\\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Title-R1d.png MEDIA BIAS 101 ROBERT HELÁN MEDIA LITERACY COURSE \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png WHY IS MEDIA BIAS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC? •ITS POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON SOCIETY, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PEOPLE MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM THE MOST \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY OMISSION -LEAVING ONE SIDE OUT OF AN ARTICLE, OR A SERIES OF ARTICLES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME -IGNORING FACTS THAT DISPROVE/SUPPORT LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE CLAIMS -SEE IF BOTH CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL PERSPECTIVES ARE INCLUDED • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY SELECTION OF SOURCES -INCLUDING MORE SOURCES THAT SUPPORT ONE VIEW OVER ANOTHER -ALSO WHEN REPORTERS SAY “EXPERTS BELIEVE”, “OBSERVERS SAY”, “MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE” -CHECK POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE QUOTED AS EXPERTS, ALSO AN EQUAL NUMBER OF EXPERTS SHOULD COME FROM BOTH SIDES - \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY STORY SELECTION -A PATTERN OF HIGHLIGHTING NEWS STORIES THAT COINCIDE WITH THE AGENDA OF EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT, IGNORING STORIES THAT COINCIDE WITH THE OPPOSING VIEW -CHECK BOTH CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL SIDES OF A SPECIFIC ISSUE \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY PLACEMENT -HOW IMPORTANT THE EDITOR CONSIDERS A SPECIFIC STORY -WHERE ON A WEBSITE/NEWSPAPER A STORY OR EVENT IS LOCATED -OBSERVE WHERE A MEDIA OUTLET PLACES POLITICAL STORIES \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY LABELING •TWO TYPES: -LABELING CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS AS “ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE”, “FAR RIGHT” AND LIBERAL POLITICIANS AS “ULTRA-LIBERAL”, “FAR LEFT” -DESCRIBING A PERSON/GROUP WITH POSITIVE LABELS SUCH AS “AN EXPERT”, “INDEPENDENT CONSUMER GROUP” WITHOUT MENTIONING THEIR POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png TYPES OF MEDIA BIAS •BIAS BY SPIN -ONLY ONE INTERPRETATION OF AN EVENT TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE OTHER -IT CAN INCLUDE TONE: A REPORTER’S SUBJECTIVE COMMENTS ABOUT OBJECTIVE FACTS, MAKING ONE SIDE’S IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE LOOK BETTER THAT THE OTHER -OBSERVE WHICH INTERPRETATION OF AN EVENT A NEWS STORY MATCHES (LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE) • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png EXAMPLE 1: WHICH BIAS? •THE DAY AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS INAUGURATED THERE WAS THE LARGEST WOMAN’S PROTEST MARCH IN HISTORY. ON ALMOST ALL LEFT LEANING MEDIA SITES THIS WAS THE LEAD STORY. HOWEVER, ON THE RIGHT BIASED FOX NEWS IT WAS BURIED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, WITH MANY SMALLER NEWS ITEMS GETTING MORE ATTENTION THAN THIS STORY. • •BIAS BY OMISSION • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png EXAMPLE 2: WHICH BIAS? BIAS BY LABELING \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png EXAMPLE 3: WHICH BIAS? BIAS BY PLACEMENT \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK TO BALANCE BIAS • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png WHO ARE THE SOURCES AND WHAT ARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES? •UNNAMED SOURCES •ONLY WELL-EDUCATED •ONLY THOSE WHO SPEAK ENGLISH WELL •LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVES • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png ARE SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS LEFT UNASKED OR UNANSWERED? IS THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, OR HISTORICAL CONTEXT MISSING? •FIRST COVERAGE OF A CRISIS – SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CAUSES ARE SELDOM EXAMINED •WHAT WILL BE REMEMBERED IS WHAT WE FIRST SAW OR HEARD •USUALLY LATER ON, MANY QUESTIONS AND CRITICISMS ARE RAISED • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png DO QUOTES SEEM ABRIDGED OR OUT OF CONTEXT? •THE NEW YORK TIMES ON U.S. CHURCH WORKER, HELD IN CAPTIVITY BY SALVADORAN MILITARY: “I DON’T THINK I SUFFERED.” •IN REALITY, SHE SAID (ACCORDING TO NEWSDAY): “I DON’T THINK I HAVE SUFFERED AS TERRIBLY AS THE THOUSANDS OF SALVADORANS HAVE SUFFERED HERE.” • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png DOES COVERAGE SEEM TO OFFER A PARTIAL OR SELECTIVE HISTORY OF EVENTS? •PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN PANAMA: REFERENCES TO RETURNING PANAMA TO “DEMOCRACY”, “LAST ELECTED PRESIDENT” •IN REALITY: HE WAS INSTITUTED IN AND REMOVED FROM OFFICE – FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png ARE EXAGGERATED OR RHETORICAL CLAIMS REPORTED UNCRITICALLY WITHOUT JOURNALISTIC SCRUTINY? •LOADED WORDS SUCH AS “TERRORIST” VS. “FREEDOM-FIGHTERS” •THEY SHOULD ALERT US TO IDEOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW •THE MOST MISUSED WORD IS “DEMOCRACY” – THERE IS A VARIETY OF DEMOCRATIC WAYS • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png WHAT STORIES OR EVENTS ARE NOT COVERED? •BRAZIL’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WERE NOT COVERED IN US MEDIA •COVERED ARE THOSE COUNTRIES IN WHICH THERE ARE AMERICAN TROOPS •THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES MAKE THE NEWS ONLY IF THERE ARE COUPS OR EARTHQUAKES • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png CONCLUSION •NO ONE CAN FORM OPINIONS FROM STORIES THAT ARE NOT COVERED •THEREFORE, ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF NEWS ARE IMPORTANT •BE A CRITICAL READER – READ BETWEEN THE LINES •ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS • • \\DROBO-FS\QuickDrops\JB\PPTX NG\Droplets\LightingOverlay.png Droplets-HD-Content-R1d.png HIGH QUALITY SOURCES •HTTPS://WWW.ALLSIDES.COM/UNBIASED-BALANCED-NEWS • •HTTPS://FAIR.ORG/ • •HTTPS://MEDIABIASFACTCHECK.COM/ •