ABC's Halperin: Press Is Liberally Biased, Needs Reform [Another stunning admission of the truth!]

NewsBusters ^ | Matthew Sheffield

[RatherBiased.com]

The national press corps is justifiably looked upon with suspicion by conservatives and in dire need of reform if it wishes to regain their confidence, especially since that's a sound business strategy.

Those are the words of ABC News political director Mark Halperin who on last night's "O'Reilly Factor" provided a resounding endorsement of the idea that the elite American media needs to stop being liberally biased. (Video available in WMV or Real. MP3 audio also available, transcript is after the jump.)

In a followup to an Oct. 19 internet posting in which he sarcastically implied

that reporters take their cues from Democrats and liberal activists, Halperin stated that the press should use the 2006 elections as an opportunity to regain the public trust:

"In this country, we've got these old news organizations, the major networks, ABC, where you [O'Reilly] used to work, the New York Times, the Washington Post. These organizations have been around a long time, and for 40 years conservatives have looked with suspicion at them. I think we've got a chance in these last two weeks to prove to conservatives that we understand their grievances, we're going to try to do better, but these organizations still have incredible sway, and conservatives are certain that we're going to be out to get them. We've got to fix that."

Halperin also commended the Fox News Channel business model as being inclusive of all Americans:

"I think everybody in the old media better be [...] saying, 'Are we being fair to everybody involved in the American political process?' Even if you don't believe the argument, Bill, that we make, in 'The Way to Win,' that there are some examples over the years that are pretty significant, of showing why conservatives are aggrieved, even if you're a liberal and you don't believe that, believe that half the country feels that way. And as an economic model, if you want to thrive like Fox News Channel, you want to have a future, you better make sure conservatives find your product appealing if you're going to do the right thing. You got to do it."

[Constitutions Grandchild]

But media like the NY Times "think" they're on the cutting edge and going to make money, bring advertisers, etc. by "making headlines". It was all working until they started giving away state secrets, being caught in obvious misstatements of facts, and people began putting them in the same genre of journalism as "The National Inquirer". Heck, I'll be the Inquirer has more credibility at this point than the times, but the point is bringing in the advertising bucks and selling subscriptions which was working with most of America while things were going well. Only real conservatives, stiff-necked, blue-noses, were fed up with the bias and slant.

As many have noted, our population is growing older and usually with age comes a more conservative approach. It's a demographic switch that has caught the media off guard, and they are to mired in the muck to make a hasty switch. It will come down to money, if they can't sell ads or bring in subscriptions, then they will be FORCED to modify their position or go out of business.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Please forgive my typos. Should have proofed better. Sorry.
Should be:

"...credibility at this point than the Times," and "are too mired."

[3Lean]

With comments like this

"Halperin also commended the Fox News Channel business model as being inclusive of all Americans"

He is sure to be FORMER ABC political director really soon...

[JennysCool]

You did make Conservatives sound narrow-minded.

Some even watch CNN and MSNBC for opposition research, believe it or not.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Let me also say, they think their audience should be the 20-somethings. They don't get it. YOU CAN'T GET A KID TO READ A NEWSPAPER OR WATCH THE NEWS. My son is on-line 24-7 to get his news. He's always hoping to scoop his father and me with the news on the Internet. It's the new media. It's where the kids will be.

You can't get a boy to watch anything on TV except the sports networks, then it's off to the computer to check the stats. None of them is interested in anything except a limited entertainment venue. Dancing with the Stars isn't going to get it either. Just not keeping up.

The kids play video games, watch movies, keep up with each other, keep up with what little news they're interested in and that's about it.

The old media and networks are not playing well with the audiences they have left. We watch a few programs on religious networks, national geographic, history, etc., the news and an occasional sporting event. I don't even know what channels the majors are playing on anymore.

[GOPJ]

I think we've got a chance in these last two weeks to prove to conservatives that we understand their grievances, we're going to try to do better, but these organizations still have incredible sway, and conservatives are certain that we're going to be out to get them. We've got to fix that."

