More Bias from Public Broadcasting

The election results have caused knowledgeable conservatives to conclude that the much-vaunted conservative media isn't as powerful as they thought it was. While conservative radio hosts are on hundreds of radio stations, taxpayer-supported public radio has 800 affiliates. Its bias, usually presented as objectve journalism, has a real impact on people.

Its recent treatment of the controversy over the launch of Al-Jazeera English is a case study of how the bias is displayed on a daily basis.

On American University Radio, WAMU, on the Diane Rehm Show, there were three guests: Marwan Kraidy, director of the Arab Media and Public Life Project at American University and assistant professor of international communications and international relations; David Marash, Washington anchor for Al-Jazeera English; and Mark Jurkowitz, associate director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Meanwhile, the public-TV NOW program on November 3 pulled another trick, presenting openly homosexual and HIV-positive commentator Andrew Sullivan as a "conservative."

Brancacio: "What is a nice conservative like you doing telling your friends and your readers to abstain from voting next week or worse?

While conservative radio hosts are on hundreds of radio stations, taxpayer-supported public radio has 800 affiliates. Its bias, usually presented as objective journalism, has a real impact on people.

Big Journalism functions as the establishment in America. Big Journalism coheres around economic interests common to the various organs which compose it. Because of that, Big Journalism is easily able to enforce adherence to its "objectivity." Big Journalism defines "objective," "liberal," "conservative," "moderate," "progressive," "centrist" - and some other words - in an arrogant way:

"objective" - the perspective that nothing matters for its own sake - that the only thing that matters is what journalism says about any given incident or thing (used only in reference to journalists).

"liberal" - exactly the same meaning as "objective," above - but never used to describe a working journalist.

"moderate" - same as "liberal," in meaning and usage.

"progressive" same as "liberal," in meaning and usage.

"centrist" - same as "liberal," in meaning and usage.

"conservative" - opposite of "liberal," in meaning. Never used to describe a journalist or anyone who could become an "objective" journalist.

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