News Media Bias: Do You Know What's Really Going On?

Technology makes the instantaneous and virtually ubiquitous observation of world events possible, but evidence of bias in the news media can make you wonder whether you can believe what you see and hear. World news is being transmitted by a global media, through a prism of sometimes deliberate and sometimes inadvertent bias.

The most timely and blatant example of bias in the media continues to be the coverage of President Obama, which began in earnest during his presidential campaign and has gathered momentum ever since. The mainstream media’s favoritism for Barack Obama during the general election was even more egregious than that alleged by the Hillary Clinton campaign during the democratic primary. Studies show that candidate Obama received more media coverage overall than other candidates and much less negative press than his opponents. The media’s extraordinary deference to the president often makes us wonder if the media is acting more as an eager extension of his public relations team than as a group of supposedly impartial journalists. They appear to be advocating rather than reporting on the president’s activities.

Members of the media would have us believe that the appearance of bias is a figment of our imaginations, but do not publicize the fact that more than a third of them identify themselves as liberal compared to less than ten percent who claim a conservative orientation. The media also does not readily admit that most journalists tend to vote emphatically democratic, and have done so for decades. Most interesting, however, is that although they fail to see bias in themselves, more than two-thirds of reporters, editors, producers, and executives of mainstream media outlets readily agree that Fox News is decidedly conservative. Are we really supposed to believe that the media’s obvious orientation toward liberal ideas and democratic candidates has no bearing on its objectivity? You may draw your own conclusions.

In addition to the obvious lopsided political orientation of the media generally, mounting commercial pressures in journalism are also causing many media sources to succumb to sensationalism in order to capture market share, attain popularity in ratings and ultimately to make profits. Is it any wonder that we question the integrity of our news media?

Bias takes many forms. Facts may be distorted in news stories or may be conveniently omitted. Newsworthy stories may be completely excluded from newspapers or TV programs or buried so far back in printed media, or so late in televised programs to insure that they are glossed over or missed altogether. Other sources of bias may be less obvious, such as when stories load up with expert testimony to support one viewpoint, or when stories use language to “spin” the facts to favor one side over another.

What is the average person to do in order to get to the truth? First, know the difference between news commentary or editorials and the news itself. The former is, by definition, opinion and likely to be biased; the latter is supposed to offer a balanced view of all sides of a story. Unfortunately, traditional news outlets, such as The New York Times, NBC, and many others, have blurred the line between traditional news reporting and opinionated commentary. On cable TV, chances are high that if a “news program” is interesting and entertaining, it is probably news commentary. Offerings such as “Hardball,” with Chris Matthews and “Hannity’s America,” with Sean Hannity are examples.

Second, ascertain the most knowledgeable sources and focus on individuals who substantiate their viewpoints with concrete examples or experience. I have found only a handful of politicians, government officials, industry experts, and media pundits that actually provide thoughtful insight and meaningful perspective on topics and issues. (Many commentators speak in generalities, make non-committal comments or repeat the mainstream view.) Verify the credibility of the sources you choose by researching their backgrounds and their affiliations on the internet. Understanding their backgrounds and professional ties may help you to verify expertise and identify conflicts of interest that may bias a source’s perspective on a topic.

Third, limit your news venues, such as newspapers, televised programs or internet-based media, to those offering the most substance and a broad range of perspectives. In addition, for national political, economic and societal matters, you should consider viewing C-SPAN, which televises congressional hearings, important speeches and other events on numerous topics. Although a time-inefficient medium, C-SPAN provides a valuable opportunity to hear directly from people creating the news, without the filter of a third party.

These are difficult times and decisions are being made today by our leaders that will have a far-reaching and profound effect on our lives for many years to come. As citizens of a free democracy, we have both a right and an obligation to get to the truth.