# Media bias?????????



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

*Is the media biased*​
liberal1557.69%conservative830.77%unbiased311.54%


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The media is often blamed for being conservatively biased, and liberally biased. I don't know if I should post this it might just start another argument, but I am interested in what people think. I know many, including myself, might let partisanship cloud our vision. I try not to, but have I failed? About ten years ago the media was given a poll and asked do you consider yourself conservative or liberal. They responded 98% liberal, but that was ten years ago. I realize that the conservatives are making inroads into the media, but where are they now? What are your opinions? I'll try not to whine, I hope everyone will do the same.


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## Storm (Dec 8, 2004)

This is a no brainer..........Did anyone watch the Dan Rather episode attacking President Bush about his military service? There was one source who was a professed Bush hater in Texas, and he turned out to be liar. And CBS ran with the story not stopping for one minute to see if their information was factual. Now we had over 100 witnesses that were with John Kerry in Vietnam who testified that he didn't tell the truth about his military action when he was awarded three purple hearts, and did one major news company do a special on this? Nope, not a one. The reason FOX news is so popular is because all the other major news outlets have a liberal bias. Many Americans including myself want to see both sides of issues and stories.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Plainsman, can't cast a vote since it depends on which media. Rush, Hanity. definitely conservative. ABC. NBC, CBS, left of center. Fox, right of center. Democracy now, left of center. BBC... depends who is in power. It also depends on one's own viewpoint. Strong liberal would think all media is conservative. Storng conservatives think all media is liberal. CSPAN, just the facts, no bias at all.


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## Robert A. Langager (Feb 22, 2002)

Storm said:


> Many Americans including myself want to see both sides of issues and stories.


That is why I stick to NPR and the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Bring it! 
:box: :box: :box:

Let's not forget the admistration's payout of $241,000 to Armstrong Williams to hype no child left behind. Is that liberal bias?

I really don't think that the "liberal" bias is all that it is made out to be. However, it surely is a nice tool to use when the news isn't so peachy for the conservatives. I see traces of liberalism now and then, but then again I see traces of conservatism in the major news outlets too. Remeber when we invaded Iraq? Every outlet was beating its war drums. I heard very little dissent on the issue.

Everyone needs to remeber this:

*The sole purpose of all major news outlets is this: Sell commercial time!*

Hence the soundbite. Who cares what the person actually said. Let's take it out of context so it will be as sensationalistic as possible.

For instance: Remember that kook who didn't want a prayer at the inauguration? Why is that even news? I'm sure we could dredge up some kook that wanted a satanic animal sacrafice for the inauguration. Do we make that news? If it sells commercials, if it gets everyone whipped up. It is one person's opinion (a nobody nonetheless) but now it is headlines.

I know many people that think FOX is the gospel and I find it somewhat sad. Sure they claim to be fair and balanced, but really they try to compensate for the perceived liberal bias of the whole media with just one outlet. It comes off as being way one-sided, at least to me. What I see from FOX in their attempts of being fair and balanced is you get one big obnoxious conservative guy vs. a little, meek, whiny liberal guy to be his whipping boy whilst they "debate" the issues. That is how I see it.

Now ponder this: Many of you lean to the right, now if the media (hypothetically) was truly centrist, would they not appear to be liberal to you? They would be aligned to the left of you, right?

Now FOX, for instance, I see as being way right. Why, because I lean to the left. Now if I was a centrist FOX may not seem so right, right? Put it this way, many of you see FOX as being centered, but really it is centered on your leanings. If you lean right, then FOX must lean right, right?

Truly responsible citizens will seek their news from multiple sources to get all possible sides of an issue before forming their opinions.

Yes, that means that I will go to FOX, CNN, BBC, wherever to formulate what I think is a balanced perception rather than having everything spoonfed to me.

Well, at least we all know now that Spongebob Squarepants is Gay! Thank you Dr. Dobson!

RC


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## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

In my humble opinion, the media is opportunistic, not biased. Robert is absolutely correct in that the job of media (TV, print media, radio, internet) is to sell air time to advertisers. There might be a few true journalists that are still in the business to get the truth to the public, but I don't think that they are in the majority.

Simply put, the media prints or airs stories that they think their clients' customer base wants to hear. That's why we don't hear about the kitty cat caught in the tree.... it's not news.

Perception of bias is very subjective, and I think that all of us mistakenly sense it from time to time.

