NationStates Jolt Archive

We all know that everyone claims (justfied or not) that news outlets are biased against us. We never mention if they are biased and sympathetic to our own views, but that's another matter...;)

So I thought we might try and find the least biased, most neutral news site around, so that in future threads, and just general discussions we can use that site as link or reference.

So here are the criteria:
It's gotta be in English. The debates here are in English, and it's not worth the hassle of translating everything.
It's gotta be a proper news site, with archives and a search function. Blogs don't count.
It shouldn't require membership or something like that to access the stories. I know that a number of them, like the Washinton Post or NY Times need you to log on first, and I assume we don't want that.

So I'm thinking you post a candidate, and everyone visits it and sees whether it is biased or not, and how strongly. Maybe we can use a scale like this:

++++0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
+++Left+++Neutral++++Right

You give it a score, and in the end we see whether we can find the least biased site - and maybe we'll learn something about the nature of media bias, and our perception of it as well.

I'll start off with the Spiegel, a long-running and quite popular magazine from Germany. It also offers an English site.
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/

4...

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage

The Onion (http://www.theonion.com/content/index)

Well, if non-English is non grata, then I won't post anything.

Who the hell reads news only in English? That is so myopic.

The Onion (http://www.theonion.com/content/index)
In all reality, it probably is the most neutral "news" source out there.

Who the hell reads news only in English? That is so myopic.
The problem is that no one else can see what non-English sites write. You could theoretically make up stuff, and no one could know.

WTF? A big Gecko just walked over my screen! I better not touch it, they bite...

Throwing this out...

http://www.nick.com/all_nick/tv_supersites/nick_news/?_requestid=710644

Nick News! ;)

The problem is that no one else can see what non-English sites write. You could theoretically make up stuff, and no one could know.

Umm, people can speak more languages than English, you know...

Who the hell reads news only in English? That is so myopic.
I'm guessing that people who can only read english read news in english only.

Hell, I can read french, but if I can find the news article in english, I'll be reading that instead. My english is a hell of a lot better than my french.

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
Yeah, this one isn't so much left vs right, that's true. Not always neutral, but I would give their English site a 3.5 or so.

The Onion (http://www.theonion.com/content/index)
Hmmm...it's gotta be real news I'm afraid. How else can I use it in a debate? ;)

4...

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
SHIT! As IF! -25 !!

I'm guessing that people who can only read english read news in english only.

That is sad. And no less myopic.

Umm, people can speak more languages than English, you know...
Some do...but many don't. And I don't speak Swedish.

If we were going to also use non-English ones I would use Die Zeit (http://www.zeit.de/) - but really, who other than me can use it? (Besides the other Germans, who usually agree with me anyways)

SHIT! As IF! -25 !!
Like...Really!?!? Ohhhhhh my gawd!!!

I missed having random scuffles with you, Eutrusca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!

Like...Really!?!? Ohhhhhh my gawd!!!

I missed having random scuffles with you, Eutrusca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!
Too bad. I've reformed and am now a far left, anti-war, anti-military, anti-US, radical. I intend to vote for Hillary come 2008. :p

Like...Really!?!? Ohhhhhh my gawd!!!

I missed having random scuffles with you, Eutrusca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!
Too bad. I've reformed and am now a far left, anti-war, anti-military, anti-US, radical. I intend to vote for Hillary come 2008. :p

If we were going to also use non-English ones I would use Die Zeit (http://www.zeit.de/) - but really, who other than me can use it? (Besides the other Germans, who usually agree with me anyways)

Umm, we who have taken German in school and those of us who speak it? Well, mine isn't all that great, but I can understand a newspaper in it. You're selling people short.

Spiegel gets a 4 from me.

Some stories are rather Left-ish:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,385044,00.html
Gulf Coast Slaves
By Roberto Lovato in New Orleans and Gulfport, Miss.

Halliburton and its subcontractors hired hundreds of undocumented Latino workers to clean up after Katrina -- only to mistreat them and throw them out without pay.

And others are kinda right-wing stuff:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,384155,00.html
A Technocrat Riding a Wild Tiger
By Andreas Lorenz

Despite his visit to Germany this week, President Hu Jintao is less cosmopolitan than previous Chinese leaders. The technocrat and head of the Communist Party is striving to modernize the world's most populous country while keeping a tight grip on civil liberties.

Google News Aggregator (http://news.google.com/) - 4 by default

Asia Times (http://www.atimes.com/) is pretty ballanced 4/5. (I like this (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GK15Aa01.html) article...)

