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Media Bias? No Kidding!
TCRNews.com ^ | 4/05/02 | Matt Abbott

Posted on 04/05/2002 2:44:43 AM PST by cathway

I must confess that I have not read Bernard Goldberg's book, Bias - the so-called expose on the American media; but I am glad that such a "tome" has been written, especially by the proverbial insider, however liberal he might be.

Not that it's going to make much difference, of course. The media elites, who range from "moderately" liberal to extremely liberal, will remain so. A bit more subtle about it, perhaps. As someone who is active in the right-to-life movement, it is all too obvious that the mainstream press is not on my/our side.

Case in point: Year after year, on January 22, the anniversary of the now-infamous Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion, pro-lifers (or "abortion opponents," as most media outlets would say) gather by the thousands in Washington, DC, to peacefully march in protest of this abomination.

Yet such an event doesn't seem to interest the media. Coverage is minimal in some outlets; nonexistent in many others. Why? Because we're not "newsworthy" - so says Chicago Tribune public editor Don Wycliff. Wycliff let this be known in his letter of response to a letter from the Chicago Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW), a letter that chastised the major Chicago newspapers for continuously ignoring the annual March for Life.

According to Arlene Sawicki, Legislation Commission Chair of the ACCW:

"Thirty-four members of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women had mailed a protest letter to the following newspaper executives - Mr. Scott C. Smith, Publisher, Chicago Tribune - Mr. Michael Cooke, Managing Editor, Chicago Sun-Times - and Mr. John Lampinen, Editor, Daily Herald. It was published in the February 20th edition of the Sun-Times."

The text of the ACCW letter is as follows:

"Dear Sirs:

"We, the undersigned, are profoundly perplexed that year after year the Pro-Life events scheduled for the anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22nd are apparently "censored" and "blacked out" by the Chicago secular press.

"This year, more than 100,000 people gathered together in Washington, D.C., for the annual "March for Life" event in a show of solidarity for the Pro-Life Movement and for mothers and their babies. Not one word was printed by your paper covering this event. Not one report to inform your readers about an event that gathered people from around the nation to "March" for the Sacredness of Life. This seems to be the "blackout" policy you have followed for the past 29 years! We consider this a disgrace!

"This anti-pro-life bias is unbefitting a profession that claims to uphold journalistic integrity in reporting the facts and presenting them in a fair and just manner.

"True journalism should report the news fairly and honestly. Your bias against reporting newsworthy events that do not accord with your worldview is symptomatic of a deeper problem and does the journalistic profession no favor.

"Your blatant censorship of Pro-Life events is simply unacceptable. We are sure that your advertisers will find that to be newsworthy.

"Mrs. Geraldine Soriano, President
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women
Chancery Office
155 E. Superior
Chicago, IL 60611
PH: 312/751-8325"

And Wycliff's response:

"March 4, 2002

"Ms. Geraldine Soriano, President
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women
155 E. Superior Street
Chicago, Ill. 60611-2931

"Dear Ms. Soriano:

"[Chicago Tribune editor] Ann Marie Lipinski has asked that I respond on her behalf to your letter of Feb. 21 and I am pleased to do so.

"You speak of 'bias' and 'censorship' and 'blackout' of coverage of the annual 'March for Life.' I am afraid, however, that the real reason for the lack of coverage lies in another word: newsworthiness. The mere bringing together of 100,000 people does not make the event newsworthy.

"Such a gathering has to carry with it the promise, or at least the prospect, of creating real change in our politics or our laws. For better for for worse, that is not the case with the March for Life. There was a time when it did carry that prospect, but that has not been the case for several years.

"Every day editors at the Tribune and at other newspapers have to make decisions about how to employ limited resources of manpower and newshole. On Feb. 23, the day when news of the March for Life might have appeared, the Tribune was chock full of important news. As an indication, two of the national news briefs that day--testimony in Andrea Yates trial and a step-up of security at the Liberty Bell after a terrorist threat--could easily have been full-size stories on another day.

