The State of the Media

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

Considering the debate TheMikeSC and I had over this topic, I was wondering what people would have for their view of the media. Please try to give reasons for your response.

 

As far as my vote, I would go with moderate right, based upon the unbelieveable amount of negativity that news brings to Democrats. But it does manage to hit on Bush, although that merely could be because it is the popular thing to do.

[Guest JMA]

It all depends, really. I mean, some issues are slanted in the media. For example, most people in the mainstream media are pro-choice and for gay-rights. This could be looked at as social liberalism OR popular opinion. Let's also not forget that Democrats aren't all left-wing and Republicans aren't all right-wing. I consider myself to a liberal Independant.

 

As for the poll...I'll have to think this over carefully.

[kkktookmybabyaway]

What's your definition of "mass media"?

 

And what exactly is "leaning," "moderate," etc?

 

And are we focusing on Editoral pages or man-on-the-street reporting? For the broadcast area, are we focusing on Opinion shows or the regular newscasts?

 

For these reasons, among others, I can't vote in your poll...

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

I meant in general, averaging everything in to get what you feel is the typical bias you would think of.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

This is a very poor choice for a poll to be honest.

 

The first thing your told in political science is that each and every news station has it's own biases and will spin things to their slant. So really you can't do a mass media poll b/c it's all to various degrees.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

I'm just sort of spitting this one out to see what people would think of. As a broadcast journalism major, I feel like the media (by my definition, the journalistic portion is the one we are supposed to be judging) is conservative. It might just be my political stance interfering my better judgement. But the media seems to agree more with the Republican viewpoint without challenging it often. (Exception: ABC's Nightline).

 

This poll is meant to be something for discussion, to see where people's views lie, and for what reasons.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I would suggest reading Bernard Goldberg's book "Bias". He worked for CBS for quite awhile, he's a liberal, and discusses, using stats and examples, of how the media has a left wing bias. Now understand this isn't something done on purpose, but when you have a ton of liberals doing the same job, it slants. The same way you wouldn't see it with non-Fox stations and conservatives don't see it with Fox.

[Guest JMA]

Al Franken (the man who slammed down Bernie Goldberg) has said in his book that he believes the "liberal bias" is more social liberal bias than anything else. I tend to agree with him here. But that's mostly because we LIVE in a socially liberal America. I.e., most people support Roe v. Wade, ect.

[MrRant]

Off topic but a good article on feelings in the country about Roe vs. Wade done in January of this year.

 

And OMG ITZ NOT FAUX NEWS~!

 

And for the record I'd like to find the 11% who said it would be okay to terminate a 6+ month pregnacy and abort them with a glock.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Don't you remember that quote from the Simpsons.

 

People generally support abortion when there's a reason for it. And really few outside of the femnazi's support partial-birth abortions.

 

EDIT: To answer your question: the ACLU.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

As stated in an earlier thread, I'd read Eric Alterman's "What Liberal Media?" that shows a conservative bias in the media on news stations (CNN, Fox, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and NBC) while also examining radio outlets and newspapers. It's really an interesting read.

 

Will pick up "Bias" and see how that goes.

[Vern Gagne]

There's a liberal bias. The networks have a bias. Especially ABC, and CBS. The major newspapers like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times are liberally biased.

 

If you honestly wanna say with talk radio, and FAUX NEWS it's in the middle, I'd listen. But no chance it leans right.

 

Alterman probably does think it leans right, because it's not far left enough for his tastes.

[Firestarter]

Let's also not forget that Democrats aren't all left-wing and Republicans aren't all right-wing

OMG how dare anyone generalise about any group! BAN PLZ

 

the unbelieveable amount of negativity that news brings to Democrats. But it does manage to hit on Bush, although that merely could be because it is the popular thing to do.

Funniest shit I've read tonight. If they're criticising Democrats, it's because of a vast right-wing conspiracy. Couldn't possibly be that a Democrat might have done something remarkably stupid. If they're criticising the President, it's just because they're following a trend. They don't really want to do it.

 

Brilliant.

[Guest JMA]

There's a liberal bias. The networks have a bias. Especially ABC, and CBS. The major newspapers like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times are liberally biased.

