The Central Theme of This Blog

All through the semester, I have centered this blog on the theme of Media Bias. Every day we encounter news that has a bias perspective on it, whether we realize it or not. We are susceptible to the media and the power it has in swaying our opinion. The media spoon-feeds us what we want to hear. The more we believe their stories, the more they are going to report and misinterpret information to us. They report stories, but it is usually never the full story. They tend to leave out details. These certain details can totally change the course and meaning of a story. Fox will tell the right-winged side of the story, to make their conservative view look good. MSNBC will tell the left-winged side of the story, to make their liberal view look better. It is an ongoing and never-ending cycle. Always be sure to read information from both sides. You will see the full perspective and pick up on information you might have not gotten from the other source. Fair.org is a very insightful website that helps a reader pick out legitimate sources worth reading. Fair stands for fairness and accuracy in reporting. It provides tips, and details on those tips, for helping pick out bias in news media. This society depends on social media and fast and efficient news. It is easy to have miscommunication with information. Many sources are not credible enough and readers will believe the first thing they read without following up on it. We need to slow our pace and read more carefully. What we misinterpret might be exactly what the politics and media want us to do.

This cartoon's play on the phrase, "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil," is a good way of breaking down media bias, except they replace it with truth. All news networks are in a competition to have power over media. Each station is known for having a dominant, particular point of view; either moderate or liberal. When it comes down to it, they all do not completely tell the truth. NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, and all other networks will never report a story on politics that does not support their viewpoint. That is why you have to look at all of them when it comes to wanting to know the fully story of a hot, political topic. 

How the Media Constructs Public Opinion

Extremely insightful video on how the media shapes public opinion. The media has complete power over society; it can help shape or modify what we know about the issue. They have power in most political reports. They choose what questions to ask so they can report information that leans to their specific biased opinion. 

This video also touches on how we have become a poll-saturated nation. We look to polls to define how America feels on a certain topic. When, in fact, we don't realize that each poll has a different demographic in many forms. Just because 39% of women agreed with Obama's view on abortion doesn't mean that the majority of women in America do not agree with him. That's just a certain number of women, in a particular area, with different reasons for their outlook. Be cautious with polls. Many news sources tend to mislead viewers with the information of a poll, which, in turn, gives the wrong impression of certain information. 

The media manipulates every source of information given. Do you or do you not agree?

Another Political Cartoon!

With all the political media attention on Obama and his new Healthcare lately, I thought this cartoon would lighten the mood. Even a government shutdown didn't solve the problems Obama has taken on with this reform. He is really stirring up the political pot.

Obviously the person who made this cartoon is opposed to Obamcare. It is full of political satire. "Side effects included delayed treatment, elevated taxes, swelled deficits, shortages of doctors, and in some cases...DEATH." Of course the creator points out the negatives of the healthcare to support his point of view. Some cartoonist who supported Obamacare would probably leave these "side effects" out of their image and reiterate positive "side effects" of Obamacare. This is, yet, another way for media to be biased.

Do you think images like cartoons have a more powerful effect on viewers? Or do you think online media coverage such as articles and videos do? Are there any other sources or contributors to the source of media and its bias? Which category holds the strongest biased in your opinion?

Obama is slipping.

Devastating Polls For Obama and Obamacare

According to the National Review, Obama’s approval rating at 39 percent, with his disapproval rating at 54 percent — sharply down from 45 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval on October 1, the day the government shutdown began and HealthCare.gov went into (limited) operation.

Now this isn't the exact numbers you will find in every poll you read about. All numbers are differente because each source will most likely be interviewing a different group, number, or type of people. They will have varying results. 

With that being said, most polls lately have shown Obama losing favoritism and approval of America. Is he slipping like the polls claim or is that just another media bias? What is your stance on the President and his current situation?

Here's Your Personalized Tour...

...Of Obamacare. What will happen on January 1, 2014? Here is a day in the life of a regular human being to your personalization. How will the new healthcare reform affect YOU, personally? Find out!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!
From the Wall Street Journal.
http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/prescribed/?mg=inert-wsj?mod=WSJ_article_EditorsPicks

Do you think Wall Street Journal did a good job at breaking down the new healthcare and explaing how it works?

Who Has the Power?

Howard Kurtz wants people to stop whining about a conservative media bias. But is there one? Does the majority of the country stand with conservatism or liberalism, and how much power is at stake? Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

Of course, Uygur's view is alos biased, but some great points can be taken away from it this video. He takes points from both sides of the parties. 