Foreign Policy (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=09ea5a1b2efdf935ebdf9e37be2013b1) rates a 5 or 6

Reason (http://www.reason.com/)is a 3/4/5/6 depending on the issue

International Libertarianisim (http://www.freewebs.com/libertarianinternational/libnews.htm) 3 to some 6 to others.

No such thing as One Site to Rule them All.... ;)

In all reality, it probably is the most neutral "news" source out there.

But of course!

Hmmm...it's gotta be real news I'm afraid. How else can I use it in a debate? ;)

What, you base your arguments on fact?? Pshaw...

How could you people leave out THE BEST NEWS SOURCE EVER? (http://www.chucknorris.com/)

Too bad. I've reformed and am now a far left, anti-war, anti-military, anti-US, radical. I intend to vote for Hillary come 2008. :p
and I am now far right! anti-abortion, anti-terrorist, anti-arab, anti-workers, anti-Earth, anti-anti-U.S.! I intend to develop a private stock of thermonuclear weapons and hold the world ransom come 2008. :eek:

Umm, we who have taken German in school and those of us who speak it? Well, mine isn't all that great, but I can understand a newspaper in it. You're selling people short.
Has anyone ever told you that you bitch more than anyone they've ever met?
If anyone ever asks you that again, you can now officially say yes.

Yet you still like making DPs...that's Double Posts, perverts

In the US, the only possible candidate is PBS. I also like BBC for world news. Most US news organizations don't bother with international news unless it has a direct link to the US.

There are a few "good news" small publications, like "Capper's Weekly".

Yet you still like making DPs...that's Double Posts, perverts

Double penetration of the General Forum...

I would say we should also rate the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/) and CNN (http://www.cnn.com/). People told me they are evil left-wing anti-US ones, so just open the title page and find the most left-wing and the most right-wing headline and make a decision.

Has anyone ever told you that you bitch more than anyone they've ever met?
If anyone ever asks you that again, you can now officially say yes.

You being no one, I can't.

You being no one, I can't.
That was just weak *hands you a bitch booster pill*

That was just weak *hands you a bitch booster pill*

With you even the weak stuff suffices. Don't merit and are not really worth better.

With you even the weak stuff suffices. Not really worth it.
Calm down you two, you're hijacking.

Feel free, Fass, to post links to news sites in langages other than English, but you can't realistically expect them to find the kind of broad consensus I'm optimistically hoping for.

Sorry Leo. Fass just seems to never have anything nice to say to people, and I think it's a bit annoying. But she's entitled to her opinion, I guess.

That is sad. And no less myopic.
Stop saying myopic!

So that's why I'm finding your sexuallity oddly attractive tonight? :fluffle:

That reflects worse on you, you know, being a poor bottom.

Tsk, tsk, breeders and their confused attempts at gay allusions... :rolleyes:

Stop saying myopic!

Closed-minded and short-sighted, then.

Closed-minded and short-sighted, then.
Better. If need be, ignorant may suffice.

Sorry Leo. Fass just seems to never have anything nice to say to people, and I think it's a bit annoying. But she's entitled to her opinion, I guess.

Fass is a girl?? :eek:

Fass is a girl?? :eek:
No.

No.

O...kay...
*goes back to lurking*

Fass is a girl?? :eek:

Unless something happened in the past few weeks, I don't think so. :confused:

Of course, it's possible that Fass is actually a woman and has carefully contructed a male persona in the Internet...if that were true, I'd be amazed.

Not sure how to put this, but I've found the content of the BBC radio news to be different in subtle ways from the BBC on the Web or TV.

I have found the BBC Radio to be far more neutral (over all) than just about anything.

That, and the show The Interview is ruthless to all - I listened one morning as the woman peeled apart the Public Relations Minister for Bethlehem (a Palestinian official). He got the softball treatment on NPR (they commiserated with him). But the BBC woman had interviewed his three children (who hated what he was doing), and other locals. She had him squirming hard to defend the flight of Christians from the town (they had been harassed by Islamic militants). He was trying so hard to say the town was safe (it was not) and that Christians are welcome (maybe foreign ones with money, but not local Christians).

At the end, he was clearly surprised and exasperated. I expect anyone interviewed (whether I like them or not) to go through the wringer like that - and I view any softball treatment as bias.

Wish I could remember the woman reporter's name. She's tough on EVERYONE.

But she's entitled to her opinion, I guess.