"I can appreciate your wish to see greater coverage of an issue about which you are so passionate. I can also appreciate that there is an element of Catch-22 in this situation. But until the March for Life again becomes a force that can move our national politics, it will be a small story at best.

"Thanks for writing. Please feel free to call me at the number above if you wish to discuss this further.

"Sincerely,

"DON WYCLIFF, Public Editor
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
435 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-4041
PH: 312/222-3348"

Now, imagine over 100,000 pro-aborts, or homosexuals, marching in "protest." Rhetorical question: Don't you think the media coverage would be - how shall we say - minutely different for that kind of event?

And then there are the women who die undergoing "safe, legal" abortions. Little if any coverage for that. And the same for abortionists who commit various crimes, ranging from fraud to murder. Hardly a peep.

But if an abortionist is shot, a clinic bombed, a clinic employee threatened.the media covers it's like there's no tomorrow. Violence committed by so-called pro-lifers makes for high ratings and readership, I guess.

As for the truth: the media conveniently overlooks the fact that there have been over 3000 incidents of violence and crime, committed by abortion proponents, in the U.S. and Canada, which are documented by Human Life International (www.hli.org). Oh, but it is biased, of course - not like the "objective" facts that the NAF or NARAL provides to the press.

So why does this liberal media bias exist? It would seem many of today's journalists are in fact social engineers masquerading as "objective" reporters. And, as I said earlier, they are liberal - very liberal.

Consider that in May of 1996, a survey of 139 Washington-based journalists showed that 89 percent voted for Bill Clinton in 1992. And only 2 percent identified themselves as conservative, while 91 percent were in the "moderate to liberal" category. (Why Can't We Love Them Both? By Dr. & Mrs. John C. Willke. Hayes Publishing Company, 1997)

Go figure.

So what's the answer for us pro-life activists? Where are we going to go for news delivered from an objective perspective? Well, there are a (very) few secular conservative newspapers around. You know the ones. And there is the Internet, of course.

Ah, but I suppose we can't forget about those token conservative columnists who are employed by the multitude of liberal newspapers across the country. After all, someone has to read their columns.

And who knows.maybe someday the media will come around. Just think how wonderful things would be if all journalists would come to their senses and embrace the moral law!


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: abortion; media; socialengineering

1 posted on 04/05/2002 2:44:43 AM PST by cathway
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To: cathway
"You speak of 'bias' and 'censorship' and 'blackout' of coverage of the annual 'March for Life.' I am afraid, however, that the real reason for the lack of coverage lies in another word: newsworthiness. The mere bringing together of 100,000 people does not make the event newsworthy.

Great post, we march and we shake our heads at the lack of coverage.

This man is a fool who couldn't find his ass with both hands and a clue. If he would bother to look at the March for Life he woud be astounded and who populates it. Tens of thousands of teenagers Rockin for Life. It is one of the most uplifting things I have experienced seeing all those kids committed to a cause that is righteous.

2 posted on 04/05/2002 2:54:11 AM PST by jwalsh07
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To: cathway
Exactly so! Furthermore, the whole point of bringing up liberal bias in the media is not to change the media's closed minds - that's all but impossible - but rather to further discredit the media in the eyes of the public. The goal is to make the media a running joke among one in all - just like Stalin's media was. In this way, the media will lose much of it power to push its godless leftwing, pro-abortion, pro-homo agenda, big government agenda.
3 posted on 04/05/2002 2:59:32 AM PST by Zorrito
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To: cathway
Yet such an event doesn't seem to interest the media....

During impeachment, Reed Irvine of AIM made a statement so simple and yet so profound that it bears repeating:

"If the press doesn't like a story,
they just won't talk about it."

4 posted on 04/05/2002 3:21:01 AM PST by backhoe
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To: jwalsh07
Help...can someone tell me how to log out of this new format? I hate it.
5 posted on 04/05/2002 3:22:16 AM PST by IceGirl2
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To: Zorrito
"The goal is to make the media a running joke"

I agree, w/ each passing day they become more irrelevant. Free Republic is kicking their butts and they don't know what to do.

