Media Bias
Liberal Media is a Myth It is often said that the news media has a liberal bias. Joseph Goebbels said it best “if you repeat something often enough, people will believe it.” This couldn’t be truer in politics, it’s that bandwagon effect; everyone believes it so you should too. Alterman (2003) stated, “Conservatives have intimidated journalists into repeating their baseless accusations of liberal bias by virtue of their willingness to repeat it… endlessly.” (p.37). In fact, 75% of conservatives say the media is too liberal according to the Gallop Poll News Service (Morales, 2011). Claims of bias are on the rise from conservatives who make more charges of bias in the media than their liberal peers; when in fact the polls show that bias is in favor of conservatives. Claims of media bias have been around since the early days of the newspaper, and continue until this day. It’s no secret that conservatives love to proclaim media bias. It has been in the fore-front of conservative thought and punditry for years that reporters and most media are liberal. The media should be objective and clear of agendas. When the media covers a story and only tells one side of it, the side that fits their agenda that is media bias. Media bias can have a negative effect on us. It helps aid in the ignorance that encourages prejudice and hatred toward others. Media bias can affect how we feel about one another, or even how we feel about a group of people. Media bias divides us and pits us against one another. It is often times Democrats (liberals) versus Republican (conservatives), and other groups also such as the Independents, and the tea party. You will be hard pressed to find bipartisanship these days between the two major parties in the United States. As Americans we are at times influenced by the media while watching television, listening to the radio, reading the newspaper or a magazine, and even while surfing the Internet, we are exposed to many things that can
References: Alterman, E. (2003). What Liberal Media? The Truth about Bias and The News Easley, J. (2011, October 17). Conservative media bias: Obama gets the most negative coverage of any 2012 FAIR. (2012, April 18) Right and early: Sunday morning shows are GOP TV Media Matters for America. (2010). Conservative Media Bias Is a Serious Problem Morales, L. (2011, September 22). Majority in U.S. Continues to Distrust the Media, Perceive Bias; More perceive liberal bias than conservative bias Pew Research Center, 92012, August 16). Further decline in credibility ratings for most news organizations Selepak, A. G. (2010). Liberal Media Bias Is a Serious Problem. Gale opposing viewpoints in context, retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com