Media Bias and Reality

by
Sarah Ross
2004

Edited by Student Name:



Instructor:
Class/Subject:
11May 2014





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Societys window into current affairs lies with the media; they inform the populous about
current events, politics and problems. News media has the ability to sway our judgments,
ideals, and beliefs based on their political views and their advertisers views. Throughout
United States history, media bias has always been present. Because of the increased media
bias over the last twenty years, a continuing divide is growing between liberals and
conservatives, causing political unrest and stagnation. What role has media bias played in
creating the polarization of the American public?
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Media bias was instrumental in the development of the First Amendment. The
conception of freedom of speech began before our nation was formed. In 1735 printer, John
Peter Zenger was tried for seditious libel by the king of England. He published a newspaper
called the New York Weekly Journal that contained biased statements criticizing Governor
William Cosby and the ruling government. Zenger did not write the so called seditious
anonymous articles, but published them. The governor could not squelch the authors so he
imprisoned Zenger. Fortunately, the jury of American yeomen decided that Zenger should
go free. This was the first stepping stone on the road to freedom of the press (Pember, 42-4).
In the years to follow, the printing press was used as a great biased weapon towards the
royal crown. After the revolution, media bias was present in politics. In 1790, Thomas
Jefferson was afraid that citizens that sympathized with the British crown were going to

1
The text box quote is from an Analysis by Tim Goodman in the San Francisco Chronicle 21, September
page 1. It can also be found at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/09/21/MNGET8SAB01.DTL
Caretakers of the press can naval-gaze and chin-stroke themselves silly over
this, but the damage was done to image and credibility that everyone frets over
long before Memogate, [CBS 60 Minutes reporting of forged documents
raising questions about George Bushs National Guard service]
1


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betray the new born government. He backed a friendly newspaper called the National
Gazette to distribute his views on political issues. Jefferson and James Madison hurled
pointed charges at his foes and assembled an influential coalition to oppose what he called
aristocrats and monocrates (Kirn 50). This newspaper was an effective mouth piece for
disseminating Jeffersons bias. The media has always been used by politicians to distribute
political views, propaganda, and ideology.

John Bittner documents the growth of mass media and correlation of media bias in his
book, An Introduction to Mass Communication. The early development of mass media was
dependent on the increased production of paper, improvements in the printing press, and the
development of major transportation systems, which allowed for the distribution of
newspapers and periodicals outside of major cities (Bittner 5). Within days, news could be
spread across the nation. With the introduction of electronic communication such as the
telegraph, the telephone, and the radio, the speed at which people received information was
even faster (Bittner 7). In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a powerful new form of
communication was entering American households. Television was becoming a staple of the

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American households. Television news gained notoriety and respect in the fifties. One of the
most blatant examples of media bias during this time was the communist witch hunt. Anti-
communist propaganda was promoted through the news media by Senator Joseph McCarthy.
This phenomenon created a social panic that ruined careers, incarcerated innocent people,
and created social movements that violated civil liberties (Bittner 121).
As forms of mass media became instant, so did media bias. Until the mid 1980s,
television news broadcasts were 30 to 60 minutes in length during the evening hours. Now
television news is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. News is disseminated at a
rapid pace. Now with the addition of the internet, news and bias is an instantly evolving
information source (Bittner 131). Throughout the progressive movement of communication
during the twentieth century, media bias has always been
present. Currently, the media bias seems to be polarized into two camps; liberals and
conservatives. Pundits, self-claimed political experts, spend hours on news talk shows
delivering their liberal or conservative messages. Many books have been written by these
individuals condemning the opposing views.
An article written by Joe Klein in Time Magazine titled, American Divided? Its
only the blabocrats, brings up the issue that the American public is really only divided
because of their identification with liberal or conservative pundits. Klein calls it a media
induced mirage (27). He cites many surveys that conclude American opinion between the
two camps vary slightly on the issue of gay marriage, abortion, and religion. Most Americans
fall within the moderate category on these issues when asked on a personal level. When the
same Americans are asked about media bias, they separate into the two camps. Klein calls