They other thing to remember, is that people will believe anything if you get enough people to say it often. Modern politics are very much based on soundbites and finding themes that ring true to people. Remember, "flip-flopper", "lock box", and other similar terms? Some shrewd political advisor invented those terms because they knew that the average American would remember them. The same holds true for the term "liberal media". I think that the "liberal media" is a legend invented by Karl Rove or somebody similar. Before long, people accept it as fact.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Conservatives only consider TV when asked this question.Radio,newspapers,and magazines are also media.

Can't find a radio station that is liberal anywhere in the country.

Newspapres and magazines are pretty much split....So I think it is fairly even.


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

I agree that there is some liberal bias in the media, but even on channels which are supposedly far left wing such as MSNBC I am seeing many more conservative points than liberal. I do believe that there is a conservative bias in the media today.


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

I quit watching the major news networks. None of them whether they are liberal, conservative or something else report the news. They too often attempt to make the news.

I used to like CNN but apparently the ad selling thing finally got to them too. Otherwise, why would they switch from reporting on hard news to having segments on such crap as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston and their divorce.

The only newspaper I get is the Bismarck Tribune and that is mainly to keep up on what is going on in the city, county and state government. But they do seem to have a fairly good balance of syndicated columnists that represent conservative and liberal (whatever the heck those terms mean) view points.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Ken,



> Can't find a radio station that is liberal anywhere in the country.


 What about Ed the Red?????????

Excluding Fox I can't find another conservative tv station in the nation!!!!!!!

Tit forTat :wink:  :wink:  :wink:


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Ed isn't on any staion that I can get up here.He is basically a lone voice in the vast wilderness of ultra-conservative radio.

All I can get are....Hendry,Savage,and Limbaugh,who seem to be everywhere.....I'd rather drive in total silence than listen to those way-to- the-right turkeys.....they are so far to the right they have to drive their cars around the block to make a left turn.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

It's biased both ways. Depends on who you're watching, reading or listening to.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I am glad Fox and the EIB have come on so strong. The large national news programs have always been very liberal. I think they are becoming "more" central in their reporting, but they still lean to the left!


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

> Excluding Fox I can't find another conservative tv station in the nation!!!!!!!


Hardly, hell just yesterday I was watching MSNBC which is supposed to be disgustingly liberal, they had 3 conservatives and one moderate liberal. By liberal media do you mean ANY liberals in the media or an overwhelming amount?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

MT

Not sure who you were addressing, but my question would be. Can you see that they are biased at all either direction? I know that a station will change when a different anchor walks on. That is what I was talking about in another post also. Not people like Ann Coulter who are guests and you may see once a month, but anchor people that you see every night on what is news. My question is as a whole does the station (NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, FOX etc) appear slanted, or do they present the news in a fashion that makes you feel it is factual and they have no bias?


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

Plainsman said:


> MT
> 
> Not sure who you were addressing, but my question would be. Can you see that they are biased at all either direction? I know that a station will change when a different anchor walks on. That is what I was talking about in another post also. Not people like Ann Coulter who are guests and you may see once a month, but anchor people that you see every night on what is news. My question is as a whole does the station (NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, FOX etc) appear slanted, or do they present the news in a fashion that makes you feel it is factual and they have no bias?


It was not addressed to anyone, just a statement. As to whether I think they are biased, I really do think that they present about as factual of evidence as possible with no bias. I often watch it expecting to see a lot of liberal comments (based on what the conservatives say here) only to find about half and half as far as the left and right wing views go.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Weedhopper said


> Hardly, hell just yesterday I was watching MSNBC which is supposed to be disgustingly liberal, they had 3 conservatives and one moderate lliberal


Could you give us the names please?????????????


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

zogman said:


> Weedhopper said
> 
> 
> > Hardly, hell just yesterday I was watching MSNBC which is supposed to be disgustingly liberal, they had 3 conservatives and one moderate lliberal
> ...


Nope, damned if I remember. That is a pretty petty remark though.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

I am sorry weedy how can I or anyone for that matter believe you if you make a statement like that and can't back it up. You are your own worst enemy. You can never and I do mean never back anything up. All you spew is :bs:


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

zogman said:


> I am sorry weedy how can I or anyone for that matter believe you if you make a statement like that and can't back it up. You are your own worst enemy. You can never and I do mean never back anything up. All you spew is :bs:


I back up most things I say with fact, apparently because I can't remember the names of the four people yesterday on television I am a liar and I spew BS. I wasn't aware that I would be quizzed on it, next time I will take notes and bring a #2 pencil. Seems to me like you just want to stir up crap.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Interesting article nobody is talking about relating to bias
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/mich ... 0209.shtml


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Need two votes... Will not vote unless I get two votes in this poll!!


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

DUH!!!!!!!!!!! Please explain the need for 2 votes :withstupid:


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