There's a liberal bias in the media

[DialecticMaterialist]

It's true! I heard it from Bill O' Reilly, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Micheal Savage, Dr. Laura, Pat Buchanan, Monica Crowley, Ann Coulter, Ollie North, G. Gordon Liddy, and Joe Scarborough!


;)

[nightwind]

Good point. I have listened to this so long from this list of ultra conservatives that I am sick of it.

I have to think hard to think of any liberal shows on air, radior or TV.

Anything that challeges the opinion of these narrow minded thinkers is considered media bias.

It seems if anything the bias is a conservative one.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by DialecticMaterialist
It's true! I heard it from Bill O' Reilly, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Micheal Savage, Dr. Laura, Pat Buchanan, Monica Crowley, Ann Coulter, Ollie North, G. Gordon Liddy, and Joe Scarborough!


;)

O'Reilly NewsCorp Cable Host (some conservative views, some labor, some progressive)
Gingrich NewsCorp Cable Analyst
Limbaugh Talk Radio
Hannity NewsCorp Cable Host, Talk Radio
Savage Talk Radio, rightfully blackballed from TV
Dr. Laura Talk Radio
Buchanan NBC(MS/C) cable news
Crowley Who?
Coulter Author, Columnist, Newscorp Cable Analyst
North NewsCorp Cable Host
Liddy Talk Radio
Scarborough Who?

Obviously the media as you paint it isn't very conservative, merely talk radio and newscorp cable (aka foxnews). You might be surprised but Fox News also has a good number of non-conservatives on their network. As far as network TV goes, the offerings I see from ABC/CBS are still pretty biased. However, NBC network news seems to be fairly balanced from what I have watched in the past 2 years.

Why do people keep complaining about talk radio and cable news?

[KelvinG]

Liberals say there is a conservative bias in the media.
Conservatives say there is a liberal bias in the media.

Well, which is it??

[Ziggurat]

More than anything else, there's a scandal bias and an incompetence bias in the media. It's not simply a left-right imbalance (though on certain issues the press really has tipped one way or the other - coverage of the 2000 elections was amazingly biased against Gore). It's more that the media loves a scandal, once they get an idea fixed in their collective conciousness they'll ignore any inconvenient facts that get in the way, and they NEVER seriously criticize themselves. That last part I think is the biggest problem - they all pretend that everything is fine, the mainstream commentators and analysts don't want to talk about how much of an ass O'Reilly is or how unbelievably stupid Larry King is, because they're colleagues.

[jj]

Originally posted by KelvinG
Liberals say there is a conservative bias in the media.
Conservatives say there is a liberal bias in the media.

Well, which is it??

Centrists think that for the most part there is an extremist bias.

More right than left now, but extremist nearly the lot.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Ziggurat
More than anything else, there's a scandal bias and an incompetence bias in the media.

I usually try to catch Fox NewsWatch on the weekends. Neal Gabler on that show expresses the same opinion and while it may not be true for every reporter it certainly is a factor.

I disagree with you on the Gore 2000 coverage. Obviously the Rush Limbaugh's of the world railed against Gore but in the mainstream I mostly saw Bushisms, Bush the idiot, and Bush cokehead coverage. I was mostly apathetic about politics at that time though and the news samples I saw couldn't be too representative (e.g. whatever was on when i got back to my hotel room while I was a high flying dot bubble consultant).

[SRW]

Media bias is nothing new, but the complaints from the left seem to be reaching panic level. The idea of Fox having a right leaning is abhorrent to many. However they never seem to say a word about CNN's left leaning.

There is an easy way to tell which way the reporter leans listen to his questions.

From 1992;

Question to Bush: Your economic program has been a disaster, what will you do you fix the problem.

Question to Clinton: The economy is in the dumps and you have promised to get America working again. What is your plan?

These are not real quotes but are examples of you can expect. Both from the left and the right.

[Mr Manifesto]

CNN is left leaning?

[Ziggurat]

Originally posted by corplinx

I disagree with you on the Gore 2000 coverage. Obviously the Rush Limbaugh's of the world railed against Gore but in the mainstream I mostly saw Bushisms, Bush the idiot, and Bush cokehead coverage. I was mostly apathetic about politics at that time though and the news samples I saw couldn't be too representative (e.g. whatever was on when i got back to my hotel room while I was a high flying dot bubble consultant).

