The Manipulative Media Bias

11 June 06 | RedBeaconNY

[RedBeaconNY]

Hello everybody!

For my final grade of the academic year, I have been assigned a presentation on media bias in America. Some of my thoughts on the matter are: What purpose does it serve? Who controls it? Modern day examples? How does the media portray aggressors/victims? What influence does it really have on us, the viewing public?

I realize that I am using you guys as a crutch, but I know that you're a smart group who is generally willing to help. Do you have any suggestions, any thoughts, any examples?

Thanks a lot, RedBeaconNY

[RedBeaconNY]

Thanks a lot, FReepers.

[SE Mom]

The examples are so numerous and varied, it's hard to know where to begin- I'd be overwhelmed if I were you!

You might start with the most recent and powerful example- the coverage in print and tv of the death of civilians in Haditha.

I'm sure FReepers will have some useful ideas and suggestions!

[jdm]

Ian Schwartz is creator of exposetheleft.com (formerly Political Teen), an expert on media bias. I'm pinging him this message as I imagine he would be excited to provide some energetic input. I'm not sure how often he's on FreeRepublic, though.

To me, personally, media bias exists and is continuously driven by anti-American elitists -- the strong FEELING to root for the disadvantaged or underdog, regardless of WHO they are or WHAT they do (it's a psychological response guided by emotions and feelings rather than directed by facts and reason and logic). Something like that anyway.

[HitmanLV]

I'd suggest that bias is just a function of world view, and that the media has a dominant world view that acts as a prism that all information is filtered through.

[ovrtaxt]

My favorite examples- Able Danger and the OKC bombing. Search for Jayna Davis in regards to OKC.

[Pajamajan]

HERE YA GO. Share with as many people as possible.

[labette]

Check this out.

Good luck with your project. If you get yourself expelled, maybe we can pass the hat around for you.

[LdSentinal]

The Bilbray-Busby race is a recent example.

[kcbc2001]

One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to the "modern media" is that in action films it is almost an obligation to have a girl who is just as strong and can beat up just as many people (men/women) as the male lead/hero. Liberal Feminists on steriods. It's just so obvious what these directors/producers are trying to do/say to the audience.

[Common Tator]

The Bilbray-Busby race is a recent example.

Really?

Early on the Democrat house leadership said over and over the big issue in the 50th disctrict of California and the 2006 election would be Republican Corruption. Yes for Democrats the big issue was to be the REPUBLICAN CULTURE OF CORRUPTION. The Democrats were going to run against Cunningham's corruption and paint Bilbray as a (gasp) Lobbyist in the Abramoff tradition, and a charter subscriber to the Republican Culture of Corruption.

Do you remember that???

But the Bilbray made the big issue Illegal Immigraion... and the media pretty much fell for it.

[RedBeaconNY]

Meh... I have two more days in my high school. I can cope.

[weegee]

The press has an active interest in the political direction of this country.

Search for some quotes from journalists who say they got into the profession to "make a difference" in this world. That is activism, not reporting.

Look at AP's "neutral" stance in refusing to label the 9-11 hijackers "terrorists" (they said it was the only "right" thing to do since they lost employees in the attacks).

Look at CNN's suppression of reports of abuse under Saddam Hussein so that they could maintain their Baghdad bureau. Note they don't take the same stance when it comes to unproven allegations regarding American in Iraq.

Reporting "allegations" as fact only serve to pour gasoline on an already volatile fire.

The media hoped to run Bush out of office in 2004 with reports of the Abu Ghraib abuse. The silent majority stood up to media Zogbyism and phony polling data to say "Hell no" to John Kerry and the mass media establishment which lied daily during the 2004 election cycle (Bush's draft, the forged National Guard memos, Zogby's biased poll samples...)