 

If you honestly wanna say with talk radio, and FAUX NEWS it's in the middle, I'd listen. But no chance it leans right.

 

Alterman probably does think it leans right, because it's not far left enough for his tastes.

Talk radio and Fox News aren't the only right leaning media. Just check out The National Review and The Wall Street Journal editorial page. I'm not saying the media leans right, though. It does lean left on social issues, but that could just be a popular opinion thing.

Edited November 9, 2003 by JMA

[Guest JMA]

Let's also not forget that Democrats aren't all left-wing and Republicans aren't all right-wing

OMG how dare anyone generalise about any group! BAN PLZ

Just trying to make a point.

[kkktookmybabyaway]

LOL -- looks like you got a discussion going.

 

Just not the one you were hoping for.

 

Regarding "Bias," from what I've heard Goldberg say I agree with his general idea but I disagree with some of the way he got there...

[Lightning Flik]

I would submit a response to this poll, but sadly, I'm Canadian. Henceforth, our media is slightly different than US, I find.

 

Not much, but slightly.

[MrRant]

If you by "slightly" you mean "whacky" then you are correct because everything about Canada is whacky in one form or another.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

I'm surprised to find that there is actually a pretty good split in the votes. I would have thought that there would be a large disparity of people voting for the liberal bias.

 

Personally, I think that although the media may have a socially liberal bias, it is moderately conservative in its political bias. I find it too strange that the conservatives came up with deregulation in the first place in 1996. I find it strange that there is an astoundingly large lack of material being put out about how the FCC wishes to increase deregulation, which is what Congress is about to allow.

 

As for our President, I wish to quote him from an interview given with Fox News:

 

"I'll be honest. I don't read the morning paper, and I don't watch the news on television. I don't need to. My advisors tell me everything I need to know."

[Guest MikeSC]

Al Franken (the man who slammed down Bernie Goldberg) has said in his book that he believes the "liberal bias" is more social liberal bias than anything else. I tend to agree with him here. But that's mostly because we LIVE in a socially liberal America. I.e., most people support Roe v. Wade, ect.

Actually, unlike the reporting of it, support of Roe v Wade is hardly overwhelming. Those who disagree aren't exactly a small minority.

-=Mike

[Guest MikeSC]

There's a liberal bias. The networks have a bias. Especially ABC, and CBS. The major newspapers like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times are liberally biased.

 

If you honestly wanna say with talk radio, and FAUX NEWS it's in the middle, I'd listen. But no chance it leans right.

 

Alterman probably does think it leans right, because it's not far left enough for his tastes.

Talk radio and Fox News aren't the only right leaning media. Just check out The National Review and The Wall Street Journal editorial page. I'm not saying the media leans right, though. It does lean left on social issues, but that could just be a popular opinion thing.

National Review is openly and admittedly conservative (though they are hardly extreme) and people discount it because of it.

 

The NY Times is not openly and admittedly liberal, though they undoubtedly are. They are still considered "The paper of record" in spite of that.

 

There is a difference.

 

And again, left-wing social agenda is hardly overwhelmingly popular, believe it or not.

-=Mike

[Guest MikeSC]

As for our President, I wish to quote him from an interview given with Fox News:

 

"I'll be honest. I don't read the morning paper, and I don't watch the news on television. I don't need to. My advisors tell me everything I need to know."

 

You write this as if there is something wrong with it. His advisors know their area of expertise far better than any journalist would.

 

I'd listen to Colin Powell on int'l issues over the NY Times.

-=Mike

[Firestarter]

What Mike said. Why the hell would the President of the United States need to read the news? He and his officials make the news.

[Jobber of the Week]

I need a "kissing government ass, whichever side that may be" option. FNC was rather restrained and a fairly regular visit for me until it looked like someone who shared their view was getting into office. CNN is coming off a lot more moderate with Bush in office, even to some Republicans I've talked to about it.

 

I'll vote moderate right, due to that and due to the huge numbers of Limbaughs and Hannitys and O'Reillys and Savage (who NOBODY in their right mind should take seriously) which fill the airwaves. Take the pundits away and I'd vote only leaning.