Doesn't sound too representive. What I remember was the press saying Gore claimed he invented the internet (he didn't), that there was a Budhist temple fundraising scandal (it wasn't a fundraising event), that he lied about a bunch of details of his past (also not true), while nobody called Bush on his lies about the nature of his proposed tax cuts. The only time the press was really harsh to Bush was in the primaries when they decided they liked McCain better. After he was out of the picture, they mostly kissed Bush's rear and went looking for anything the could misinterpret as Gore lying, because that was the standard spin.

[Dancing David]

Well, the litmus test is
What Would Jedi Knight Do?

I think that if you aren't FAIR, then you have a problem, even NPR has a right wing bias anymore.

[Wolverine]

I'm sure I've posted this (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,44709,00.html) before (apologies for the repetition), but I still consider it relevant to the topic. ;)

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by Wolverine
I'm sure I've posted this (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,44709,00.html) before (apologies for the repetition), but I still consider it relevant to the topic. ;)

I think a lot of that is strawman. How many "liberals" really think the media has an overall conservative bias? Most of the ranters and ravers are conservative, and there is Fox News, but do "liberals" really think that there is a net conservative bias in CBS/ABC/NBC/CNN/etc?

I've never heard of claims of "conservative bias" from anyone, much less liberals, outside of those examples above: talkshow hosts and Fox News.

[Wolverine]

Originally posted by pgwenthold
I think a lot of that is strawman. How many "liberals" really think the media has an overall conservative bias? Most of the ranters and ravers are conservative, and there is Fox News, but do "liberals" really think that there is a net conservative bias in CBS/ABC/NBC/CNN/etc?

I've never heard of claims of "conservative bias" from anyone, much less liberals, outside of those examples above: talkshow hosts and Fox News.

That may be a fair point; I was pointing more toward Burns' angle on simplicity/sensationalism, with which I agree.

A factor I haven't seen discussed much is how news networks have altered their format in recent years (am I hallucinating, or have others noticied this as well?). I think it's an important consideration to bear in mind that the cable news networks have changed their coverage a bit when FOX News started to kill them in the ratings. Just my 2¢.

[Mike B.]

Originally posted by Dancing David
Well, the litmus test is
What Would Jedi Knight Do?

I think that if you aren't FAIR, then you have a problem, even NPR has a right wing bias anymore.

NPR is right wing bias???
:eek:

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by Mike B.


NPR is right wing bias???
:eek:

There was an editorial on NPR the other day supporting the display of the monument in Alabama. FWIW.

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by Mike B.


NPR is right wing bias???
:eek:

I agree that they may be the most balanced source of news available, but during the Regan era thier funding was threatened for the 'liberal bias'. They were MOR at that time, they have since toned down all the 'liberal' issues and there are many 'conservative' comentators on thier op/ed pieces.
:sad:

[Regnad Kcin]

Originally posted by Wolverine
A factor I haven't seen discussed much is how news networks have altered their format in recent years (am I hallucinating, or have others noticied this as well?). I think it's an important consideration to bear in mind that the cable news networks have changed their coverage a bit when FOX News started to kill them in the ratings. Just my 2¢. Well, I can't speak to television content or presentation as I don't watch enough to make a valid criticism. However, one prominent radio station in New York City -- WCBS ("The Flagship Station of CBS News") -- recently went beyond the bounds of propriety, in my opinion.

In the months leading up to the war in Iraq, their readers tagged every related story with the phrase, "Stay tuned to WCBS for continuing details on the 'Showdown With Sadaam'." Never mind the cutesy alliteration, but "showdown?" As if the entire conflict were some Gary Cooper movie or rah-rah WWF match-up.

Then the capper. Once hostilities began, WCBS used a pre-recorded intro complete with musical flourish and an amped-up announcer proclaiming, "America At Waaaar!" prior to reports every ten minutes on the hour.

Showbiz.

[Theodore Kurita]

Originally posted by KelvinG
Liberals say there is a conservative bias in the media.
Conservatives say there is a liberal bias in the media.

Well, which is it??


I have done some research on this issue....

The best book ever written on this subject is...

Manufacturing Consent
By: Noam Chowsky


It is simply one of the best pieces of literature on this issue!


-Just My 2 Cents-

[SRW]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto
CNN is left leaning?

Not as much as when Ted Turner was running things.

[SRW]

Originally posted by Ziggurat


Doesn't sound too representive. What I remember was the press saying Gore claimed he invented the internet (he didn't), that there was a Budhist temple fundraising scandal (it wasn't a fundraising event), that he lied about a bunch of details of his past (also not true), while nobody called Bush on his lies about the nature of his proposed tax cuts. The only time the press was really harsh to Bush was in the primaries when they decided they liked McCain better. After he was out of the picture, they mostly kissed Bush's rear and went looking for anything the could misinterpret as Gore lying, because that was the standard spin.


