NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you feel that the mainstream media in your country (this includes major television networks, newspapers, magazines, and online publications) has a political bias in its reporting, disregarding editorial writers? If so, what sort of bias, and how is this evident? I've yet to see sheer examples of a liberal media bias in the U.S., as its been alleged, even after reading numerous diatribes on it, nor have I seen evidence for a conservative media bias either. The only bias I have seen is that towards hyperbole in order to attract consumers.

What are your thoughts?

The media is biased toward stupidity.

The good thing being from a 'unimportant' country (in this case Switzerland) brings is that the media is less biased when it comes to the 'big' issues. We don't have to support the Americans side, neither the EU's nor the Muslims'. That not too bad, actually. The only thing where I can see the Swiss media being biased, is economically: if you try to screw our tax laws and banking laws...you won't be well received by the media. ;) Internally, the media landscape is still diverse enough (although that diversification is shrinking as anywhere else) to actually pick up a few different papers to read a few differing opinons. Accross the language-borders you always have dissenting opinons anyway, which is strongly reflected by the media.

The good thing being from a 'unimportant' country (in this case Switzerland) brings is that the media is less biased when it comes to the 'big' issues. We don't have to support the Americans side, neither the EU's nor the Muslims'. That not too bad, actually. The only thing where I can see the Swiss media being biased, is economically: if you try to screw our tax laws and banking laws...you won't be well received by the media. ;) Internally, the media landscape is still diverse enough (although that diversification is shrinking as anywhere else) to actually pick up a few different papers to read a few differing opinons. Accross the language-borders you always have dissenting opinons anyway, which is strongly reflected by the media.

OMG YOU'RE SWISS!!!!

Didn't Colbert get that one right?

I think our media here in NZ is pretty good. Doesn't seem to be too biased.

The good thing being from a 'unimportant' country (in this case Switzerland) brings is that the media is less biased when it comes to the 'big' issues. We don't have to support the Americans side, neither the EU's nor the Muslims'. That not too bad, actually. The only thing where I can see the Swiss media being biased, is economically: if you try to screw our tax laws and banking laws...you won't be well received by the media. ;) Internally, the media landscape is still diverse enough (although that diversification is shrinking as anywhere else) to actually pick up a few different papers to read a few differing opinons. Accross the language-borders you always have dissenting opinons anyway, which is strongly reflected by the media.
I've always wanted to open a swizz bank account. I've always seen them in movies and they just seem so cool and stealthly. How can I get one?

I've always wanted to open a swizz bank account. I've always seen them in movies and they just seem so cool and stealthly. How can I get one?

SAME SAME!!

...Like in Da Vinci Code!

Do you feel that the mainstream media in your country (this includes major television networks, newspapers, magazines, and online publications) has a political bias in its reporting, disregarding editorial writers? If so, what sort of bias, and how is this evident? I've yet to see sheer examples of a liberal media bias in the U.S., as its been alleged, even after reading numerous diatribes on it, nor have I seen evidence for a conservative media bias either. The only bias I have seen is that towards hyperbole in order to attract consumers.

What are your thoughts?I will help a little by pointing out Cal Thomas when it comes to conservative bias.
On his audio short at noon on the radio, his show ends with a plea for money to be contributed to his political agenda group "Values Through Media".

And since he's a FauX mainstay, i'd say that says something significant in the way of what you're asking for.

Just walk into any bank in Switzerland and open an account. There's nothing special about a Swiss bank account...except that they don't give out your information unless there is an ongoing investigation (i.e., the invastigators can't look into the account to proof your evil...they have to proof your evil to look into your account).

Well, sort of Swiss. Never felt really patriotic about it.....

Unfortunately yes the media is biased. When you look at there really isn't a way to make it un-biased because of the way the media as an entity has become. The reporting would need to spend hours of broadcasting showing both sides views with the highest credible people representing both sides, with a clear cut equal amount of time, the exact same questions, and reporting in the same conditions as the other one was reported in. Thats pretty darn hard given the dynamic nature of a story. You can do it in writing which BBCNews has done on its internet site, what I say is a very thorough coverage of the palestine-israel ordeal. It devotes some 50 long webpages on that topic alone. very good source.

