No, the Media isn't Biased...

[insein]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000517184

Pew Survey Finds Moderates, Liberals Dominate News Outlets
Aya Kawano




By E&P Staff

Published: May 23, 2004 4:00 PM EST

NEW YORK Those convinced that liberals make up a disproportionate share of newsroom workers have long relied on Pew Research Center surveys to confirm this view, and they will not be disappointed by the results of Pew's latest study released today.

While most of the journalists, like many Americans, describe themselves as "moderate," a far higher number are "liberal" than in the general population.

At national organizations (which includes print, TV and radio), the numbers break down like this: 34% liberal, 7% conservative. At local outlets: 23% liberal, 12% conservative. At Web sites: 27% call themselves liberals, 13% conservatives.

This contrasts with the self-assessment of the general public: 20% liberal, 33% conservative.

The survey of 547 media professionals, completed this spring, is part of an important study released today by The Project for Excellence in Journalism and The Committee of Concerned Journalists, which mainly concerns more general issues related to newsrooms (an E&P summary will appear Monday).

While it's important to remember that most journalists in this survey continue to call themselves moderate, the ranks of self-described liberals have grown in recent years, according to Pew. For example, since 1995, Pew found at national outlets that the liberal segment has climbed from 22% to 34% while conservatives have only inched up from 5% to 7%.

The survey also revealed what some are sure to label a "values" gap. According to Pew, about 60% of the general public believes it is necessary to believe in God to be a truly moral person. The new survey finds that less than 15% of those who work at news outlets believe that. About half the general public believes homosexuality should be accepted by society -- but about 80% of journalists feel that way.

When the question of which news organizations actually tilted left or right, there was one clear candidate: Fox News. Fully 69% of national journalists, and 42% of those at the local level, called Fox News "especially conservative." Next up was The New York Times, which about one in five labeled "especially liberal."

Not surprisingly, views of how the press has treated President Bush break down along partisan lines. More than two out of three liberals feel the press has not been tough enough on Bush, while half the conservatives feel the media has been too tough.

Still, a little over half of national journalists (53%) give national media coverage of the administration an A or B rating.

While the sample of 547 interviewees is not large, Pew says that this selection represents "a cross-section of news organizations and of the people working at all levels of those organizations." Newspapers were identified and circulation ranked using the 2003 Editor & Publisher International Year Book.

In an essay accompanying the survey, the directors of the sponsoring groups -- Bill Kovach, Tom Rosenstiel and Amy Mitchell --declare that broad conclusions about the political findings should be tempered by analyzing some of the details in the findings. For example, they identify strong "libertarian" leanings among journalists, including doubts about the role of "big government."

No liberal bias in the media? Sure....

 

[deciophobic]

ur right, it's not biased

 

[dilloduck]

I have yet to hear any viable suggestions on how to attack the liberal bias. suggestions anyone?

 

[insein]

Originally posted by dilloduck
I have yet to hear any viable suggestions on how to attack the liberal bias. suggestions anyone?

Hannity, Rush and Foxnews seem to have put a dent into their bias. Lets just hope it continues.

 

[acludem]

Did this survey mention anything about the decision makers at these papers - that is the editors and publishers who tend to be overwhelmingly conservative?

acludem

 

[HGROKIT]

Originally posted by acludem
Did this survey mention anything about the decision makers at these papers - that is the editors and publishers who tend to be overwhelmingly conservative?

acludem

If they were overwhelmingly conservative as you suggest, how then would the publication be considered liberaly biased? Your assertion, on it's face, make no sense.

 

[acludem]

Your statement makes no sense. My argument is that it doesn't matter what the politics of the peons are - it matters what the politics of those who actually decide what goes into the paper or on the TV are. There have been numerous articles, including by this same source, one of which I sourced in another thread on this topic showing than editors and publishers are OVERWHELMINGLY - I'm talking by 3 to 1 margins conservative.

acludem

 

[HGROKIT]

I understood your point and perhaps I am dense here, but seems you are still making the same point and that is...the decision makers are conservative...but the paeons as you call them...the ones writing the so called left leaning articles do so at the direction of the editors, or in the very least their work is condoned by the editors.

If the editors are as you suggest conservative, why would they promote or direct the inclusion of such left leaning articles? I mean what are their motives and intentions? It just not make sense. Or...are you suggesting some nefarious agenda?

If your argument is one of editorial credibility due to someone of a conservative viewpoint working for a left leaning publication, then I might tend to agree. However, I would submit if that were the case, then the credibility of the entire publication be suspect.