MSNBC really is more partisan than Fox, according to Pew study

The Baltimore Sun ^ | November 2, 2012 | David Zurawik

[grundle]

In writing about the Pew study released today, I was struck by the big story of how negative coverage on several levels of presidential politics had become.

I think this is big trouble for democracy, especially the hostile level of discourse in social media. And that it's something the media need to address collectively after the election.

But here's one of several fascinating smaller findings of the study that are kind of stunning -- even if they seem obvious and ho-hum to some of my more jaded, postmodern, aren't-we-cleverly-ironic colleagues:

ON MSNBC, the ratio of negative to positive stories on GOP candidate Mitt Romney was 71 to 3.

That's not a news channel. That's a propaganda machine, and owner Comcast should probably change Phil Griffin's title from president to high minister of information, or something equally befitting the work of a party propaganist hack in a totalitarian regime. You wonder how mainstream news organizations allow their reporters and corrdespondents to appear in such a cauldron of bias.

I thought show host Sean Hannity of Fox News defined party propagandist. But while his channel was bad, it wasn't as bad-boy biased as MSNBC.

The ratio of negative to positive stories in Fox's coverage of President Obama was 46 to 6.

Check out the full Pew study here. It's a good one, and there is much food for thought in its findings as we approach the end of an election cycle marked by poor media performance.

[Raycpa]

am so, are not, am so, are not, am so, are not.....

[Da Bilge Troll]

I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you!

[pepsionice]

What I am entertained by is that Fox at least presents Shep twice a day....at some point, who is extremely neutral. For MSNBC, there is absolutely no one who presents neutral news for the 18-hour cycle.

[American Constitutionalist]

So now the main stream media has turned into a shark cannibalistic feeding frenzy attacking their own.
Actually ? this is good news... the dinosaur main stream media going down can only help America.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Shep may be gender neutral, but he is an overpaid liberal dweeb.

[greene66]

MSNBC is ridiculous beyond words. But I have to admit I’ve been rather dismayed at FoxNews becoming its GOP-establishment equivalent in the past two years. Fox used to be such an incredibly welcome breath of fresh air because it at least covered the ‘conservative’ view which other networks had ignored for decades.

But two years ago, Fox really started dropping topics like border/illegals, grassroots movements, the Tea Party gatherings, and a lot of cultural flashpoint issues, which they had covered reasonably well beforehand. Now it’s become so doggedly beltway-centric. Nonstop cheerleading for the DC-GOP political class. A very noticeable and very lamentable change. I’ve cut back on my viewing tremendously.

[Professional]

It would have been a tie but for the slobber and spit coming from the mouths of the folks at MSNBC, along with that crazed look in their eyes...

[mosesdapoet]

MSNBC more biased Jumpin Gee Willakers who’da thought that the hell ya say...

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks grundle.

[alexredmonjr]

I don’t need a poll confirming this. I used to been a MSNBC fan 10 to 12 years ago, before Fox News really took over. It been now a few years since I’ve seen MSNBC, all I see is FNC, and on occasion CNN.

[dfwgator]

Should be called MSDNC.