In the US, I'll use CNN, network news vs. Fox in the case of the middle east. cause its easy to explain.

Many would say that CNN and network news are liberal because it shows stories AND airtime of the death of American soldiers, all the bombings of the innocent, showing dispair. It would also highlight the growing unrest of oil and relation to Iran and Syria. okay fine, that IS happening. The point where it goes biased is where it shows these images in excess that you don't see anything else. This is were FOXNews steps in. It goes out of the way to show more of the images that are what the US administartion had hoped would result from its efforts such as the uncovering of 500 rockets in Iraq with weapon grade chemcials (albeit dated back to 1990) buried in the sand some 100 miles outside baghdad or the military rebuilding schools and giving medical aid to civilians. By doing this however, it gets labeld as the news source having being aligned with the "right-wing conservatives" and thus labeling them conservative. The other reason why it ges labled conservative is because of its editorials, but the reason there are so many of the conservative editorials on FOX is because there are hardly any on the other networks. Although CNN has stepped in the right direction taking on Glenn Beck which has brought back credibility to CNN for me. but then again that deals with editorials and thats not the issue here.

As Bernard Goldberg (former CBS news-correspondent and registered democrat as he claims himself to be) said," Had the major media networks done their job, you wouldn't have had your O'Reliy Factors and ...". In other words, if the networks would show more of the things that were not death and destuction to have happened, you wouldn't have had the resulting FOXNews extreme drive to show more of the right-wing view point.

This style of reporting doesn't exist only in war, but in economic, healthcare, environment issues etc. Read Bernard Goldberg's book "Bias". If anyone really understands the book, he is not trying to be a conservative. He is trying to point out the fact that network news reporters (specifically CBS) do not make enough efforts to get credible spokes persons or fair airtime coverage (meaning the otherside's view) of the stories they broadcast. You'd be surprised to learn that many university economic professors would tell you that lowering taxes for an ecomony is very good for it. You already hear bout the positivies of gov spending on health care and education, but you hardly ever hear the good that lowering taxes could do. Why?

Another thing I should point out is that on this poll it doesn't take into account if you area liberal or conservative or libertarian etc. Cause your own personal stance will effect this polling.

The media are only as liberal as the enormous corporations that own them.

So...what liberal bias again?

Where is the "Yes, they are biased towards money" option? The mainstream media loves to sell controversy.

Where is the "Yes, they are biased towards money" option? The mainstream media loves to sell controversy.
HAH! Right on. Right on the money, even.

I agree to that. The modern day media is driven by money and ratings. So what you see is depends on who you're trying to get to watch.

The media are only as liberal as the enormous corporations that own them.

So...what liberal bias again?


We are talking CONTENT here not ownership which has almost nothing to do with anything. Look at what their product. Everytime the Jobs report comes out - if there have been a lot of jobs created they feel the need to emphasise that it will spur inflation or some other negative spin on it. When it is just fair - The economy is slowing down and we are all doomed.

They made up the "it's just about sex" lie that the left parrots to this day in regards to Clinton committing perjury.

They emphasize the bad - and even make it up while completely ignoring the good that is absolutely happening in Iraq.

The act as the intelligence arm for Al-Qaeda.

They don't cover the absolute loons on the protest marches - a larger percentage than most would think, They find someone who is dressed OK and can say two words without breaking into a hissy fit about neocon conspiracies.

They willingly aid and abet the prosecution of Republicans accused of phoney crimes and cover up or minimize those of the Democrats. We got a years worth of headlines on Ronnie Earle and Tom Delay - when no crime was committed - the law did not exist. Yet when it is discovered that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi did the same things - to a greater extent than Delay, it gets one single mention in the back pages of the local paper. Not to mention the fact that when we have on film, a Democrat accepting a bribe, they bury that story.