[Jobber of the Week]

Off topic but a good article on feelings in the country about Roe vs. Wade done in January of this year.

 

And OMG ITZ NOT FAUX NEWS~!

 

And for the record I'd like to find the 11% who said it would be okay to terminate a 6+ month pregnacy and abort them with a glock.

I think what JMA means is that in general, left-leaning social policy is more prevalent. It's probably true.

 

I think it's because most people since birth have been taught that sharing is good, Americans ought to be equal, if you can't say something nice about somebody then don't say anything at all, don't hate on the poor/needy/sick, strive for a peaceful world, etc etc etc.

 

A lot of social conservatism is limiting things for the upper class or outlawing things because the Bible said so. There's more to it than that obviously, but I think it's those two common reactions that make people write it off.

[Vyce]

The NY Times is not openly and admittedly liberal, though they undoubtedly are. They are still considered "The paper of record" in spite of that.

 

A very informative and disturbing (well, if you're a conservative) look at the Times and the pretext that they remain unbiased.

 

I think kkk had a good point - what do you define as "media"?

 

I can tell you, I do NOT believe it to be talk radio - shows like Limbaugh or Hannity or even O'Reilly, for all their talk of doing "news analysis", are just opinion shows and thus should be discounted as political pundit programming, not legitimate news sources.

 

Thus, "legitimate" news media (newspapers, networks, etc.), in my opinion, is moderately left. Some are worse than others *coughLATimescough*.

[Justice]

Indeed, we aren't talking about opinion shows. This is about the news in general, so Riley, Limbaugh, Carlton, Carville, and Begla shouldn't even be thought of here. It's the bias in the actual news given. At least, that's how I take it.

 

As far as my vote, I would go with moderate right, based upon the unbelieveable amount of negativity that news brings to Democrats. But it does manage to hit on Bush, although that merely could be because it is the popular thing to do.

 

To be honest, it's because the Dems aren't doing fucking good, and there are 9 of them. On any given day, one of them is likely to attack another or fuck up or something. As of late, things have gone much better with Bush than earlier this year.

 

Personally? I find a slight slant to the left in the media. It really depends more on specific anchors and such (I'd cite Aaron Brown as a really irritating liberal, enough so that I just can't stand to watch him anymore), but most agree that the news media itself has a left bias on social issues and doesn't really have an opinion on economic issues.

[Guest JMA]

I think what JMA means is that in general, left-leaning social policy is more prevalent. It's probably true.

Indeed. As I said before, most people you see on TV are pro-choice, pro-gay rights, ect.

 

A lot of social conservatism is limiting things for the upper class or outlawing things because the Bible said so. There's more to it than that obviously, but I think it's those two common reactions that make people write it off.

Sad, but true. A lot of social conservitism is based on religious beliefs. One of the many reasons people are starting to not buy into it.

[kkktookmybabyaway]

Since you're new here, Wild, let me take a trip with you down memory lane in regards to the forum's opinions of the media (trust me, there are MANY more threads like these out and about -- and don't ask why we're all unregistered):

 

We start off with misleading headlines (lol -- I said I could see myself voting for John Kerry here. What a difference a year makes.)

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...18&t=10052&st=0

 

Then we turn onto political control of the media.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...=18&t=10343&hl=

 

Then we go down an alley to a topic that's sort of relevant with CBS and free speech.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...=18&t=26841&hl=

 

Next we head straight to Jeane Garofalo Drive.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...=18&t=26668&hl=

 

And then to O'Reilly Avenue.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...topics&hl=&st=0

 

All leading up to the granddaddy of them all, in my opinion.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...=18&t=25644&hl=

 

Ahh, memories...

Edited November 9, 2003 by kkktookmybabyaway

[NoCalMike]

I'd say the media is a corporate media more than being right or left. The networks do what is in their best interests to appease the corporate structure, whether it is a favorable news story for the right or left is not the issue, the issue is why does the media directly and purposefully not report important news and instead rot our brains with the Kobe trial and/or Laci Peterson nonsense.