|
|
|
|
cherylpf
crazy cat lady
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 17305
|
| Back to top
|
|
 Posted: 06/24/05 - 09:26 Post subject: Media, journalism and bias
Its always tossed around here that various media sources are biased in an assortment of ways. I think its worthy of its own topic.
Does does an unbiased media source exist? If so, where? Should it exist? What is bias? What do you expect from your news?
|
|
|
|
|
phillycat
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 1953
Location: Da hood
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 09:28 Post subject: Re: Media, journalism and bias
| cherylpf wrote: | Its always tossed around here that various media sources are biased in an assortment of ways. I think its worthy of its own topic.
Does does an unbiased media source exist? If so, where? Should it exist? What is bias? What do you expect from your news? |
I think that it is impossible for a media source not to have a bias.
|
|
|
|
|
wanttorun100
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 14 Feb 2005
Posts: 4946
Location: Just to the right of Atilla the Hun!
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 09:29 Post subject:
Fox News of course!
|
|
|
|
|
airehead
Oompa Loofah
|
|
|
Joined: 12 Nov 2002
Posts: 18788
Location: Between here and eternity...
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 09:55 Post subject:
It is impossible for a news source to not have bias.
|
|
|
|
|
cherylpf
crazy cat lady
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 17305
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 10:02 Post subject:
If it is impossible for a news source to be without bias, what are realistic expectations of the media? What do you or should you expect from your media outlets?
|
|
|
|
|
phillycat
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 1953
Location: Da hood
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 10:19 Post subject:
| cherylpf wrote: | | If it is impossible for a news source to be without bias, what are realistic expectations of the media? What do you or should you expect from your media outlets? |
I have struggeled with this for years. I have enjoyed throughout my travels to read and listen to news from other countries to hear their take on things.
In my opinion, I think that you have to be willing to listen to both sides and then try and form your own view on things. It is really tough though since so much is politically motivated.
|
|
|
|
|
Gogirlgo
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 25 Jul 2002
Posts: 4777
Location: No deal, stalker.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 10:35 Post subject:
ALthough I realize some bias in inevitable, I expect more neutrality than I'm currently getting.
|
|
|
|
|
HighHeat
Big Daddy
|
|
|
Joined: 30 May 2004
Posts: 6682
Location: Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 11:11 Post subject:
| Gogirlgo wrote: | | ALthough I realize some bias in inevitable, I expect more neutrality than I'm currently getting. |
I try to do what phillycat is saying. Here in Boston we have 2 major papers. One leans a little to the right, and the other leans to the left. When there's a story I'm interested in that might be affected by this, I try to read both papers points of view (i.e. I'm not going to read both papers' view of the Sox game last night  ).
Unfortunately, I don't read nearly as much as I should.
|
|
|
|
|
airehead
Oompa Loofah
|
|
|
Joined: 12 Nov 2002
Posts: 18788
Location: Between here and eternity...
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/24/05 - 12:00 Post subject:
I read various newspapers knowing full well their bias--both sides--and also throw in a bit of incredulity, knowing I'm still not reading the whole story. I remember having a news article written about me once and there were quotes attributed to me which I never said. I am a nobody. Imagine someone famous!!
I agree with Go, there should be more neutrality. And I also feel that journalists should be held very accountable for printing "facts" without sources or proof. That is very dangerous territory.
Many people are sheep and believe what they read. Every word. So, journalists need to be adhering to high standards of printing proven facts. Or at least supported by witnesses.
For example, although Bill Clinton's recent pic looked very suggestive, in the write up the author of the photograph stated that there existed no more than an innocent cheek kiss. Yet, it was plastered in several places as more than just a cheek kiss.
|
|
|
|
|
robp
Pyromaniac
|
|
|
Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/26/05 - 18:18 Post subject:
I'm pretty sure that news sources like the National Enquirer are very unbiased. As far as I can tell, they lie about everybody and everything.
|
|
|
|
|
copteacher
Adjunct
|
|
|
Joined: 08 Jun 2002
Posts: 20588
Location: Teaching in the Halls of Justice
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/26/05 - 18:53 Post subject:
The problem is in how the stories are written. Facts are reported then opinions are thrown in that are presumed to be factual. If the newsies went more with just facts it would be less biased. But then again just facts are rather boring.
|
|
|
|
|
keltic63
the kilted one
|
|
|
Joined: 17 May 2002
Posts: 8574
Location: under the weather
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 06/27/05 - 09:59 Post subject:
| rtpd113 wrote: | | The problem is in how the stories are written. Facts are reported then opinions are thrown in that are presumed to be factual. If the newsies went more with just facts it would be less biased. But then again just facts are rather boring. |
facts don't exist without context.
failing to reveal all the facts of a situation would bias the news story.
for example, if one of my school students comes to me and says "Johnny punched me!" it may indeed be a fact. However, that same student failed to say "Johnny punched me after I called his mother a fat cow". You see how the omission of facts can bias the story.
I don't think facts alone are sufficient to eliminate bias.
|
|
|
|
