John:
Here’s an example of a completely independent data generation on media bias that could be harnessed: there is a website called Media Bias Ratings
http://www.mediabiasratings.com/
MBR’s results could generate a measurable, independently derived starting point index. For instance, Let’s say you choose to focus on TV bias, and combine MBR’s ratings which could easily be tweaked using your own multipliers.
Breakdown of the 41 votes in this category, as of 1/31/2009:
4 100% Liberal
7 Mostly Liberal
11 Slightly Liberal
3 No bias
6 Slightly Conservative
5 Mostly Conservative
5 100% Conservative
Note that MBR is a continuously moving tally.
Using a multiplier of 1 for 100%, 2 for “mostly”, 3 for Slightly, you’d get 1*4 + 2*7 + 3*11 = 51 points Liberal Bias compared to 1*5 + 2*5 + 3*6 = 33 points Conservative Bias.
The payout could be towards the difference (18 points) or as a percentage , 51/(33+51) or whatever you decide is proper.
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In addition, there is currently a poll being conducted on media bias at Polling Point. A contract could be written that tracks their results. I think this poll is old, so a new poll that tracked the difference might prove interesting.
http://www.pollingpoint.com/polls/
http://surveyg2.pollingpoint.com/vQT8r0fdCvM1WW
Are the Media Playing Favorites?
Do you trust the media to deliver the news in a fair and unbiased way? Are reporters favoring candidates?
http://www.pollingpoint.com/polls/
http://surveyg2.pollingpoint.com/vQT8r0fdCvM1WW
http://survey.pollingpoint.com/638945
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A combined index between polling point results and MBR’s results could generate a measurable, independently derived index.
55% Say Media Bias Bigger Problem Than Campaign Cash
Monday, August 11, 2008
Voters overwhelmingly believe that politicians will “break the rules to help people who give them a lot of money,” but most say there’s a bigger problem in politics today—media bias.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 55% believe media bias is more of a problem than big campaign contributions. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and think that campaign cash is a bigger problem.
People believe media bias is a bigger problem even though 63% believe most politicians will break the rules to help campaign contributors. Just 14% believe most politicians would refrain from breaking the rules for a donor. Forty-four percent (44%) say that lobbyists and campaign contributors have too much influence on John McCain’s positions. Forty percent (40%) say the same about Barack Obama.
Just 22% believe it would be a good idea to ban all campaign commercials so that voters could receive information on the campaign only from the news media and the internet. Sixty-six percent (66%) disagree and think that, despite the annoyance factor, it’s better to put up with an election-year barrage of advertising rather than rely on the news media.
An earlier survey found that 49% believe most reporters are trying to help Barack Obama win the election this year. Just 14% believe they’re trying to help McCain. Another survey found that the news you watch says a lot about how you will vote.
Not surprisingly, Republicans are the most likely to see media bias as the bigger problem. Eighty-one percent (81%) of the GOP faithful hold that view. Democrats and unaffiliated voters are more evenly divided. Obama’s Party, by a narrow 50% to 41% margin, say that campaign cash is the bigger issue. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 47% say media bias is the problem while 43% hold the opposite view.
Fifty-three percent (53%) of liberals see campaign contributions as a bigger problem than media bias. Seventy-four percent (74%) of conservatives hold the opposite view. Among the moderates, 49% say media bias is the problem while 42% disagree.
Another survey from earlier this year found that most voters say it is not possible to run for the presidency without the help of lobbyists and special interest groups.
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12/02/2009 05:55:11 Subject: Re:The Intrade World Crisis Index
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Rasmussen Reports Site Search
Search for “media bias” returned 7 matches:
Majority Say Reporters Tried To Help Obama
As the presidential campaign comes to a close, a majority of voters (51%) say most reporters have tried to help Barack Obama win the presidency.
69% Say Reporters Try To Help The Candidate They Want To Win
Seven out of 10 voters (69%) remain convinced that reporters try to help the candidate they want to win, and this year by a nearly five-to-one margin voters believe they are trying to help Barack Obama.
47% Favor Government Mandated Political Balance on Radio, TV
Nearly half of Americans (47%) believe the government should require all radio and television stations to offer equal amounts of conservative and liberal political commentary, but they draw the line at imposing that same requirement on the Internet. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say leave radio and TV alone, too.
55% Say Media Bias Bigger Problem Than Campaign Cash
Voters overwhelmingly believe that politicians will “break the rules to help people who give them a lot of money,” but most say there’s a bigger problem in politics today—media bias.
Associated Press, MSNBC and CNBC Seen as Having Liberal Bias
In the final poll of a series measuring perceptions of media bias, the Associated Press, local television stations, MSNBC, and CNBC are all perceived as tilting to the left when reporting the news.
New York Times, Washington Post, and Local Newspapers Seen as Having Liberal Bias
A Rasmussen Reports survey on perceptions of media bias found that Americans tend to believe that the New York Times, Washington Post, and their local newspaper all show a bias in favor of liberals.
Americans See Liberal Media Bias on TV News
By a 39% to 20% margin, American adults believe that the three major broadcast networks deliver news with a bias in favor of liberals.