Top 10 categories of MSM/DNC bias.
The Cassandra Page
Bias in the MSM/DNC takes many forms. I am forced to compare these forms each time I catalogue another "lie" for the 2005 list. Much of the MSM/DNC behavior constitutes mere spin or bias, Slanted headlines or failure to report opposing points of view. Those items, while reprehensible, do not constitute "lies." For the sake of clarity and so that we can more easily discuss the tactics of the MSM/DNC, I have categorized here some of those MSM/DNC tactics:
1) The Lie. Often, but not always, the MSM/DNC will resort to an outright lie. This lie will involve some very specific fact, like a forged memo, false reports of a crowd booing when the crowd actually applauded, false claims that Sandy Berger returned the "original" documents, false attribution of statements to public figures, false charges that American soldiers are targeting journalists, etc.
These lies also include preparation of headlines or stories in advance of the actual events, as MSM/DNC did with the Iraqi elections and the death of Terri Schiavo.
I have also categorized as lies instances where the MSM/DNC has an agreement with newsmakers that certain facts will be kept hidden. This one is a much closer call (as between a lie and some other kind of atrocity).
The ultimate goal is that the lie take on status as a historical fact - "Bush was a draft dodger", "there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq." The MSM/DNC has failed in the first example, but may yet succeed in the second.
2. The memory hole. The tactic here is to forget that certain events occurred and hope that everyone else does also. This tactic requires that the MSM/DNC not only stop talking about some fact, but actually help it to disappear.
The MSM/DNC never talks about the WMD's that we actually did find in Iraq.
Just before the election, NBC interviewed John Kerry and asked about his military IQ test. Kerry stated that this record was not public (a blatant contradiction of Kerry's story that he has released ALL of his military records). The next day, excerpts of this interview appeared on another NBC program, with the damning admission excised. The actual editing out of inconvenient facts provides a great example of a memory hole maneuver (although Powerline disagrees with the significance of that particular example).
Usually, we don't have that kind of easy proof. We just have to remember the facts that MSM/DNC doesn't like and document the absence of any recent MSM/DNC reference to those facts. Any time that we can't find a MSM/DNC reference to some serious news item (like the Washington State elections) it is an example of the memory hole at work.
3. Ventriloquist journalism. A common tactic of the MSM/DNC is to get others to do its dirty work. Let it appear as if someone else is doing the talking so that "media bias" won't be so obvious.
4. Polls. An offshoot of ventriloquist journalism is the MSM/DNC's reliance upon polls. The polls that the MSM/DNC uses are either (1) unreliable or blatantly false and/or (2) self-fulfilling prophecies. It is a common tendency among humans (especially those who have been softened by 70 years of the welfare state) to want to be on the winning side. When the MSM/DNC releases its polls showing some Democrat with a lead or that the "public" thinks that Social Security is just fine, those who might otherwise harbor doubts are intimidated into going along with the majority. I am sure that the MSM/DNC will continue their efforts to bully the public into acquiescing in the status quo on social security with just this tactic.
5. Buzzwords. The MSM/DNC will repeat a word or phrase often enough that the word itself will take on a life of its own and give those that pay little attention to the news a point of reference. Words like "Halliburton", "Soccer mom", "gravitas" are designed to serve as signposts for the semi-conscious on the otherwise deserted MSM/DNC highway. They are not arguments by themselves, so we can't refute them. But these words act like arguments by force of repetition.
6. Coordination with the Democratic candidates. This tactic seems somewhat new (unless we just couldn't tell before the new media revolution). An example is Rathergate, where CBS timed the release of the fake memos to coincide with the Democrats' "fortunate son" campaign/meme. The October Surprise is another example. It may seem a little odd to accuse the MSM/DNC of coordinating with itself, but that is what happens. Exposing the tactic helps prove the point that the MSM/DNC acts as one entity.
7. The smear/personal attack/outrage. This one is not as recent as it seems. In the 1950's, that overrated hack Edward R. Murrow smeared Joe McCarthy by careful editing of film, a tactic that caused Bobby Kennedy to walk out on a dinner in honor of Murrow because of what he did to "my friend Joe."
In recent years, we have seen so called "journalists" (MSM/DNC hacks) shout down those with whom they disagree, accuse grieving families of having a good time, attack the facial features of those who dare expose governmental misconduct (Paula Jones, Linda Tripp) and "necklace" minority conservatives by calling them stupid.
The smear is designed to intimidate. If that doesn't work, it is designed to so befoul the political discourse that honest people won't want to take part.
8. Euphemisms. MSM/DNC often uses euphemisms to downplay otherwise serious stories. Here is a perfect example from Reuters regarding the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, courtesy of the Captain.
captainsquartersblog.com
9. False appearance of evenhandedness. The MSM/DNC often appears to treat a story evenhandedly, interviewing individuals from both sides of the debate. But this tactic is just as phony as the rest of the MSM/DNC. The MSM/DNC (news broadcast, for example) will give 5 seconds to the conservative while letting the leftist drone on for thirty seconds. The MSM/DNC will edit the film to exclude the conservative's strongest points. The MSM/DNC will interview only moderate Republicans who have little of substance to say. Or the MSM/DNC will interview only uneducated fringe individuals for the purpose of discrediting the conservatives. The reader or viewer will never receive a true clash of ideas through the filter of the MSM/DNC.
10. Opinion as fact. This one is the most generic and the most common. It includes many of the other tactics. It includes the insertion of opinions into news stories instead of the editorial page. The insertion of these opinions has to be somewhat clever so as not to be obvious. That is why the MSM/DNC uses ventriloquism tactics, polls, the memory hole, the occasional lie, euphemisms and buzzwords. MSM/DNC cannot simply use the words "Bush is a bad president" in a news story. That would be too obvious.
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Update
I should have known there would be more than 10 categories.
11. The race card. A commenter asked about the use of "PC." The MSM/DNC uses the race card in many situations. By pretending to speak for minorities, MSM/DNC is engaging in ventriloquist journalism. MSM/DNC also uses the race card as a smear tactic. When any conservative politician begins to gain acceptance, the MSM/DNC immediately begins a race card/PC attack. When a minority happens to be conservative, such minority conservatism is flushed down the memory hole or, if that doesn't work, results in a necklacing smear. Even though this category overlaps the others, I believe it deserves its own separate number.
12. Issue exclusion/false alternatives. This one is a form of the phony even handedness that appears in category # 9. The MSM/DNC will present most issues as a choice between two alternatives - the moderate wishy washy approach is presented as the Republican/right wing approach, while the leftist approach is heralded as the only alternative. No mention is made of true conservative alternatives. The Vietnam war is a prime example. We were presented with the MSM/DNC approved choice of surrender or endless no-win tactics. Goldwater's suggested approach was never considered. Every time the minimum wage becomes an issue, we are presented with the choice of raising the minimum wage by a large amount or a small amount. MSM/DNC never presents the voluminous economic research that suggests that the very existence of the minimum wage is harmful. Tax cuts are always presented as a choice between a small Republican cut or a Democrat proposal for an increase. The burdensome nature of taking more than 1/3 of our earnings is never considered. In the war on terror (or any recent war) the MSM/DNC presents the issue as peace v. war instead of victory v. defeat.
When the MSM/DNC defines the issues, the MSM/DNC cannot lose, no matter which side the public takes.
It is great that so many blogs talk about media bias. But we need more discussion about how they do it and the categories into which the bias falls. Identification is the first step toward solving the problem.
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