Top Five Methods to Identify Bias News Coverage

These days everyone accuses the mainstream news outlets of bias. Fox News, as we know, is perceived to be the benchmark for conservative news broadcasting. However, MSNBC has evolved, particularly within the past few years, because the liberals’ direct response to Fox News. On the internet, we find the Drudge Report on one side and the Huffington Post on another. And, of course, we can not your investment real or perceived biases associated with the rest of the “liberal media”, like the New York Times, CNN, and whoever else. Due to this, it is crucial for the those that follow the news to understand the subtle techniques where media outlets try to bias their consumers. The list following identifies the most common techniques that try to bend the viewer and reader of news to a given point of view. conservative channels ‘re as follows:

5) Perceived facts and actual facts

Do you know the facts of the story? Probably the most non-biased stories only describe the reality, i.e., who, what, why, when, where, and how. To add to the story, a reporter can include eye witness account(s) or expert opinions. In many instances, however, news outlets will air a tale based on a set of perceived facts. Remember, facts are concrete , nor change unless influenced by other facts. Commonly held opinions ‘re normally confused with facts, such as for example “MSNBC and Fox News are really biased news organizations.”

4) Sources and “experts”

Who is quoted in the story? Eye witness sources will be the most credible. In many instances, however, in the lack of eye witness sources, the news headlines outlet will turn to experts to greatly help elucidate the meaning of the facts within the story. How can one identify whether an expert can be an expert? Or does the “expert” have plans? Perhaps the best examples of non-expert exerts are politicians. A story on climate change, for example, may include “expert” testimony from a politician. If the politician didn’t come from a professional or academic background that studied climate science, however, chances are the news outlet is more interested in either supporting or discrediting given arguments within the broader debate over climate change.

3) Word choice

Word choice may be the most subtle and manipulative techniques to bias the viewer. The very best reporters stick to simple and clear language to communicate the facts within a story. Because there are lots of linguistic tricks reporters employ to implicitly communicate bias, such tricks could be difficult to identify inside a passive viewing environment, such as TV news. The best example is the commonly used implication that a the greater part within a given demographic share the same opinion, for example: “the American people believe…” or “many people say…”

2) Omission of context

Probably the most commonly cited defense for all those chastised by the media is “I was removed from context…” Indeed, given today’s reporting, they are probably right. Snippets from speeches or other sources are often strung together in a series of quotes that can either indict or exonerate a person or organization’s opinion.

1) Story selection

Watch the headlines, read the stories. There are several news outlets that only air stories which cast doubt upon one political philosophy and/or prop up their very own. It is fascinating to examine such sites and identify the techniques by which they choose to influence the reader and viewer. Will be the headlines sensationalized? Do all them have a tendency to point in one direction? Most of all, will be the stories even newsworthy or are they wanting to manufacture controversy?