Who do you think has the power in media bias? Why or why don't you agree with what is being said in the video above?

For futher reading, here is the article Cenk Uygur was reporting on, from CNN's opinion section.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/04/opinion/kurtz-obama-gore-whining/

F.A.I.R.

This entry isn't about a particular topic in the media right now. It is more on how to detect bias in the media on that particular topic when it comes around. It is very helpful. Knowing that media sources are can be biased is vital to our knowledge. News can misuse, misinterpret, and misunderstand all information. In turn, they will report what we want to hear, which is what they want us to hear. That is the problem with most debates in political media.

FAIR = Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

Who are the sources?

Is there a lack of diversity?

From whose viewpoint is the news reported?

Are there double standards?

Do stereotypes skew coverage?

What are the unchallenged assumptions?

Is the language loaded?

Is there a lack of context?

Do the headlines and stories match?

Are stories on important issues featured prominently?

How To Detect Bias In News Media

(click above and read article for helpful tips)

I think it would help a lot this semester when reading articles relevant to mass media and politics.

Just some political media cartoons.

This cartoon shows the media spoonfeeding its viewers. Media usually reports what we want to hear. We are a society that is based off fast and efficient news sources. That's why many news sources turn out to be biased because they can get their views out there for people willing to listen.

This cartoon shows a news van on its way to do a report on a story. The sign above says, "misinformation highway: next right." It basically portrays that the media often misinterprets many stories. Another reason to read multiple news sources.

Another cartoon showing how both sides of the political parties will twist the other's words to make them look like the bad guy. Media is the same way. That is how many news sources become biased. Fox is known as a right-wing news source, mainly for Republican views. MSNBC is know as a left-wing news source, mainly for Democratic views. 

What are your interpretations on each of the cartoons? 

Arms Trade Treaty? What?

My stepfather is a proud member of the NRA. He does not take one side of the fence over the other, meaning he is not full-blown Republican, nor Democrat. You might as well call him a Republican when it comes to his guns and his gun rights, however. He was telling me about the Arms Trade Treaty a couple weeks back and I was surprised I had not heard much about it. When I say I had not heard much about it, I mean I had not heard of it at all. So, I had to do a little researching of course. He made it seem like it was an attack on our 2nd amendment rights. That is probably what most Americans view it as.

This article on Fox News has a quick, 5-minute video that gives an overview. I encourage you to watch it if you have time. 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/25/un-arms-treaty-will-be-menace-to-us-for-years-to-come/

Basically, what I have gathered from the information is, the treaty is an agreement to keep firearms from getting into the wrong hands internationally. Most view this as relinquishing individual rights to bear arms. I, myself, do not own a gun. I am rightfully afraid of them, but I do not believe we should have to question if we will have that right in the foreseeable future. 

Senator John Kerry stirred up a big pot of controversy when he signed the U.N. Treaty on America's behalf. Luckily, a few weeks later, this article was published. 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/18/good-news-from-washington-un-arms-trade-treaty-doa-in-us-senate/

Senator Jerry Moran and Senator Joe Manchin wrote a letter signed by 48 of their colleagues that duly notes the Senate would not be ratifying such a decision in the foreseeable future. What a relief! Tucker, the Fox News correspondent, did mention that the NRA is the Republican organization that has the 2nd amendment tightly secured and did not see this budging anytime soon.

The question is: Is there a growing possibility the 2nd amendment will be taken away? What is society's opinion on the matter? What is the media leaving out?

Gov't Shutdown: 1995 vs. 2013

(Above is a picture from the 1995 Gov't shutdown)

There are three main differences between the 1995 Government shutdown and the 2013 Government shutdown. This article from CNN, found below, explains why.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/01/politics/different-government-shutdowns/

Here's a quick summary:

Reason One:

1995: President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich were open to compromise

2013: President Obama and Speaker Boehner lack contact with one another

Reason Two: 

1995: Republicans and Democrats were more likely to come to some sort of an agreement eventually

2013: Partisanship is deeper, fewer moderates left on Capitol Hill which means more disagreement

Reason Three:

1995: The economy was booming during the shutdown. Unemployment was at an all-time low of 5.6%

2013: Current economy is sluggishly recovering and it is still fragile. Unemployment just recently shrunk to 7.3% and labor participation is at its lowest since August 1978.

(Below is a picture from the 2013 Gov't Shutdown)