the bias of the reporting, what is shown on the news and
what is emphasized and de-emphasized shows a conservative, not a liberal bias.
This really boils down to how conservatives view liberals and how liberals view conservatives. I happen to agree that most of the press is quite liberal. But let me bring up one example. How many of the mainstream media do you find being supportive of the religious right, as compared to how many are supportive of religious liberalism? Look, for example, at abortion (most of the media is in favor of it), gay rights (stories about gay rights supporters or supportive demonstrations almost always get good press coverage, or at least not negative coverage; stories about hostility to the gay rights agenda or demonstrations against gay rights almost always get negative publicity); affirmative action/racial preferences (when is the last time you saw the Washington Post, NYT, etc. use the term racial preferences in favor of affirmative action?). In almost all cases, the conservative Christian position is put down and the liberal Christian position is favored.
The Montana Freeman are looked on negatively by the press; the Chicago 7 were given very positive coverage (I know that was a while ago, but if the same issues arose today I believe the bias would be the same.) Which generally get more favorable treatment in the press, corporate executives or community activitists? Where environmentalism and development rights mix, which side gets more sympathetic mainstream press coverage?
I could go on, but this is an argument of perception, not of facts, so neither "side" will ever admit that the other might be right. |