What Gore said "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

Yes he never said he invented the internet. But I would have to say that the internet would still be arround without his initiative.

[subgenius]

Originally posted by KelvinG
Liberals say there is a conservative bias in the media.
Conservatives say there is a liberal bias in the media.

Well, which is it??
Most reporters are liberal.
Most editors/owners are conservative.
Between what you think and your boss thinks, who wins?

[Gregor]

Editors are former reporters - did they give up their bias to move up the ladder?

Owners are stock holders, who don't appear in the newsroom. I've owned Time-Warner stock for years, but CNN never asks me my opinion on whether Larry King is too liberal or too conservative.

NPR not liberal? Why did the DNC purchase the PBS contributor lists to solicit money from?

[Mike B.]

Originally posted by pgwenthold


There was an editorial on NPR the other day supporting the display of the monument in Alabama. FWIW.

Yes but Foxnews runs commentary by liberal Alan Combes. Surely you would not say that Fox has a left wing bias then?

[Mike B.]

Originally posted by Gregor

NPR not liberal? Why did the DNC purchase the PBS contributor lists to solicit money from?

Yes indeed,
I can't help but think then what is a non-biased news source.

Pravda?

The militant?

The Nation?

[Baker]

Why is there only ultra conservatives (mainly talk show hosts) and every one else its the same message that main stream media likes to give everyone that claims we are liberal bias is just a right wing nut.
That in it self is bias.

[Ziggurat]

Originally posted by SRW

What Gore said "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

Yes he never said he invented the internet. But I would have to say that the internet would still be arround without his initiative.

Gore did lead Congress in providing funding for the development of the modern internet. Without him it would have taken years longer to reach the stage it's at now. He was bragging, but that was the point of the question he was responding to (basically what his accomplishments were), and he was factually correct. Despite this being common knowlege, you can STILL find some commentators who say he claimed to have invented the internet. The interesting thing is where this all gets traced back to. Nobody complained about his statement when the interview first aired, the interviewer certainly didn't think he was making any wild claims. But about a week later, a republican party talking points memo lied about the interview, claiming that Gore said he invented the internet. Pundits picked up on it, and spread the lie willingly.

[Luceiia]

Originally posted by Ziggurat


Gore did lead Congress in providing funding for the development of the modern internet.
Source(s) please.


Without him it would have taken years longer to reach the stage it's at now.
Source(s) please.


He was bragging, but that was the point of the question he was responding to (basically what his accomplishments were), and he was factually correct.
Hrm, okay.
...many of the components of today's Internet came into being well before Gore's first term in Congress began in 1977, and it's hard to find any specific action of Gore's (such as his sponsoring a Congressional bill or championing a particular piece of legislation) that one could claim helped bring the Internet into being, much less validate Gore's statement of having taken the "initiative in creating the Internet."

...Even if Al Gore had never entered the political arena, we'd probably still be reading web pages via the Internet today. http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.htm


Nobody complained about his statement when the interview first aired, the interviewer certainly didn't think he was making any wild claims. But about a week later, a republican party talking points memo lied about the interview, claiming that Gore said he invented the internet. Pundits picked up on it, and spread the lie willingly.
Source(s) please. (please keep in mind it's hard to give sources for a lying memo that points out some already debunked info...)

As an aside, Zig, you are so logical in some threads and then very emotional in your arguments in other threads. It's interesting.


Luceiia

[Frank Newgent]

Originally posted by Ziggurat


Gore did lead Congress in providing funding for the development of the modern internet. Without him it would have taken years longer to reach the stage it's at now. He was bragging, but that was the point of the question he was responding to (basically what his accomplishments were), and he was factually correct. Despite this being common knowlege, you can STILL find some commentators who say he claimed to have invented the internet. The interesting thing is where this all gets traced back to. Nobody complained about his statement when the interview first aired, the interviewer certainly didn't think he was making any wild claims. But about a week later, a republican party talking points memo lied about the interview, claiming that Gore said he invented the internet. Pundits picked up on it, and spread the lie willingly.
Was just shown this old article (http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2000/0004.parry.html)

[DavidJames]

"Was just shown this old article"

Damn liberal media :)

[Supercharts]

Originally posted by ((^-_-^))



I have done some research on this issue....

The best book ever written on this subject is...

Manufacturing Consent
By: Noam Chowsky


It is simply one of the best pieces of literature on this issue!


-Just My 2 Cents-

Do you mean Chomsky? Noam Chowsky played Left Wing defense for the Red Wings back in '38 IIRC.