The prohibition against posting articles from the Compost and LA slimes has become unnecessary because the trite and predictable "news" from those organizations is no longer even worth a laugh.

6 posted on 04/05/2002 3:24:36 AM PST by Pietro
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To: IceGirl2
This too shall pass.
7 posted on 04/05/2002 3:24:40 AM PST by jwalsh07
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To: cathway
Today’s media bias is tomorrow’s school curriculum.
8 posted on 04/05/2002 4:16:04 AM PST by Gaston
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To: jwalsh07;Jim Robinson;Phil V.
"...This man is a fool who couldn't find his ass with both hands and a clue. If he would bother to look at the March for Life he woud be astounded and who populates it. Tens of thousands of teenagers Rockin for Life. It is one of the most uplifting things I have experienced seeing all those kids committed to a cause that is righteous. .."

WE make it happen, old friend, and our voice just keeps getting louder! When the cause is just, and "righteous", somehow, good people find a way to smite the Philistines.

In our case, it was that reprobate, democrat bastich, Jim Robinson, who started a magical website called Free Republic, then became a Conservative, and then convinced all of us, by example, that we should all go to Washington and make this Country right again so we did!

We didn't know that the clean-up was gonna be this painful, pal, but we signed-on for the duration, and we'll get the job done. We're Americans!

Thanks, Jim! Stay well and vigilant, guys........FRegards

9 posted on 04/05/2002 4:23:08 AM PST by gonzo
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To: gonzo
There you are! About time you showed up. The First Lady and I were wondering if you and the Misses had dropped off the planet.

Have a great day friend.

5.56mm

10 posted on 04/05/2002 4:30:41 AM PST by M Kehoe
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To: Gaston
Very, very true. God help us.
11 posted on 04/05/2002 6:07:11 AM PST by cathway
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To: jwalsh07
TCRNews.com wants ecumenical prolife news. Contact Stephen Hand, editor at romcath1@yahoo.com
12 posted on 04/05/2002 6:11:19 AM PST by cathway
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To: cathway
I must confess that I have not read Bernard Goldberg's book, Bias - the so-called expose on the American media; but I am glad that such a "tome" has been written, especially by the proverbial insider, however liberal he might be.

Matt needs to read the book. It was excellent. Dan Blather, Jennings and all the other mediots are so decidedly biased it's pathetic.

Finding bias is easy - look for the adjectives. If I wrote "a friend of mine" I mean someone like me, but "a black/gay/female/hispanic/etc friend of mine" illustrates that I'm obviously pointing out the differences. Same with the media - congresscritters they agree with are simply Senator xxx, and their legislation is simply legislation. Look for the differneces - they are conservative/right-wing Senator xxx, and their legislation is risky/scheming/wacky legislation.

13 posted on 04/05/2002 6:44:47 AM PST by 4CJ
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To: cathway

Be Aware of Arlene Sawicki

It seems Arlene Sawicki has a vedetta against pro-life organizations in Illinois.

Arlene Sawicki is spreading the following lies masked as news in e-mail messages to pro-lifers in Illinois.

She started:

"Rumor has it that it is the IFRL Board which is considering the endorsement of Judy Baar Topinka as the "lesser of two evils!" How does that grab you?"

She continued with...

"Eunice Conn says the ICL is also endorsing Topinka...they are trying to paint her as a somewhat pro-life candidate ! What?"

Arlene ends her message with this statement:

"I am hoping that if the Board of the IFRL is asked who they endorse for Governor, their answer will be.... NOT TOPINKA OR BLAGOJEVICH!"
-Arlene

I checked with the IFRL and they have not yet released their endorsements and after checking with ICL, I found that they are NOT endorsing any candidate for Governor in this election.

It seems to me that Arlene has dedicated herself to destroying the reputation of pro-life organziations in Illinois by spreading false rumors about them. She first attacks the IFRL and then the ICL. You may want to think twice on issues that Arlene reports on.


14 posted on 09/07/2006 2:38:30 PM PDT by Life All
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