I see what you did there - used a feminine pronoun to refer to me, thinking it's negative to be associated with the feminine.

Such comedic "wit."

Unless something happened in the past few weeks, I don't think so. :confused:

Of course, it's possible that Fass is actually a woman and has carefully contructed a male persona in the Internet...if that were true, I'd be amazed.

I haven't seen enough of Fass' posts to be sure, but I assumed it was a guy. Then SN said "she" and "her" with such certainty, it threw my whole world out of balance...

I see what you did there - used a feminine pronoun to refer to me, thinking it's negative to be associated with the feminine.

Such comedic "wit."
Using a misogynistic view on women and ergo a insult to your sexuality by association. Whodda thunk it?

I haven't seen enough of Fass' posts to be sure, but I assumed it was a guy. Then SN said "she" and "her" with such certainty, it threw my whole world out of balance...

Does it matter if Fass is female or male?

Sick Nightmares, you confused the newbie! Shame on you! :p

Does it matter if Fass is female or male?

Yes.

Using a misogynistic view on women and ergo a insult to your sexuality by association. Whodda thunk it?

Not I, on account of its, oh, so novel esprit.

It only matters if Fass is a female if "she" was hot :p

But I say the Daily Show is most unbiased. At least the funniest.

Using a misogynistic view on women and ergo a insult to your sexuality by association. Whodda thunk it?
HEY NOW! Misogynistic? I love women! They are one of my 4 basic food groups, along with aluminum, gravy, and the tears of babies.

Just for Fass, News in Russian (www.pravda.ru).
Now, summarize This Article (http://pravda.ru/accidents/21/96/383/16436_sect.html), if you are such a "M4573R 0F L4NGU4G35" who can apparently read newspaper's regardless of script.

I submit www.cbc.ca/news.

I would give it a 4. There is a left-wing bias in the opinions, but generally speaking their facts are accurate. I recall a quote describing the "bias" of the CBC: "Conservatives think we support the Liberals, the Liberals think we support the NDP, and the NDP think we support the Conservatives."

Their opinion articles (Viewpoint) are provided by a wide range of writers, including a soldier serving in Afghanistan; Rex Murphy, who lambasts everyone frequently;scientists;doctors;teachers;farmers;Tom Velk, whose (right-wing) opinions make me froth at the mouth; and others, including ex-pats.

Even the Fraser Institute (a right-wing think tank), in writing an article lambasting the CBC for being left-leaning, tip-toed around the fact that even they had to recognize that the majority of the CBC's articles were objectively neutral - it was the minority remainder that was more left than right. And the Fraser Institute is pretty picky over negative interpretation of right wing issues.

http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/CanadianGarrisonMentality.pdf

Not sure how to put this, but I've found the content of the BBC radio news to be different in subtle ways from the BBC on the Web or TV.

I agree that of the three, BBC radio is most neutral, although from what I've seen BBC News on TV and web do a pretty good job of remaining neutral and objective.

I try not to hold it against them that any article they have on Canada almost always makes us look bad. :D

Just for Fass, News in Russian (www.pravda.ru).
Now, summarize This Article (http://pravda.ru/accidents/21/96/383/16436_sect.html), if you are such a "M4573R 0F L4NGU4G35" who can apparently read newspaper's regardless of script.
*Notes that babelfish just got a hit from Sweden*

Just for Fass, News in Russian (www.pravda.ru).
Now, summarize This Article (http://pravda.ru/accidents/21/96/383/16436_sect.html), if you are such a "M4573R 0F L4NGU4G35" who can apparently read newspaper's regardless of script.

It seems to be about methods of controlling (or perhaps the better word is mastering, or even going beyond?) anger, and what effects it, such as being tired and/or depressed.

While I'll be the first one to say that Russian is not my forte in any sense, the Serbo-Croatian of my father's parents helps a lot. Lucky for me, Sweden offers education in "home language" in schools to children who have at least one parent who speaks another language at home, and I had the opportunity to learn Cyrillic through that programme, since my father was very keen on not letting me miss out on speaking to his parents.

Now, see, this is a multilingual forum. Just because you may not think others can appreciate links in other languages, perhaps because you cannot yourself, does not mean that they won't.

Now, see, this is a multilingual forum. Just because you may not think others can appreciate links in other languages, perhaps because you cannot yourself, does not mean that they won't.
My understanding of Russian is minimal, but it seems that doesn't matter because, as Sick pointed out, Babel Fish has a Russian to Broken English option. Still, that would be worthless were we arguing about something in which details (such as Controlling vs. Mastering) can make the difference between right and wrong.

