Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Media bias finally given a number....

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005, Spurling, Shannon wrote:

> This is really interesting, and it has a home town spin! 
> http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664

That is definitely worth reading and thinking about.  Previous studies 
that I have read have not found bias in the news media, but I will have to 
compare different studies' methods to see what might cause differences 
between studies.  I hope we will hear a lot of debate about the merits of 
this study.

It seems to me that if the left-wing of Congress goes to the "loony left" 
then the media would be rated as more conservative, and if the right-wing 
of Congress becomes ultra-extreme-conservative, then the media will be 
rated as more liberal.  In other words, the news media are being measured 
in this study using the politicians as the yardstick.  If the politicians 
become more conservative, and the news media don't change, then the news 
media will be rated as liberal in this kind of study.  But is that what we 
want to know?

One thing I like:  PBS's "Lehrer News Hour" comes out as essentially 
unbiased.  If you watch these people you will learn that you cannot tell 
what they are thinking and what their political orientations are.  They 
seem to just want to get the facts.  I have been watching their show daily 
for more than a year now and I highly recommend it (again!).  They let all 
the Bush snake-oil salesmen have their say along with the real experts.

Liberalism/conservatism is in the eye of the beholder and I'm sure that 
the conservative readership of MLUG will think there is a liberal slant in 
the PBS news and liberals will find a conservative slant.  Several studies 
have shown that kind of bias.

Mike

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