A question on political control of the media...

[Guest DARRYLXWF]

As an Australian, the majority of the media is more on the left than on the right. My question is, is the AMERICAN media mostly controlled by Democrat or Republican supporters? I expect an honest answer hear, and no biased opinions on the media (unless stated beforehand

[Guest DrTom]

Conservatives (on the right) often talk about the "liberal media." Liberals (the left half of the American political spectrum) say there's no such thing.

 

In the last few national elections, about 85% of the American press has voted Democrat.

 

For the record, I am a registered Independent, a fiscal conservative, and a philosophical and social libertarian.

[Guest Dr. Wrestlingphysics]

In Britain, the printed media is mostly right wing with Conservative newspapers outnumbering Labour supporting newspapers greatly.

All of Rupert Murdoch's stable is right wing (including his newspapers and TV news channels), but the BBC has recently been accused of favouing the Labour Party after years of favouing the Conservatives.

[Guest LesnarLunatic]

The Media is corporate. They run the stories that get them ratings.

 

The media isn't biased to any side, the conservative corporate heads and the liberal reporters balance themselves out in power most of the time. Even if it's a 10-90 split between the two.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

In Canada the media is overwhelmingly Liberal, to the point where they sometimes influence election results.

[Guest Some Guy]

Like saying that Gore won Florida a few hours before the polls closed? Liberal bias? Nah, it's just conservative "spin", right Lenarlunitic?

[Guest LesnarLunatic]

Like saying that Gore won Florida a few hours before the polls closed? Liberal bias? Nah, it's just conservative "spin", right Lenarlunitic?

much like how the media called Florida for Bush at 1:45am Wednesday morning?

 

and I bet that from the propaganda that you've heard on that, hundreds of men in the panhandle decided to stop going out to vote after it was announced at 7:52 (8 minutes left in the polling)

[Guest Some Guy]

"much like how the media called Florida for Bush at 1:45am Wednesday morning?"

 

1:45am in way after the polls closed, they called the election for Gore before the polls closed and I'm pretty sure it was more than 8 minutes before the polls closed.

 

The press can get away with doing that in states like Ma where the is a foregone conclusion well before the election but in a swing state it's irreponsible journalism at best and liberal bias at worst.

[Guest NoCalMike]

LesnarLunatic said it best. "The Media is corporate" Why do you think the CLinton/Lewinsky "scandal" was so over-exposed, why was OJ's trial on every day on 50 networks? They put on the TV whatever is going to garner them ratings. Not everyone who watches agrees with it, but hey they are WATCHING. Much like has been said about Rush Limbaugh, roughly 60% of the people listening to him on the radio can't stand him and totally disagree, but they just want to hear what he will say next. Limbaugh is much like Howard Stern, just in the oppposite direction.

[Guest LesnarLunatic]

"they called the election for Gore before the polls closed and I'm pretty sure it was more than 8 minutes before the polls closed."

 

Actually... they called it 52 minutes after the polls closed for about 90% of Florida and 8 minutes before the polls closed in the panhandle of Florida.

[Guest Anglesault]

American media tends to be more left wing than anything.

[Guest gthureson]

In Canada the media is overwhelmingly Liberal, to the point where they sometimes influence election results.

However, that is capital 'L' Liberal, meaning Liberal party.

 

Of the the big three Toronto papers, the Star would be considered the most 'liberal', and even that is a moderate, centrist liberalism. They will occassionally come out in favour of something that you could put in the liberal camp, but not that often. They watch public opinion trends and follow that.

 

The Sun chain is a conservative, working class paper. They favour the Tories provincially (in Ontario, and likely in Alberta too. Don't read much from the Vancouver Sun) , and are just plain anti-Chretian federal.

 

The Globe is a corporate business paper first and foremost.

 

The National Post is an interesting paper to read. They are conservative, but sometimes surprise me with some of their columnists.

 

As far as be overwhelmingly Liberal, you can really fault the Canadian media for that too much. Look at the options. The Western-based Reform/Alliance party, which toned down its redneckess to try and make a breakthrough in Ontario, but still lets it shine through in its caucas on a regular basis; the Tories who have been in complete and utter disarray since setting up Kim Campbell to be the sacrificial lamb for the Tory hatred and sending Jean Charest off to do battle with the separtists in Quebec (I'm surprised they have kept the knives sheathed on Clark this long.); the NDP, which have shown no aptitude for running a government on any level, and currently are in some kind of weird transitional period from being a pro-union/labour party to just being a wacky activist party; and finally the Bloc, which is a one issue party if their ever was one.