Whatever, the point I was trying to make is that while, yes, this may be a multilingual forum, but everyone here has some command of English. Not everyone here has any command of Russian, German, French, Spanish, Greek, Arabic Script, etc. Therefore, when choosing a communal information resource it makes the most sense to pick a resource that all can share easily.

Whatever, the point I was trying to make is that while, yes, this may be a multilingual forum, but everyone here has some command of English. Not everyone here has any command of Russian, German, French, Spanish, Greek, Arabic Script, etc. Therefore, when choosing a communal information resource it makes the most sense to pick a resource that all can share easily.

Why preclude other sources, then? You can have English as well as non-English sources listed here. Adding sources in other languages here does not affect the English ones at all - the "ban" on links to non-English sites is frivolous. The OP may not be able to enjoy them, but other people that can understand them will.

Why preclude other sources, then? You can have English as well as non-English sources listed here. Adding sources in other languages here does not affect the English ones at all - the "ban" on links to non-English sites is frivolous. The OP may not be able to enjoy them, but other people that can understand them will.
Well, I suppose the answer there is to ignore the OP? I posted Pravda, and they are bat-shit insane and in Russian. Basically, I defied the whole purpose of the thread with one post.
Anyway, since when has the OP ever had anything to with its thread? The original post just serves as a place holder and something for people to bicker about until the thread either dies on the second page, or turns towards the sex, violence and politics that NSers seem to crave arguing about.

In all reality, it probably is the most neutral "news" source out there.

ive never heard of the onion..will do a google in a moment.

however,my 2 cents...i kinda usually only listen to npr(national public radio)

i understand from some of my more right leaning friends that they are pawns of the left,which i dont find at all.
possibly they havent bothered to listen to them and the kneejerk reaction is passed along.

by the way,i am a centrist in most things..a little right leaning in matters of national security/taxes/biz...and a bit to the left on most things social.(except naany state nonsense)by social..i mean the gov has no biz in my biz.:fluffle:

Oddly enough, the German to English translation of Fass is "barrel"
Sick Nightmares comes out as "Crimp Nightmares"
And as if it could be any other way, Fiddlebottoms just stays the same. I smell a Chuck Norris conspiricy, Fiddles! :mp5:

Sick Nightmares comes out as "Crimp Nightmares"
What? That program sucks.

It would be "Kranke Alpträume".

Oddly enough, the German to English translation of Fass is "barrel"

Interestingly, it is also a connotation for a stocky, fat person, IIRC, something one of the German threads had fun with a while back.

Fass, in Swedish, is an acronym for "Farmaceutiska Specialiteter i Sverige."

Bump.

And hopefully we can stay on topic this time.

"Farmaceutiska Specialiteter i Sverige."

So I can start calling you PDR?

I personally find the BBC very objective. I regularly watch BBC World and sometimes listen to BBC World Service. It's also one of the very few English language news sources that bothers to try and cover international news properly.

I also agree that it's stupid to assume that everyone only speaks English on this forum and thus limits their news sources to English-language news sources.

I think the best major news agency for a lack of bias is AFP.

I personally find the BBC very objective. I regularly watch BBC World and sometimes listen to BBC World Service. It's also one of the very few English language news sources that bothers to try and cover international news properly.
I think people assume the BBC is biased because of the whole David Kelly affair (for those of you with short memory, he was the UK's weapons expert who told the BBC that the WMD dossier had been 'sexed up' - the government then leaked his identity to the press and he committed suicide, and then the 'independent' Lord Hutton appointed by the government to investigate said that it was all the BBC's fault).

Anyway, I think the BBC's online news archive is the best on the internet, and after seeing Jeremy Paxman tear into left-wing interviewees I don't think the BBC can really be accused of having a left-wing bias.

http://www.wn.com and http://www.bbc.com

I don't know about any of these so-called "news sources." I get all my news from The Onion.

So I can start calling you PDR?

No, but you may still call me Fass or by my real name, if you're one of the people here I've told my real name.

and I am now far right! anti-abortion, anti-terrorist, anti-arab, anti-workers, anti-Earth, anti-anti-U.S.! I intend to develop a private stock of thermonuclear weapons and hold the world ransom come 2008. :eek:
ROFLMFAO!!!! :D

... turns towards the sex, violence and politics that NSers seem to crave arguing about.
Yayyy! :D