ABC Admits Media Establishment Has Leftist Bias

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[InvisibleChurch]

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2004 ABC Admits Media Establishment Has Leftist Bias

Good-guy libertarian John Stossel isn't the only one in the land of Peter Jennings to point out Big Media's left-wing bigotry. ABC News' "The Note" today again admitted this reality.

According to the column:

Like every other institution, the Washington and political press corps operate with a good number of biases and predilections. They include, but are not limited to, a near-universal shared sense that liberal political positions on social issues like gun control, homosexuality, abortion, and religion are the default, while more conservative positions are "conservative positions."

They include a belief that government is a mechanism to solve the nation's problems; that more taxes on corporations and the wealthy are good ways to cut the deficit and raise money for social spending and don't have a negative affect on economic growth; and that emotional examples of suffering (provided by unions or consumer groups) are good ways to illustrate economic statistic stories.

More systematically, the press believes that fluid narratives in coverage are better than static storylines; that new things are more interesting than old things; that close races are preferable to loose ones; and that incumbents are destined for dethroning, somehow.

The press, by and large, does not accept President Bush's justifications for the Iraq war - in any of its WMD, imminent threat, or evil-doer formulations. It does not understand how educated, sensible people could possibly be wary of multilateral institutions or friendly, sophisticated European allies.

It does not accept the proposition that the Bush tax cuts helped the economy by stimulating summer spending.

It remains fixated on the unemployment rate [which has been falling for months and is down to 5.6 percent].

It believes President Bush is "walking a fine line" with regards to the gay marriage issue, choosing between "tolerance" and his "right-wing base."

It still has a hard time understanding how, despite the drumbeat of conservative grass-top complaints about overspending and deficits, President Bush's base remains extremely and loyally devoted to him - and it looks for every opportunity to find cracks in that base.

Of course, the swirling Joe Wilson and National Guard stories play right to the press's scandal bias - not to mention the bias towards process stories (grand juries produce ENDLESS process!).

The worldview of the dominant media can be seen in every frame of video and every print word choice that is currently being produced about the presidential race.

[InvisibleChurch]

[Always Right]

The only people who don't see the clear and obvious left-wing bias are those to the ultra-left. Anyone honestly looking at the issues can see the bias. The ultra-left believes the media is bias because it does not bash Bush 24/7 and does not report every kookie anti-Bush theory on the internet.

[LuigiBasco]

"The ultra-left believes the media is bias because it does not bash Bush 24/7 and does not report every kookie anti-Bush theory on the internet."


They certainly do 24/7.
Just my 2¢.
Luigi

[newgeezer]

government is a mechanism to solve the nation's problems

Oh, please. That's hardly a differentiating factor anymore.

[saluki_in_ohio]

A reverse-bias photodiode circuit. Cute...

[Always Right]

They certainly do 24/7.

No, the media is not that bad. Most of the media does try to have the appearance of honestly reporting the news without any bias. It's just impossible for them to keep the bias out of it. Of course there are still many in the media that have given up trying to keep their image of objectivity, and are just their liberal selfs all the time.

[sopwith]

NEWS FLASH

[rickmichaels]

...that new things are more interesting than old things...

In that case, why is Jennings still reading the propaga...er...news?

[The South Texan]

The earth is round.
The Pope is Catholic.
And the sun will rise in the east and set in the west.


Wow, and some yahoos at ABC finally acknowledges what al bunch of us already know.

The media is leftist and anit-American.

[Protagoras]

They include a belief that government is a mechanism to solve the nation's problems;

Unfortunately, the two (?) parties largely agree on this point.

[JohnnyZ]

Wow, and some yahoos at ABC finally acknowledges what al bunch of us already know.

Right, but these folks (ABC News: The Note) do try to be balanced in their own reporting (even if they don't always succeed), and remain cognizant of the bias when evaluating the news of the day.

[lawnguy]

The White House press briefing today was damn near a Wellstone Funeral moment. The idiots looked like the Kerry shills that they are, and ANY reasonable person could see this.

They continue to hammer on this Guard issue. How many elections has GWB been in? Is this horse not dead yet? Did I miss a stained blue dress somewhere?(Or the equivalent)

[LuigiBasco]

You may be correct. I do not watch much TV because of MY perception of all the obvious bias and plain old trash.
My 2¢

[IAmNotAnAnimal]

I finally admitted that I was an alcoholic, but I kept drinking anyway

[CedarDave]

Posted earlier today directly from ABC (but the more it's noticed, the better!!):

How the Media works( good read)

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Like every other institution, the Washington and political press corps operate with a good number of biases and predilections. They include, but are not limited to, a near-universal shared sense that liberal political positions on social issues like gun control, homosexuality, abortion, and religion are the default, while more conservative positions are "conservative positions."

S'funny. I seem to recall Goldberg being all but crucified by his media colleagues, for daring even to suggest this very notion in Bias...

[dwd1]

There are biases in all directions. I would say the media is biased to the left on social issues but I see both sides adequately represented.

Perhaps, what makes the bias palatable is the perceived level of civility. On Fox News (the speculation channel), they say "Fair and Balanced" and "We report. You decide!" when it really, "We report. We decide!" I would also love to see Rush Limbaugh and those on the right engage those with opposing ideals face to face. I think Hannity and Colmes is an example where a less attractive person (and on many issues, less intelligient) is on screen with someone is more attractive. It reminds me of Charles Bronson who did everything possible not to work with actors taller than him...

In other words, the biases are everywhere you go.

There are also circumstances where one political ideology is represented in greater numbers. Conservative on the right. Liberal in the middle. Conservative on the left. Conservative Host. (Yes, Dennis Miller, I am talking about you)....

And I have seen this situation in reverse also.

Someone said it right. Shame on all of them. It is easy to speak your mind when you have the megaphone, you control the conversation, and you have the last word. In the real world however, people have to deal with one another.

[Huck]

This guard issue is retarded.

[Between the Lines]

Admits Media Establishment Has Leftist Bias

Newsflash: Pot says both he and Kettle are black!

[rwfromkansas]

bump