Archive » December 28, 2007

FROM THE RIGHT

By Harris Sherline, Contributing Writer

Media bias: Is it real; left or right?

Is the media biased? If so, do they favor Liberals or Conservatives? Either way, what difference does it make?

Columnist Cal Thomas recently commented, “In the never-ending contest for the minds (and votes) of those who still bother to think and vote, the disagreement over which side has the greatest influence in the media goes on, seemingly without end … Liberals have many outlets for their ideas. They have the three broadcast networks, (plus) PBS, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, and most of the big newspapers. (Only one conservative columnist is employed and regularly carried by The New York Times and he rarely challenges that newspaper’s liberal social agenda.)” (“Media Matters – Doesn’t,” by Cal Thomas, Sept. 20, 2007)

A 2004 Pew survey reported that, “While most of the journalists, like many Americans, describe themselves as ‘moderate,’ a far higher number are ‘liberal’ than in the general population: 34 percent liberal, 12 percent conservative. At Web sites, 27 percent call themselves liberal, 13 percent conservatives.” (E&P Staff, “Pew Survey Finds Moderates, Liberals Dominate News Outlets,” May 23, 2004)

Pew also found that, although most journalists in the survey consider themselves “moderate,” liberals at national outlets increased from 22 percent to 34 percent, “while conservatives have only inched up from 5 percent to 7 percent.”

Furthermore, a 2005 study by UCLA political scientists reported that media bias is real: “… of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center. (UCLA News, Office of Media Relations, “Media Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist,” by Meg Sullivan, Dec. 14, 2005)

In a recent interview, Brent Bozell III, founder and president of the Media Research Center, made the following observations (among others):

“I’ve always believed that every reporter is biased. Every human being who hasn’t been lobotomized is biased. The problem isn’t bias. The problem is not acknowledging the bias that you have. The problem with most liberals in the media is that they make no effort whatsoever to keep their biases in check.”

“National surveys … acknowledge the bias they have.”

“Biases can be found in many ways. It begins with story selection – what is news? That’s a subjective call. It is the direction that the news story takes. It is the lead. It is the opening paragraph. It is the conclusion. It is the people interviewed …” (“Brent Bozell’s Sense of Balance,” By Bill Steigerwald, Townhall.com, March 23, 2007)

In his book, “Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News,” (Regnery) Bernard Goldberg, who was a correspondent for CBS News for 28 years, stated: “Many of them (correspondents) don’t consider that they’re leaning in any political direction. They really think they are simply mainstream … In their world, mainstream conservatism doesn’t exist.” (newsmax.com, “CBS’ Goldberg Exposes Leftist Media Bias,” Dec. 4, 2001)

A national survey commissioned by the Gannett media organization in 1992 revealed that members of the press voted for Bill Clinton over George Bush by 89 percent to 7 percent and that they consider themselves to be Democrats over Republicans by 50 percent to 14 percent. In addition, 61 percent acknowledge that they are liberal as opposed to 2 percent who say they are conservative. (nationalrevueonline, “Are The Media Liberal,” Feb. 5, 2003)

When reportage is allowed to become opinion in the guise of news, the result is neither accurate nor believable. It has become propaganda. The current trend in loss of readership by many of the major newspapers provides strong evidence to support this. People are catching on and tuning out, and the numbers prove it.