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pundits creating these divides chair-throwing media yakkers (27). Because of the bias, the
partisan issues are more important than the cultural realities.
The conservatives have many outlets to spread their bias. Ann Coulter, lawyer and
political activist, argues that liberals use the tactic of demonization, rather than truth and
light (13). She gives example after example of how the perceived liberal media refers to
conservatives as stupid, mean, ignorant, and racists. An example of this is when Margaret
Carlson explains that Republicans love of tax cuts is due to a lower IQ (20). Coulter
brings up the fact that publications like the Los Angeles Times were still waving the bloody
shirt a month into the Bush presidency. New York University professor Todd Gitlin wrote
on the op-ed page that if a Gore cousin had been employed at one of the networks he
would have been elected president (93). Coulter describes how the Fox News Channel is
constantly under attack by liberal journalists. Under question is their fair and balanced
coverage of current events. She claims that Fox is a news station unbeholden to the left-
wing orthodoxy, and claims that Fox is a challenge for liberals (95). Liberals try to control
competitive media with nauseating cross-promotions of any and all liberals (116). Coulter
boldly states that liberals have been wrong about everything in the last half century (251).
The reason some Americans take Coulters ideas to heart when actually her views are very
biased is unknown.
Another political pundant is L. Brent Bozell III, founder and president of the Media
Research Center, Americas largest media watchdog organization. He claims that the strong
hold of the liberal bias is coming to an end in his book, Weapons of Mass Distortion: the
Coming Meltdown of the Liberal Media. He founded the media watchdog organization in
order to bring balance and responsibility to the news media (1). Bozell claims that the

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media has always had a liberal bias and a correction needs to be made. Bozell gives
examples of how liberals have double standards when it comes to media bias. Conservatives
are being attacked by the supposedly impartial press corps known as the liberal media (27).
Bozell claims that when conservatives make an aggressive political advancement, they are
criticized. When liberals make a similar advancement it is overlooked. In his book he says
that liberals are free to spout their own personal ideals and not be condemned for it. Ideals
such as gay rights, abortion, and liberal medias non acceptance of religion are key factors.
Bozell states, there is nothing the elite media find more difficult to accept, or tolerate, than
the Christianity practiced by most Americans (103). Not only does the liberal media deny
biased reporting, they also are unable to engage in intelligent debate on the matter (248). In
the conclusion of the book, Bozell says that although the media is being dominated by the
left wing, soon the right wing will take control and the meltdown of the liberal media
will begin (259).
Both Coulter and Bozell argue that media bias is one sided, but actually media bias is
also very apparent in conservative news reporting. Joe Conason, a national correspondent
for the New York Observer reveals that conservatives dominate the political world and over
power liberals in his book Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and how it
Distorts the truth. Conason claims that Conservatives enjoy their virtual monopoly over the
nations political conversation (1). He also claims that liberal voices are fading under the
dominating conservative complaint against them. He cites Rush Limbaugh stating publicly
that theres been a massive change in media in this country over the last 15 years.now it is
2002 and the traditional liberal media monopoly doesnt exist anymore (34). Conasons
book is another example of the great divide in the view of the media in the United States.

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In Al Frankens book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, outlines the idea that
there is a conservative bias to the media. He claims that this bias comes from the motive of
profit. Sensationalized media such as sex, violence, and scandal sells advertising. Franken
points out that is why political coverage is not about policy, but the candidates. An example
of this is the news coverage on The Fox Channel. He claims the owner, Rupert Murdoch, has
turned the news into a profit yielding business.
An example of sensationalized news is the Bill OReilly Show. His chapter on OReilly
is titled Bill OReilly; Lying, Splotchy Bully (65). OReilly continually calls perceived
liberal journalists liars and fabricates information against progressive politicians. When, in
fact, he has misrepresented his party affiliation and experience as a reporter in order to play
down his conservative bias according to Franken. I think Bill OReilly unquestionably has
talent for lying and Ill admit that I find his program entertaining, especially when he runs
circles around a particularly inept guest like a man with a lazy eye and a speech impediment
who comes on The Factor to demand rights for child molesters according to Franken(81).
This type of journalism really sells advertising, but also delivers a false representation of
facts and current events.
COMPARISON OF DEFENSE BUDGETS (Reality of defense support as indicated by budget requests prior to
9/11 is different from that reported by conservatives according to Franken(221).
Regan-Bush Clinton-Gore
Final Budget
Bush-Cheney
First Budget
New tanks requested in
budget
840 0 0
New tactical aircraft
Requested in presidents
budget
399 52 58
New naval ships requested
in presidents budget
40 6 5

