Media Bias; Americans don't share
view of Clinton, Gore, Daschle
Web address: http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29906
Brief Description: This article shows that a new poll indicates that most Americans
disagree with top Democrats that there is a right-winged media bias.
Source of Web site: World Net Daily
Section V: Mini-Essay
Journalism Web Site that Crosses Political Bias Lines
A new survey indicates that the web
has become a secondary source for political election news. (1)
"In the elections of 2004 and 2008,
will more people be getting politics news online?" Lee Rainie, director
of the Pew Internet project asked. "The answer is yes, very likely, yes."
(1) The Internet's role in political journalism has greatly increased. Therefore,
it must also become a larger hotbed for biased political media. There is a widely
acknowledged media bias that plagues political journalism today. When there
is media bias, the intended role of journalism, to inform readers in a neutral,
fact-driven way, is neglected. The innovative web site created by Denis Dutton,
artsandlettersdaily.com, is a positive step forward in the direction of neutral
journalism. Scott Galupo describes it as a "web-based clearinghouse of
intellectual journalism." The web site provides links to a wide variety
of domestic and international papers and journals, thus providing access to
opposing political views and slants within journalism. (2) Tran Huu Dung, the
site's managing editor, said, "both the right wing and left wing can see
something they wouldn"t normally read. That"s the best thing about
the page." (2)
Galupo said that the site doesn"t play ideological favorites, "arguably
its greatest asset." Mr. Tran has a liberal political view, while Mr. Dutton
is usually more conservative. "What they share is omnivorous curiosity."
(2) In an age when Internet political journalism is becoming more and more of
a tool that shapes American ideology, the importance of neutrality is essential.
Therefore, Dutton's site offers a breath of fresh air and is an important weapon
in the constant battle between liberal and conservative tilting media. (2)
Notes:
(1) Galupo, Scott. (2003, January 25). A&L Daily; after famine, a feast
of ideas online. The Washington Times [Online], 1064 words. Available: LEXUS-NEXIS
Academic [2003, February 2].
(2) Web grows as political news source, but TV dominates. (2003, January 6).
New
York Times [Online], 415 words. Available: LEXUS-NEXIS Academic [2003, February
2].
Three Web Sites:
1.
Title of Web page: Media Bias Basics
Web address: http://secure.mediaresearch.org/news/mediabiasbasics.html
Brief Description: A basic explanation of what media bias is and how it affects
readers' opinions of politics. It discusses the widely held conservative belief
of a liberal-slanted media and cites newspaper data to support this position.
Source of Web site: Media Research Center
2.
Title of Web page: Arts and Letters Daily
Web address: http://www.artsandlettersdaily.com/
Brief Description: A melting pot of views, ideas, criticism, debate, and links
to domestic and international newspapers, columnists, magazines, radio, reviews,
and more. It is a neutral site that caters to all political ideologies, instead
of slanting to just one side.
Source of Web site: The Chronicle of Higher Education
3.
Title of Web page: Evidence of News Media Political Bias
Web address: http://www.ncpa.org/pd/govern/pd051200g.html
Brief Description: A Nationaljournal.com writer, Eron Shostek's evaluation of
media bias from a Nexus database search of "English-language news."
His results prove that there is, indeed, a liberal media bias in political journalism.
Source of Web site: National Center for Policy Analysis