All media news sources contain some kind of bias because human beings all have different perspectives that are revealed in the ways they communicate. These biases may not simply be “liberal” or “conservative”; they may reflect other kinds of narrowed thinking.
Another reason that journalism of every ilk has become more explicit about their biases is that news sources now see themselves primarily as “businesses” rather than “news sources.” And the news often contains biases in order to attract a particular market or demographic.
We should begin to reflect critically on the multiple ways and strategies in which bias enters the news.
Your Task
1. Watch 2 different news sources on the same day.
2. Look for the differences in coverage and how they might reflect their biases regarding the subject matter and stories.
o It will work best if you choose two sources that are known for their differences in approach (e.g., MSNBC & Fox News).
o It might also help to watch news sources that are known for expressing views that are radically different from your own; it’s always easier to spot bias in others.
3. Give detailed examples from the stories, utilizing concepts we discussed in class to help specify the types of bias you find in these news sources
o As this is a thought experiment or opinion paper, you will not need to conduct outside research aside from watching the two news programs.
