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Press bias

Press bias. What is the evidence?. What is the role of journalism?. Inform the public Therefore, the news is supposed to cover important events and public policy It should be understandable and give context Act as a watchdog on government

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Press bias

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  1. Press bias What is the evidence?

  2. What is the role of journalism? • Inform the public • Therefore, the news is supposed to cover important events and public policy • It should be understandable and give context • Act as a watchdog on government • Therefore, journalists should critique the performance of officials • Provide a forum for groups critiquing government • Some argue the same should be true for heads of powerful private organizations as well • Many argue that to carry out its mission, the press should be ‘objective’ • This, too, is somewhat controversial • The press is often criticized as being biased, especially liberal bias

  3. Believability of news media Percent of public rating medium highly believable, 1985-2002 Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, ’’News Media’s Improved Image Proves Short-Lived,’’ August 4, 2002 Survey question: "How would you rate the believability of (item) on [a] scale of 4 to 1?"

  4. Grading news coverage, 2001 Percentage giving each medium an A or B grade Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, ’’America’s Place in the World III,’’ Aug. 21 - Sept. 5, 2001 Survey question: What grade, A, B, C, D or F, would you give [media name] for its/their overall news coverage these days?

  5. Characteristics of news coverage • Total amount • Number of outlets • Total available time, space • News v. non-news content • Topics • What is defined as news? • Lifestyle/features v. accidents/crime v. political news • Foreign affairs v. domestic policy • Issues discussed/ignored • Treatment • Sources included/excluded • Bias • Framing/ideology

  6. Factors often influencing local TV newsGeneral public opinion v. news director opinion Source: Radio-Television News Directors Foundation, "2003 Local Television News Study of News Directors and the American Public"

  7. Sources of influence on news coverage • Journalists’ personal attitudes • News routines, organizational requirements • Owners’ attitudes • Audience interests • Advertiser interests • Relations between journalists and government • Professional values and knowledge • National culture

  8. Journalists’ personal attitudes • Evidence shows that journalists are more liberal than the average American

  9. Agnew’s assault on the press

  10. Public perception of leanings Source: Gallup poll of 1,025 Americans, September 2003

  11. Public beliefs about the press Source: Gallup poll of 1,025 Americans, September 2003

  12. Journalists’ self-designation Source: Pew Center poll of print journalists

  13. Source: National Survey of the Role of Polls in Policymaking[report in PDF], The Kaiser Family Foundation  in collaboration with Public Perspective, page 27 question D4, June 2001.

  14. Print journalists’ views on bias Source: Pew Research Center poll of print journalists

  15. Political stance of editors Source: ASNE’s “Perspectives of People and the Press” report, 1999

  16. How does this affect the news? Lichter, of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, says, "The backgrounds and attitudes of journalists affect the way they see the world and present the world. But that does not mean they are getting up in the morning, looking into the mirror, and saying, 'How can I screw the Republicans today?'"

  17. "I have worked at five major newspapers and sat next to people who held political views that ranged from fascist to communist, and I would be hard pressed to find any sign of that in their work as reporters or editors. A better test than the liberal-vs.-conservative paradigm would be ideological-vs.-non-ideological, and rounded-vs.-not rounded. • David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize winner who covered tax issues for The New York Times

  18. Some say the press is actually conservative: • A smaller, but growing, number of critics argues that the media lean right rather than left • Robert Parry: “The notion of a ‘liberal’ national news media is one of the most enduring and influential political myths of modern U.S. history. Shaping the behavior of both conservatives and liberals over the past quarter century, the myth could be said to have altered the course of American democracy and led the nation into the dangerous corner it now finds itself.”

  19. Journalists and public on specific policies

  20. Ultimately: • Journalists are personally liberal • Elite media more so than the rest • They are not so clearly or unambiguously liberal as they are portrayed • Majority are centrist • Actually centrist or conservative on economic matters, liberal on social equality issues, government social action • Editors and management are more conservative • The historical trend has been toward a more conservative or libertarian position for journalists • Definition of ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ have both drifted to the right • ‘New news’ and non-fiction formats have been on the conservative side • Influence of elite media has declined

  21. Socialization of journalists • New journalists learn ‘editorial policy’ subtly through the working of the news system • The stories they hand in are edited and returned for rewrite • What shows up in the paper/newscast is edited—they learn to turn in what is preferred • Success of journalists who follow the rules • Placement of stories • Star reporters with perks • Occasional ‘talking to’ by editors • Coffee klatches • Evaluation of elite press coverage • They read their own paper each day

  22. Owners’ and managers’ attitudes • Rights of ownership • Can fire dissident employees • Relatively rare • They can hire according to political tendencies • Uncommon • However, may be becoming more common • “Fox phenomenon” • Advancement according to acceptance of editorial policy

  23. Consolidation • Fewer and fewer large corporations own more and more of the media companies controlling the media markets • http://www.thenation.com/special/bigten.html

  24. Audience preferences • Sensationalism • People watch news in large numbers • Small audiences for “serious journalism”, e.g. Newshour, opinion journals, editorial pages • Screaming matches rather than debate • Common focus on bizarre, conflictual, seamy, violent • Look at popular culture • Movies • Television shows • Success of more sensational news formats • 60 Minutes

  25. Audience preferences • Right-wing populism • “Patriotism” • Fox • Limbaugh, etc. • “Militarism of local news” (Gitlin and Hallin) • Local news, especially, dropped all pretension of neutrality during Gulf War I • Same appears true today

  26. Advertiser interests • Newspaper, newsmagazine and, especially, television get economic support from advertising • Ad agencies buy time mainly according to audience size • However, perceived ‘quality’ of audience matters, as well • Ms. magazine • Fear of consumer response in case of airing content deemed unacceptable by consuming public • Conservatives have been particularly active in consumer boycotts, etc. • Dixie Chicks, etc.

  27. Advertisers may act according to owner/management ideology • Probably not a major source of bias • When profit is available, other companies appear to often foot the bill, as it gives a competitive advantage • However, a large number of companies have directed their advertising agencies not to place advertising with Air America (liberal talk radio)

  28. Politicians and the press • “Reporters are puppets.” • Lyndon Johnson

  29. Officials dominate news sources • Q#6. How often do you talk to the following sources in your work on economic policy issues? % saying "nearly always“ % saying "often“ • Government officials 51% 34% • Business representatives 31% 35% • Think-tank analysts 17% 47% • University-based academics 10% 38% • Wall Street analysts 9% 22% • Labor representatives 5% 30% • Consumer advocates 5% 20% Source: journalist survey

  30. Relations between journalists and government • Mutual interests • Source of news for media • Source of publicity/influence over public opinion for officials • “Power balance” determines relative ability to control relationship • President, top officials can command media attention • Powerful media (NY Times, NBC) can ignore relatively minor players or demand certain information in trade for publicity

  31. Relations between journalists and government • Officials use media as a means to disseminate information in support of their own agendas • Backgrounders • Leaks (‘unnamed sources’) • Quotes • Officials can offer scoops, leading individual journalists to play along in order to advance their own careers

  32. Structural control over media • Press room • Press conference • Spokespersons • Campaign bus, etc. • Photo ops

  33. Think tanks (Golden rolodex)

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