The saga continues…
David Shaw weighs in again on bias in the news media, this time with more commentary on Eric Alterman’s recent book, What Liberal Media? This column is mostly a rehash of recent thought and events, but I do find Shaw’s conclusion worth highlighting:
But I think it’s the demonstrable presence of so many liberals in the big-city news media–and their coverage of antiwar activities and the civil rights, feminist, gay rights, consumer and environmental movements–that has enabled the conservatives to make their case for liberal bias.
To many conservatives, the very fact that the media covered these movements means the media were sympathetic to them and the coverage was, ipso facto, tainted by a liberal bias.
Moreover, journalists are skeptical, confrontational and iconoclastic, which means they challenge the establishment, while conservatives want to conserve it.
So the better journalists do their job, the more likely conservatives are to see them as liberal.
As I have said before, the very function of a free press–that sees itself as a check on power and the champion of the underdog–is a (classically) liberal enterprise. This, however, is quite different from overt, ideological bias. Overt bias is a local event, i.e. confined to an outlet, a journalist, an issue, or a local situation.
UPDATE (10:50 a.m.): In regard to the comment by Barney Gumble, let me clarify the last sentence of my post. By “local event” I mean a clearly identifiable rhetorical situation as opposed to a broad or general reality. Many of the examples he identifies qualify as such, in my opinion.
For further commentary, I recommend checking out today’s posts by MediaMinded: here and here.
I agree to an extent, but I think that corporate censorship is the dead elephant in the room.
How come on the ‘liberal media’ you never hear:
Anything about corporate welfare? The issue doesn’t exist to them.
That asbestos is the number two cancer killer behind tobacco?
Anything good about unions. Ever. One example. Just one.
Anything good about affirmative action.
Anything good about the Endangered Species Act.
Anything good about Kyoto.
That you couldn’t find 50 canadians in their whole country who would trade their health care system for America’s.
That jury awards should be large enough to punish corporations that deserve it. Ever. One example. Just one.
That corporations are capitalists when it comes to profits, but they turn in to socialists when it comes to losses.
Anything at all about cancer causing chemicals? They just don’t exist on AM Radio.
An opinion on genetically modified food that differs from Monsanto’s.
Liberal bias my ass. The only opinion allowed on corporate news is corporate opinion.
MediaMinded has some good comments on this—BTW, I agree with him.
Barney: I don’t know what planet you’re living on, but you obviously don’t get out much. I can’t begin to list the number of investigative pieces that touch on a lot of the issues you claim are “ignored” by the “corporate media.” I can’t list them, but Derek Willis can.
http://thescoop.org/
Thanks to MediaMinded for saying the other thing I wanted to say in response to Gumble.
Here’s something I haven’t heard the media discuss yet.
As soon as we own Iraq, America should go after Turkey and Syria. Turkey has not obeyed our commands. We pay them good money to be our puppets and yet they will not do as we command. It is time for regime change in Turkey. As for Syria, I believe these are the real criminals behind Osama Bin Laden. It is time for regime change in Syria. We must do this to protect freedom and democracy. Our humanitarian bombing is necessary to save the world. As soon as we own the world, it will be safe for all who support America.
Media minded, Alcine: I don’t think I can make it any easier to get myself spanked in public. I just want ONE example of:
“That jury awards should be large enough to punish corporations that deserve it. Ever. One example. Just one.”
or
“Anything good about unions. Ever. One example. Just one.”
(got to be from a TV or radio site though, otherwise you’d just post an example from ‘Workers Socialist World Weekly’ or something similar).
I’d also be interested in mainstream examples of the asbestos, corporate welfare, Kyoto, canadians and health care, or GMO questions.
Barney…you appear to be asking for opinion that matches a certain ideology. And I would refer you to the editorial pages of newspapers and magazines. And I would refer you to, just as you suggest, partisan media.
When I speak of media bias, I am not talking about pundits, columnists, op-eds, editorials, or partisan publications. These are biased, or “positioned,” and obviously so.
Check out the link MediaMinded suggested above. The mainstream press has certainly covered these topics. You may certainly not be happy with that coverage. Does than mean the cover is biased? Maybe.
You won’t find it here, Joe. They blew a chance to name even one. Media Minded really was right when he said, “I can’t begin to list…”
Don’t bother guys, I won’t be back here.
Did you check out http://thescoop.org/ as MediaMined suggested?
Barney–teachers’ unions get a wet kiss, as do postal workers (except when they kill someone) and most municipal employees, such as bus drivers, etc.
OK dokie.