Media (LIberal) Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist

UCLA News ^ | 12/14/05 | Meg Sullivan

[billhilly]

The fourth most centrist outlet was "Special Report With Brit Hume" on Fox News, which often is cited by liberals as an egregious example of a right-wing outlet.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

OK, let me agreed with you in another way.

The tenth and eleventh paragraphs state:

Of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center, with CBS' "Evening News," The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times ranking second, third and fourth most liberal behind the news pages of The Wall Street Journal.

Only Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume" and The Washington Times scored right of the average U.S. voter.

So when you read this article, either there are two media outlets right of center or the same media outlets are the fourth and fifth most centrist.

[paudio]

Possibly, but the way they used content analysis can be misled. For example, if I understand it correctly, say an article discusses data on God and politics, provided by Heritage Foundation. Then, the author put comments from people on the street and a professor in religious study. These comments may be very liberal, so the overall 'mood' of the article is very liberal. Yet, this study will only count it as 'conservative' as the only citation is from conservative Heritage Foundation.

[austinite]

The results break new ground

Good grief....

[DustyMoment]

Media (LIberal) Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist

He had to go to college to figure this out!!??

[the anti-liberal]

We're not in disagreement, I'm thinking about how to improve or supplement this particular study or study method.

So on one layer you have content analysis, on another the mood. Such a study could have three conclusions- one purely content based (such as this study), one purely 'mood' based, and one combining content analysis and mood analysis.

[okie01]

The results break new ground.

Only if you just got off the boat from another galaxy...

[Swiss]

Since most of the articles on Free Republic is from the liberal media I wonder if the study would show that this forum is liberal

[Trust but Verify]

Wonder where Michael Savage would appear in the study results... :)

In a straitjacket?

[P-40]

In a straitjacket?


Perhaps somewhere in the study there is a category called....Other. :)

[DSP in CW]

"Yeah, their methodology could use some work. "

I agree. Take a look at the underlying scale used to determine what is liberal and what is conservative. From what I can tell, this study simply compares how these various media outlets compare to the average voter, which assumes the average voter is actually centrist. I suspect this is not true, but I don't if the average voter would be conservative or liberal.

Another underlying assumption is that what is considered liberal/centrist/conservative now has always been that way, which we know is not true given the creeping liberalism we fight against daily. I would be more impressed if the scale was based on more traditional lines of division between liberal & conservative. Nevertheless, it is a useful study.

[beyond the sea]

Media (LIberal) Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist

DUH!

[Milhous]

Bozell pioneered media bias research many years ago and arguably ranks as the world's foremost authority on the subject. His work to quantify bias brings a scientific discipline to the field of study. IMHO the 21 research assistants would contribute more to the science of media bias by working directly under Bozell. At the very least the 21 assistants ought to utilize Bozell's proven methods to discern bias instead of reinventing the wheel.

[Alissa]

The Drudge Report may have a right-wing reputation, but it leans left.

Since no one has said it so far, I tend to agree with this statement.

[McGavin999]

If they would have taken into account the editorial content it would have REALLY showed the bias.

[Starboard]

Although not a media outlet per se, Yahoo has an "In the News" section that is strongly biased in favor of the liberal agenda. Its selective choice of headlines is nearly always anti-Bush and supportive of Dems and their left wing issues.

[finnman69]

Eat it Eric Alterman.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Thought your Today Show ping list might appreciate this

[Choose Ye This Day]

I usually can't tell their bias one way or another...and NPR unquestionably has the most in-depth stories of any major media outlet. They get well beyond the soundbites.

[SunkenCiv]

Duh.