Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Partisan Bias in Newspapers? Print Mail A Study of Headlines Says Yes By Kevin A. Hassett, John R. Lott Jr. Posted: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 ARTICLES Philadelphia Inquirer Publication Date: October 6, 2004 Economists have been puzzled this year by the persistence with which perceptions about the economy have lagged behind the economic data. For the most recent 12-month period for which we have data, for example, the economy grew almost exactly as fast as it did during the best 12-month period during President Clinton's two terms. But the economic mood of the country has been much different. It isn't just the economy that influences people's perceptions. In research we just released, we find that media coverage is also an important determinant. We found that newspaper headlines reporting economic news on unemployment, gross domestic product (GDP), retail sales, and durable goods tended to be much more frequently negative when a Republican was in the White House. And this was true even after accounting for the economic numbers on which the stories were based and how those numbers were changing over time. We also found that positive headlines explained whether people thought that the economy was getting better more than the economic variables themselves. Newspapers are indeed important. There have, of course, been numerous anecdotal claims of media bias. What has been lacking has been a rigorous scientific study of media bias, and our new paper is an attempt to provide just that. If we limit ourselves to news coverage of economic data, it is possible to get an objective measure of the news behind the stories. Our research team first collected a list of days that important economic news was released for most papers since 1991 and for four major papers and the Associated Press since 1985. We then used Nexis, a computer database of news stories that contains information on 389 newspapers, to gather all of the 12,620 headlines that ran in America's newspapers covering economic news stories. We excluded follow-up and feature stories because we wanted to be able to link the headlines directly with the numbers on which they were based. Headlines are relatively easy to classify since they say things are getting better, worse or mixed. For example, on Jan. 31, the government reported that the real GDP had grown 4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2003. The New York Times covered this, appropriately, as good news, writing the headline, "Economy remained strong in 4th quarter, U.S. reports." At the same time, the Chicago Tribune wrote that "GDP growth disappoints; job worries linger." Headlines are so divergent, it's sometimes hard to believe they are referring to the same event. Actual economic data explains much about the headlines--but far from everything. We found that the incidence of positive coverage during Republican presidencies was fairly steady--but economic news under President Clinton received by far the most positive coverage. This partisan gap or bias (the difference in positive headlines between Republicans and Democrats for the same underlying economic news) consistently implied that Democrats got between 10 and 20 percentage points more positive headlines. We also examined individual newspapers. Among the top 10 papers, we found strong evidence that the Associated Press, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, and the Washington Post were much more likely to have positive headlines for Democrats even with the same economic news. The New York Post showed no statistically significant difference. The Los Angeles Times did not tend to treat Republicans and Democrats significantly differently. Even including the Los Angeles Times, Ronald Reagan, a president who presided over one of the most vigorous economies in our history, still received seven percent fewer positive news stories than Clinton after accounting for the different economic conditions. What motivates newspapers and their copy editors to pick the headlines that they do is not a question we tried to answer. Whether these motivations are conscious or not, a partisan gap exists, and it helps explain one of this year's biggest economic puzzles. Unfortunately, the recent charges of political bias at CBS may only be a small part of the problem with the news. Kevin A. Hassett is director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. John R. Lott Jr. is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. http://www.aei.org/news/newsID.21338,filte...news_detail.asp They document their study extensively --- so actually look over that before dismissing it as a right-wing study. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 The right has Fox News, which has the highest ratings for god knows what reason, so it all evens out. There, I saved everyone time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 7, 2004 The right has Fox News, which has the highest ratings for god knows what reason, so it all evens out. There, I saved everyone time. Well, except for the vast difference in audience size and media influence. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest whitemilesdavis Report post Posted October 7, 2004 While I haven't studied the document provided, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that the economy in NC is terrible. It's gotten worse in the last year. I'm in the work force, I know. Housing and Government construction are the only two areas that are up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 7, 2004 While I haven't studied the document provided, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that the economy in NC is terrible. It's gotten worse in the last year. I'm in the work force, I know. Housing and Government construction are the only two areas that are up. Just out of curiosity --- not being mean --- how can ou know, for certain, how bad the economy in NC is? It might be bad for YOU --- but that does not really mean it's bad all over. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Sacramento has kind of been oblivious to the "bad" and "booming" economic trends over the past few years, quite honestly, it was never really harder to find a job, yet at the same time, it wasn't like there more demand in the last 6 months or so. The only real dissapointment I have heard of recently, is that instead of building a big lot of office buildings that would generate decent wages, the city council decided ANOTHER f'n shopping mall sounds Juuust right. Ugh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest whitemilesdavis Report post Posted October 7, 2004 My job completely relies on the economy. Therfore we read reports everyday on the economy here, and while the two areas that I mentioned are healthy, basicly everything else is down. Reports for the past year or so have been optimistic, but as of yet we've seen no significant turn around. And I realize the point of the article was about bias in media, I'm just making the point that the article may be biased too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Interesting that no one who's replied so far has read the article and evidence, and has just contributed anecdotal evidence about how bad the economy is in their little corner of the town. Tremendous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Because real life doesnt matter...words tell the whole story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Because real life doesnt matter...words tell the whole story. If the economy nationwide is experience the biggest boon since the recovery under Clinton, I think that's a little more important than Paducah, KY losing a few jobs. The study is about how economic news is reported differently based on which party occupies the White House, not whether your city is an accurate microcosm for the national economy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest whitemilesdavis Report post Posted October 7, 2004 And I realize the point of the article was about bias in media, I'm just making the point that the article may be biased too. Notice this point on my earlier post. I read the article, didn't study it for hours. I just find the reports on the great economy, right here at election time, a little suspect. I'm sorry I only live in NC, and not the entire country, but that's all I know for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 well ironically, I have just been informed that my temp assignment is over tomorrow, thus will begin the short search for another job. I had no trouble finding this one, I was only out of work a week prior to it. Data Entry jobs are about the easiest to come back, given you can type. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 The growth of Wal-Mart-esque jobs is absolutely booming. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Well this neighbor three houses down from me doesn't have a job. Of course, he's 10 years old... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 7, 2004 Don't defend that hippie layabout. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jingus 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2004 Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence about how their hometown's economy is booming and the job market is great? Just curious, cuz boy howdy it sucks down here in my area. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CronoT Report post Posted October 8, 2004 Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence about how their hometown's economy is booming and the job market is great? Just curious, cuz boy howdy it sucks down here in my area. You want some real evidence? Okay. I work for Wal-Mart, the biggest stinking corporation in the whole damn world, and right now, direct from the Home Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, no store is allowed to hire any new employees, and all hires must be approved by the District Managers. This hiring freeze has been in affect for almost two months. So, if the largest corporation in the free world is cutting costs, how can the economy be improving? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2004 Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence about how their hometown's economy is booming and the job market is great? Just curious, cuz boy howdy it sucks down here in my area. You want some real evidence? Okay. I work for Wal-Mart, the biggest stinking corporation in the whole damn world, and right now, direct from the Home Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, no store is allowed to hire any new employees, and all hires must be approved by the District Managers. This hiring freeze has been in affect for almost two months. So, if the largest corporation in the free world is cutting costs, how can the economy be improving? Because many words have been typed saying that he economy is splendid... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2004 Here in Canada its Right: National Post (paper) CTV (TV) Toronto Sun (paper) Left: Toronto Star (paper) Macleans (magazine) Centre: Globe and Mail (paper) CBC (TV) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
