media bias
DESCRIPTION
From nattering nabobs of negativism to Fox News, MSNBC and beyond — a brief history of an endless battle.TRANSCRIPT
Media bias
From nattering nabobs of negativism to Fox News, MSNBC and beyond
Nonpartisan data, partisan battle
• CBO reports that ACA means some people will cut back on working
Nonpartisan data, partisan battle
• CBO reports that ACA means some people will cut back on working
• John Boehner tweets Obamacare “expected to destroy 2.3m jobs”
Nonpartisan data, partisan battle
• CBO reports that ACA means some people will cut back on working
• John Boehner tweets Obamacare “expected to destroy 2.3m jobs”
• Chris Cillizza defends media focus on attacks rather than accuracy
How did we get to the pointat which passing along and
amplifying partisan spinare seen as legitimate
functions of journalism?
A brief historyof media bias
The McCarthy era
• Coverage of McCarthy’s accusations exposed the limits of objectivity
The McCarthy era
• Coverage of McCarthy’s accusations exposed the limits of objectivity
• Murrow was accused by some of making rather than reporting the news
The McCarthy era
• Coverage of McCarthy’s accusations exposed the limits of objectivity
• Murrow was accused by some of making rather than reporting the news
• McCarthy supporters like Buckley launched their own media
The media consensus fractures
• Press portrayed the civil-rights movement in a sympathetic light
The media consensus fractures
• Press portrayed the civil-rights movement in a sympathetic light
• Vietnam War further cast the media as a bastion of liberalism
The media consensus fractures
• Press portrayed the civil-rights movement in a sympathetic light
• Vietnam War further cast the media as a bastion of liberalism
• The media’s embraceof youth culture alienated conservatives
Nixon and the media
• Spoke up on behalf of the conservative“Silent Majority”
Nixon and the media
• Spoke up on behalf of the conservative“Silent Majority”
• VP Spiro Agnew denounced “nattering nabobs of negativism”
Nixon and the media
• Spoke up on behalf of the conservative“Silent Majority”
• VP Spiro Agnew denounced “nattering nabobs of negativism”
• Pentagon Papers and Watergate ignited an all-out war with media
Are journalists biased?
Does bias affect coverage?
• Despite scandal,Ronald Reagan was treated with deference
Does bias affect coverage?
• Despite scandal,Ronald Reagan was treated with deference
• Media tormented Bill Clinton over his personal pecadillos
Does bias affect coverage?
• Despite scandal,Ronald Reagan was treated with deference
• Media tormented Bill Clinton over his personal pecadillos
• Media’s failures inrun-up to war in Iraq are well documented
“Working the refs”
“I admit it — the liberal media were never that powerful, and the whole thing was often used as an excuse by conservatives for conservative failures.”
— William Kristol
The big picture in 2004
• Traditional media were culturally liberal but pursued the truth
The big picture in 2004
• Traditional media were culturally liberal but pursued the truth
• Conservative media were partisan and attacked mainstream
The big picture in 2004
• Traditional media were culturally liberal but pursued the truth
• Conservative media were partisan and attacked mainstream
• Talk radio was a conservative medium liberals couldn’t match
The big picture in 2014
• New liberal outlets like HuffPost and MSNBC battle conservatives
The big picture in 2014
• New liberal outlets like HuffPost and MSNBC battle conservatives
• Lies are now a well-established part of political discourse
The big picture in 2014
• New liberal outlets like HuffPost and MSNBC battle conservatives
• Lies are now a well-established part of political discourse
• What is journalism’s responsibility in holding politicians to account?