In the UK the media is very obviously biased, but in all directions. No matter what your political leaning you can find a newspaper or TV news to suit you. For instance, our tabloids are somewhat right-wing on issues such as immigration, homosexuality, education etc, but appeal to trade unionists on an economic front, support the principle of the NHS while fiercely criticising how the government have been handling it.

On the other hand we have economically-right, central and left-wing broadsheets. Pick one to suit you, it will be less sensationalist which ever way.

The TV news tends to be fairly unbiased, but with varying levels of sesationalism depending on channel. The BBC can be a tad biased toward the government (because they are subsidised by it) and when they do go againt them the government make a big stink about it (David Kelly, Hutton enquiry etc.)

So, I can't really vote in the poll. There needs to be a "both" option and an option for "money", because that is a factor. The tabloids produce the tripe they do because they know it will sell, they are biased towards frighteningly popular opinions.

The vast majority is slightly to moderately Liberally (From our definition of it) bias, however, this is counter balanced by the one OMFG it's biased toward conservatives FOX news. I voted for Liberal out of sheer numbers, but with the influence of FOX it's really not that bad.

Over here the mainstream media is pretty right-wing. I mean, Murdoch owns half of it... :p

Do you feel that the mainstream media in your country (this includes major television networks, newspapers, magazines, and online publications) has a political bias in its reporting, disregarding editorial writers? If so, what sort of bias, and how is this evident? I've yet to see sheer examples of a liberal media bias in the U.S., as its been alleged, even after reading numerous diatribes on it, nor have I seen evidence for a conservative media bias either. The only bias I have seen is that towards hyperbole in order to attract consumers.

What are your thoughts?

There are always biases. A good news source and news agency is not unbiased. It has a slight enough bias that one an filter it out easily and get to the meat of the story. Then form ones own bias. :)

Some biases are too strong. They can't be filtered out, or take too much work to filter out. In such cases, the biggest fans of that news source are those people with a similar bias.

Are there ANY media that is not biased?

We are talking CONTENT here not ownership which has almost nothing to do with anything. Look at what their product. Everytime the Jobs report comes out - if there have been a lot of jobs created they feel the need to emphasise that it will spur inflation or some other negative spin on it. When it is just fair - The economy is slowing down and we are all doomed.

They made up the "it's just about sex" lie that the left parrots to this day in regards to Clinton committing perjury.

They emphasize the bad - and even make it up while completely ignoring the good that is absolutely happening in Iraq.

The act as the intelligence arm for Al-Qaeda.

They don't cover the absolute loons on the protest marches - a larger percentage than most would think, They find someone who is dressed OK and can say two words without breaking into a hissy fit about neocon conspiracies.

They willingly aid and abet the prosecution of Republicans accused of phoney crimes and cover up or minimize those of the Democrats. We got a years worth of headlines on Ronnie Earle and Tom Delay - when no crime was committed - the law did not exist. Yet when it is discovered that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi did the same things - to a greater extent than Delay, it gets one single mention in the back pages of the local paper. Not to mention the fact that when we have on film, a Democrat accepting a bribe, they bury that story.
And from which "liberal" news outlet did you hear all of this tripe -- and who is "they"? If you haven't got any real examples and can't point them out and instead just say "they", what you're saying is little more than suspicion and conjecture.

See, this is the problem with corporate news. Instead of reporting objectively, the news is spun to suit the taste of the demographic. Fox? Right. PBS/NPR? Left. Both sides have their talking points and both sides air them via their own specified news outlets. Don't like the news? Change the station until you do.

Look at any major issue, and I will guarantee that you'll be able to find two news sources that are reporting completely opposite takes on it. Worse still, punditry has all but obscured the line between factual reporting and complete and utter spin. Rush and Bill and Ann and Al and everyone presents their version of "the truth" and it's ALWAYS tailored to their audience's views. Why else would they never admit they were wrong -- on either side?