 

The Liberals are truly the lesser of all these evils. Yes, Chretian has been ruling us like a King for two and a half terms. But things haven't been that bad. The press and public ripped into him for military cutbacks, downloading on provinces and all the rest, but they also want the deficit and taxation down. You can't really have it both ways. They whine about the low dollar, but the low dollar pushed the economy vis a vis American trade. An eighty to ninety cent dollar would lead to more pullouts and more money would leave the country to buy American products instead of spending it in the country.

 

Hey, if the press wants to pimp the Liberals, I'm all for it. I sure as hell don't see too many alternatives to King Jean at the moment.

 

Though the next year will be interesting with Tories readying the knives on Clark and Paul Martin getting shuffled out in the power play in the Liberals.

 

But this is not a Canadian politics thread. I digress.

[Guest the 1inch punch]

Watch any movie/tv show with a political slant

 

The Democrtas are always virtous, Republicans are always bastards

 

The West Wing and anytime they mention the GOP in the Simpson's

[Guest Razor Roman]

I'd say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, there is a bias against Republicans in the news media.

 

Nearly all the anchors favor Democrats, and that's fine. It's their own personal politics. But they very subtley make Democrats look better at every turn. They don't cover all the sides of a story, report only half of it, etc.

 

For example, in New Jersey, our Democrat governor just raised corporate income taxes. Both he and the media said he was "Closing a tax loophole" which is pretty much the same thing as a tax increase. Now at least one major employer in NJ (Macy's Department stores) will be cutting jobs and closing stores and offices, because their tax bill will be more than doubling under the new plan.

 

But McGreevy is called a champion of the working people because the media says he is making the "corporate fat cats pay their fair share"

 

Tell that to the people who are going to be out of jobs.

[Guest Some Guy]

The mainstream media in America is not overtly liberal as has been stated. Another example of liberal bias is teh coverage of Campaign Finance Reform.

 

I was watching Dan Rather on CBS. They had sound bites from McCain and Ted Kennedy, two people from different partyies but are both in favor of CFR, then Dan Rather (a Democrat in favor of the bill because it empowers the media even more), not any GOP or anti CFR Dems gave the opposing side in about 15 seconds, while the other two had 30 seconds each.

 

So those in favor got at least a minute, while soemone in favor gave ten second lip service to teh opposing side, it was like this, "Those opposed to the bill claim that it violates the first ammendment, we'll be right back after these messages."

[Guest EricMM]

and anytime they mention the GOP in the Simpson's

 

IIRC Matt Groening (sp) is a conservative. See the NRA4LIFE at the start of the Simpsons. He bashes Reps because he bashes everyone. See Mayor Quimby, an obvious knock off of a Kennedy.

 

Say what you will about other TV shows, it's probably true. BUT DON'T INSULT THE SIMPSONS!!!

 

(I watch liberal bias on TV and LIKE IT! haha)

 

*EDIT* Maybe Liberal Bias = RATINGS~!

[Guest Some Guy]

I don't think Groening is conservative, NRA4Life is a joke, but I agree that he bashes everyone pretty equally. That's why I like the shows. The whoel thing is based on stereotypes, remeber teh Brazil episode? They used hispanic stereotypes for a Portuguese country. I find that shit funny.

[Guest Anubis Puppet]

Sirs, Matt Groening is far from a conservative.

 

Haven't you ever read the Akbar and Jeff comics?

 

You know, the gay guys in fezzes?

 

Check 'em out.

[Guest the 1inch punch]

Sorry, I didnt mean to bash the Simpsons, even i wouldnt go there

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Big Media (network news, NY Times, etc) is mostly liberal.

 

Talk Radio is mostly conservative.

 

Anything with Rupert M's name attached to it probably won't run any editorials praising Hillary Clinton, unless it's about her successful suicide attempt.

 

That's all...

[Guest Vyce]

Most anchors are Dems.

 

Worst are Peter Jennings & Katie Couric.

 

When they had to give Bush the election back in 2000 (well...gave it to him for a couple hours, at least), Couric in particular looked as if she had just shit her pants.

 

Coincidentally, I hate Katie with a passion.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

You mean the "spunky" (or is it "perky"?), Andrea-Yates lovin' Katie Couric?

[Guest spiny norman]

"As an Australian, the majority of the media is more on the left than on the right. My question is, is the AMERICAN media mostly controlled by Democrat or Republican supporters? I expect an honest answer hear, and no biased opinions on the media (unless stated beforehand)"

 

As an Australian, can I ask how on earth you think our media is more on the left than on the right? Sorry, but I did a double-take when I read that, if you think Murdoch and Packer are left-wing then I think you must be an extremist capitalist or something.