The two camps, liberal and conservative, have been actively promoting their campaigns
against the other side for twenty years. The result has been a growing skepticism by the

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American viewer. Robert Samuelson, Political columnists states that we in the news
business think were impartial seekers of the truth, but most Americans think otherwise.
They view us as sloppy, biased and self serving (A21) Cited in his article Bull Market for
Media Bias Samuelson uses data collected by the Pew Research Center on the Publics
Perception on Media Bias. Data collected in 1985 reported that fifty four percent of the
American public felt news organizations usually got their facts right. By 2003 only 38% felt
that way. Over those eighteen years something changed in the trends of news consumption.
In the current Pew Study, American viewing habits are taking a new direction. More and
more people are selecting their news coverage based on their allegiance to liberalism or
conservatism. According to Samuelson, if you are republican and conservative, you listen
to talk radio and watch Fox News Channel. If you are democratic and liberal, you listen to
National Public Radio and watch the News Hour with Jim Lehrer (A21). The problem with
this is that it further separates the American public into the two groups. Samuelson refers to
this as partisan drift. This drift causes the news media to become even more biased based
on the audiences mind-set.
Bruce Bartlett of the National Review agrees with Samuelson's conclusions.
Network news viewer ship among conservatives has fallen over thirty percent in the last ten
years. They are seeking news outlets they perceive as not having a liberal bias. The outcome
of this is what Bartlett calls a wrightward tilt. This shift has made the right-wing news
outlets, such as Fox, seem middle of the road to conservative viewers. The effect is that they
perceive the liberal media as extremely radical, further driving a separation between the two
groups.

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Tim Groseclose and Jeff Mylio conducted the study, A Measure of Media Bias
which measured conservativesview of media bias. They stated that their results show a
very significant liberal bias (Groseclose and Mylio 2). They collected their data by
counting journalists citations and phrases and compared them with members of congress who
used the same language. They concluded that the media is not as conservative as the elected
representatives of the American people. They also reported that Republicans think talk radio
and the Fox News Channel as being mainstream non biased reporting.
According to Ann Coulter, Americans love TV. Its like the voice of God (95).
Unfortunately, this perception has caused a partisan political divide in the population of the
United States. This partisan political divide is creating a huge barrier between the two
camps; conservative and liberal. America as a whole is also being divided into two groups
with completely different perceived ideals and beliefs. Soon this divide will become so large
that the United States will be split with conservatives on one side and liberals on the other.
Excessive biased media has caused a polarization of the American public
Objective media is the only way to fix this problem. If Americans were all given the
same information to dissect and form their opinions, then society would have a similar way
of thinking while keeping their own ideals intact. Media bias will only become worse,
changing history and eventually the future, creating a different reality based on political
views. America is a country where everyone is given the freedom to express their ideals,
beliefs and morals. The publics source for current affairs and events comes from the media.
News media is a powerful force that can sway our judgments, ideals and beliefs. Medias
biased reporting has altered the reality of the populous and has created a different reality

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based on its ideals. It is time that people have the chance to form their own opinions from
objective reporting.

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Work Cited
Bartlett, Bruce. The Economics of Media Bias. The National Review 23 June, 2004
Bozell, Brent L. Weapons of Mass Distortion: The Coming Meltdown of the Liberal Media. New
York, New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2004
Burton, David L. Research on Media Bias The Pew Research Center for the People and the
Press 1997.
Conason, Joe. Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth.
New York, New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2003
Coulter, Ann. Slander: Liberal Lies about the American Right. New York, New York: Three
Rivers Press, 2002
Eveland, William P. and Dhavan V. Shah. The Impact of Individual and Interpersonal Factors
on Perceived News Media Bias. Journal of political psychology 2000: 32-46.
Franken, Al. Lies (and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them): A fair and Balanced Look at the Right.
New York, New York: Dutton, 2003.
Groseclose,Tim, and Milyo, Jeff. A Measure of Media Bias, University of Chicago, Harris
School of Public Policy, Chicago, September 2003.
Kirn, Walter. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Thomas Jefferson. Time Magazine 5 June,
2004: Vol. 164, No.1.
Klein, Joe. America Divided? Its Only the Blabocrats Time Magazine 16 August, 2004.
27.Frankin Al
Samualson, Robert J. Bull Market for Media Bias. The Washington Post 23 June, 2004. A21.