Halperin also commended the Fox News Channel business model as being inclusive of all Americans:

"I think everybody in the old media better be [...] saying, 'Are we being fair to everybody involved in the American political process?' Even if you don't believe the argument, Bill, that we make, in 'The Way to Win,' that there are some examples over the years that are pretty significant, of showing why conservatives are aggrieved, even if you're a liberal and you don't believe that, believe that half the country feels that way.

I think Halperin's one of the good guys ... on the other side - but still, a good man.

[Welike ike]

My bad, but I am very dissapointed with FOX news this cycle. Thye could have helped counter some of the lunacy of the Foley scandal and also highlighted some DEM scandals.

I wonder if FOX will cover the NJ Gay marriage fiasco?

[GregH]

This guy should put more action behind his words , ABC's coverage this election year has been hopelessly biased towards Liberals and against Republicans. If he needs to get conservatives trust back, he should start cleaning up the mess in his organisation.

[TaxRelief]

Until they fix the newswires, like AP, nothing will change.

[Fedora]

Ping.

[GOPJ]

This guy should put more action behind his words , ABC's coverage this election year has been hopelessly biased towards Liberals and against Republicans. If he needs to get conservatives trust back, he should start cleaning up the mess in his organisation.

I watched a televised "debate" a few nights back - three liberal journalists and a liberal moderator questioning a liberal and a conservative. If Halperin wants a nice place to start, he can stage a debate -- 3 prominent conservative journalists can question the conservative and a liberal candidates. Even brain dead ABC News people will be able to spot that both the liberal and the conservative will be asked about issues that matter to conservatives. I would love to see them have to deal with the "fairness" we're subjected to ...

[ReleaseTheHounds]

Eric, you're so right... Mr. Halperin: who hires the next generation of news journalists at ABC? Do they have biases? Will those biases insure that anyone they hire has to "fit" into the current ABC/MSM culture? Do those people doing the interviewing and hiring have more allegiance to the organization (the dying Media Dinasour) or to the "culture". If the hiring is being done from one of the "elite journalism schools" -- what biases can the expect coming out of those schools?

The mainstream media has been liberal-to-commie-sympathizing for about 70-80 years... so I think the dye is cast. The mainstream media is going to have to die and be replaced by the citizen journalists of the web and future new media inventions. The genie is out of the bottle -- and it won't be put back in, EVER!

[right-wingin_It]

MASTER of the OBVIOUS!

[pollyannaish]

Probably too little too late.

But I do see a couple of pigs sitting in the high branches of the maple out front.

[Mr. Jeeves]

And as an economic model, if you want to thrive like Fox News Channel, you want to have a future, you better make sure conservatives find your product appealing if you're going to do the right thing.

GM and Ford lost the trust of the American public in the 70's, and they will never get it back. Nice sentiment, Mark, but too little, too late.

[lawnguy]

Say things what you think the audience wants to hear. Maybe throw them a bone here and there - but no substantial changes in the offing.

There have been several articles the past several days that featured otherwise liberal papers endorsing GOP candidates. Much to the shock of various Freepers.

I think these endorsements are the result of heat coming from corporate headquarters to "throw a bone" and try to salvage some circulation, and they also serve to innoculate the papers from the bias charge. At least in their ridiculously narrow world view.

[okie01]

As Halperin wisely noted [you want to have a future, you better make sure conservatives find your product appealing if you're going to do the right thing] Are the liberal media finally seeing the wisdom of this?.

Saying it and actually doing it are two different things.

If they truly want to change the culture of the MSM, they'll have to change the people.

[justshutupandtakeit]

If they called themselves by their true names, shills for the Democrat party, there would be nothing wrong but since they parade under the false banner of objectivity there is PLENTY wrong with them. They are essentially hopeless now having been wedded so long to LIES the only thing left is a decent death and their replacement with organizations immune to their poisonous ideology.

There is a tiny handful of conservatives given voice on tv and a columnist like Thomas Sowell should be the most widely read in the nation if the media was even slightly balanced. Rather than have him the NYTimes prefers odious reptiles.

[nopardons]

bttt

[Ciexyz]

Sounds good to me.