From: PA146008@utkvm1.utk.edu (David Veal)
Subject: Re: Is the media liberal-biased? (was: Weinberger Pardon)
Organization: University of Tennessee Division of Continuing Education
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:45:18 GMT

In article <randall.726535889@seashore> randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes:

>csmith@anaconda.cis.ohio-state.edu (craig edward smith) writes:
>>Americans did not find this incident [Iran-Contra] nearly as scandalous 
>> as the liberal media
>>did. The constant barrage of the media has shaped public opinion somewhat (just
>>as it has made Anita Hill a martyr when the real martyr is Judge Thomas) but
>>Americans still don't think it is that much of a scandal.
>
>
>The charge of "liberal bias" is often made against "the media."  Is it
>true? 
>
>It is true that TV and newspaper reporters tend to be liberal.  A reporter 
>friend of mine says: "Reports are more liberal. That's because we're the 
>best informed."   Whether this leads to bias in reporting is another
>question.  Reporters usually don't choose their own stories: they
>are assigned them.

       Bias very often surfaces in writing whether you intend it to or not.  
A turn of phrase or kinder treatment of one person over another is all it 
takes to change the entire slant of the story.
       Assuming that a bias is not ordered by the editors, which happens 
occasionally.

>To counter the liberal leanings of the reporters, we have these facts:
>
>1) In every Presidental election since 1944, more newspapers endorsed
>the Republican than endorsed the Democrat.  (I do not know what the figures
>are for 1992.)    
>
>
>2) Most radio and TV talk show hosts (the ones who discuss politics)
>are conservative.  The only exception on the national scale is
>Larry King.  (Note than some talk show hosts do not discuss politics at
>all, or simply blast anyone who is currently in office.)

        I don't know about radio talk shows, but I find this incredibly hard 
to believe for national television, depending on what kind of "talk show" 
you're discussing.

>3) Most TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers are owned by
>Republicans.

       Most objections I've heard regarding "liberal" media revolve around 
what are essentially a very small number of "national" media sources.  The 
major networks, Newspapers with national circulation (such as the New York 
Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today).  Both local newspapers and 
local television stations (which make up most of them) involve themselves 
primarily with local issues, and leave national and world news to the 
networks and wire services.  Most complaints involve national and world news,
not local news.

>4) Editorial writers in major newspapers, as well as TV editorial
>commentators, tend to be conservative.

        I don't agree here.  There seems to a fairly good mix as far as 
commentary and opinion go.  But people aren't objecting to commentary and 
opinion, but bias in *news*.

>In other words, I think that things are balanced.  The reporters
>tend to be liberal, but their bosses tend to be conservative.  

       Owners does not equal bosses.  Bosses in news tend to be editors, who 
tend to be grown-up reporters.

>I find
>that news reporting tends to be balanced, not favoring one side or
>the other.   Whatever liberal bias there is in reporting is balanced
>by conservative bias in the media ownership and editorializing.
>
>I do not believe that the extensive coverage of Iran-Contra had anything
>to do with "liberal bias". 

        Probably not.  The media can't resist once they've smelled blood.

        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Veal               University of Tennessee Div. of Cont. Education
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PA146008@utkvm1.utk.edu  (Mail to VEAL@utkvm1.utk.edu will bounce.)
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