Media Bias

In the comments section of my last entry, I asked for suggestions for my next topic. The suggestion was "The media". Sheesh. Talk about a loaded topic! First off, the very subject of the media and media bias is so framed by inaccurate premises, that it's nearly impossible to have a rational discussion on the topic with anyone wanting to discuss it. So for the sake of a level discussion, let's get the most important part of this issue straight:

The is no such thing as liberal or conservative media bias. Not on NPR and not on FOX. Not anywhere.

Now wait, hear me out. It is also true that there is no such thing as a person being a liberal or a conservative. The libs vs. cons false dichotomy is a media construct to pander to their customer base. That's it. Ideas are liberal or conservative, not people. Let me give you an example:

How many self-described conservatives reading this would have opposed the American Revolution? Probably none. Well, it was a progressive idea to break from the English crown and start the experiment of a democratic republic. Likewise, it was a conservative stance to remain a loyalist. The very definition of conservatism is to preserve the tradition and status quo. Likewise with child labor laws, the abolition of slavery, and the Clean Air and Water act. All liberal/progressive ideas. And no doubt, supported by many reading this, who consider themselves conservatives.

Now some of you may take issue with my use of the textbook definition and you aren't alone. It wasn't long ago that Jonah Goldberg and the NRO discovered that the dictionary and thesaurus both reflect reality's well-known liberal bias. http://snipurl.com/ley8n

So if there is no liberal and conservative bias in the media, then is the media un-biased?

Hardly. The media has a for-profit bias. That is all. That's it. One could argue that the mainstream media also has a corporate bias, but over-all, it's all about profits.

And seriously, if there was a liberal bias to the mainstream media, how could millions of people all come to the same conclusion that such a bias exists? Here's a hint: If it's the most watched 24-hour news channel, available in the basic cable package... it is the mainstream. I'm looking at you, FOX "news".

So, back to the for-profit bias accusation. Here's how it works: the network identifies and builds a demographic and then panders to that demographic to expand brand loyalty and thus...profits.

People don't like to have their personal biases questioned. Behavioral scientists have discovered that when a person's personal bias is reinforced in something they read or hear, a little neuron fires in the brain and a little bit of endorphin is released. When their paradigm is questioned, displeasure is the typical response. These scientists credit our evolutionary tribe mentality for this disposition. So essentially, one could argue that we've evolved over time to be closed minded twits, and it's served us well, thus far.

But that's just it: It's part of an "us versus them" mentality. Which might be constructive when fighting over hunting grounds on the Serengeti, but not so much for the cohesion of your fellow Americans.

Divide and Conquer

While people are busy identifying with their personal group and blaming other hard working Americans for their problems, the guys at the top of the food chain are looting our treasury, picking our pockets, and laughing all the way to the offshore bank account.

The reality of corporate media

There is a very real dichotomy that we can all benefit from identifying, however: Persuasive content and informative content.

When you watch the news, ask yourself, "am I being presented informational material or persuasive material?". Is there an obvious effort to persuade you, or is it "just the facts"?

And here's what you'll notice: the more informational and less persuasive a source is, the more likely it is to be labeled as "liberal" by persuasive media outlets.

Of course, informational media does persuade a person. But the difference is that the information is presented accurately and you make your own decision. Other outlets begin with the premise of operating from a slant and justify it by claiming "the rest of the media doesn't give our perspective, therefore our bias is fairness and balance".

Outlets like the one I just mentioned have created a cottage industry of media watchdogs and... as you could guess, these media watchdogs are immediately labeled as "liberal".

Media Matters, Crooks and Liars, and many others all began as completely non-partisan informative outlets, but have since accepted the label of "liberal" from those whose misinformation and bias they've made a priority to expose.

So, by this standard, allow me to introduce to you my personal favorite "liberally biased" news outlet: Democracy Now. After watching this clip, watch a little FOX and see if you can tell the difference.

http://www.democracynow.org/