Objectivity in News and Media?

Overt Bias

• Video Clip 1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=iE-WbSzY1_o

• Video Clip 2

Overt or Covert Bias?

Overt bias is the open display of prejudice, while covert bias is the implicit or hidden display of prejudice.

Discussion:

Which do you think is more insidious / deceitful – overt or covert bias?

Which has the greater potential to influence the audience?

Beijing, China, 4 June 1989.

Chechnya, May 1995.

Kuro, South Korea, 18 December 1987.

Covert Bias

• Biases need not be overt – they can also be exposed through the use of language – words with connotations.

• Can you think of ways in which writers may subconsciously reveal their prejudices?

Examples

• Positive representation of self vs negative representation of the other, also known as “Otherness”.

• Reporting certain views and marginalising or leaving out others – prejudice is always reflected in the facts we choose to highlight or ignore.

• Foregrounding vs backgrounding

Hunks and Handmaidens

• What ideologies can you determine from this text?

• Hunks vs Handmaidens

• What are the connotations for these 2 terms?

• “Subtitle” comment

• My sons learned early to make lasagna — then came puberty, and damsels lining up to help.

• “Subtitle” comment

• My sons learned early to make lasagna — then came puberty, and damsels lining up to help.

• Note the assignment of blame: puberty and damsels

L3

• Suddenly, the family phone recorder began to fill up with breathless messages from what his older brother referred to as “Rhett’s Gidgets,” flaxen-haired surfer girls from a nearby beach.”

L3• Suddenly, the family phone recorder began to fill

up with breathless messages from what his older brother referred to as “Rhett’s Gidgets,” flaxen-haired surfer girls from a nearby beach.”

• Note: adjectival descriptions, derogatory terms

• Gidget is a character created by author Frederick Kohner (based on his teenage daughter, Kathy) in his 1957 novel, Gidget, the Girl with Big Ideas. The novel follows the surf culture adventures of a boy crazy teenage girl and her surfing friends on the beaches of southern California.

L5

• Like fruit flies they appeared in dense buzzing masses with exotic names like Shaunna, Tiffany, Kendra and Kimberly…

L5• Like fruit flies they appeared in dense

buzzing masses with exotic names like Shaunna, Tiffany, Kendra and Kimberly…

• Note: “dense buzzing masses” and previously, “breathless”

• They’re all the same, just with different names.

L11

• The waitress, an attractive Madonna clone, went into great detail with him concerning salad dressings, crust types, cheese consistencies, toppings, whether he wanted ice with his Coke, did he live in the neighborhood, was there anything else he might want

L11• The waitress, an attractive Madonna clone,

went into great detail with him concerning salad dressings, crust types, cheese consistencies, toppings, whether he wanted ice with his Coke, did he live in the neighborhood, was there anything else he might want

• Just clones, no individuality

L15

• When he smiled and shook his head, she floated off toward the kitchen, totally forgetting to take my order.

L15

• When he smiled and shook his head, she floated off toward the kitchen, totally forgetting to take my order.

• Note: could this be the reason for author’s frustration?

L8

• Next to my son, I had become invisible…

L8

• Next to my son, I had become invisible…

• Note: again, a clue explaining her frustration. Appeal to pathos.

L21• Like most American moms, I had been so

blinded by the sight of my offspring in ripped jeans and SAVE THE MANATEE T shirts, and so deafened by numerous arguments over the acceptable decibel level of Beastie Boys CDs, that I was slow to recognize my firstborn had become heartthrob material…

L21• Like most American moms, I had been so

blinded by the sight of my offspring in ripped jeans and SAVE THE MANATEE T shirts, and so deafened by numerous arguments over the acceptable decibel level of Beastie Boys CDs, that I was slow to recognize my firstborn had become heartthrob material…

• Note: Positive representation of son

L23

• Through some quirks of DNA, my ex-husband and I—two average appearing adults—spawned genetic celebrities: square-jawed, pearly-toothed, mahogany-hair, 6-foot-5-inch slabs of guy flesh whose casual glance seems to turn many otherwise articulate young women into babbling Barbies…

L23• Through some quirks of DNA, my ex-husband

and I—two average appearing adults—spawned genetic celebrities: square-jawed, pearly-toothed, mahogany-hair, 6-foot-5-inch slabs of guy flesh whose casual glance seems to turn many otherwise articulate young women into babbling Barbies…

• Note: Positive representation of sons, negative representation of the fruit flies.

L28

• Wasn’t the motherhood manifesto for women of my generation to abolish stereotypes?

L28

• Wasn’t the motherhood manifesto for women of my generation to abolish stereotypes?

• Note: is she herself indulging in stereotypes?

L32

• We’ve done our part to raise our sons as full-fledged “new” team members—competent, caring individuals who can do more around the house than crush cans for the recycling bin and put a new plastic liner in the garbage pail.

L32• We’ve done our part to raise our sons as

full-fledged “new” team members—competent, caring individuals who can do more around the house than crush cans for the recycling bin and put a new plastic liner in the garbage pail.

• Note: so we are not to be blamed

L36

• Both of my sons learned early to make an edible lasagna… Growing up in a single-mom household for much of their lives, they really had to carry their weight domestically. And they did – for a while.

L36• Both of my sons learned early to make an

edible lasagna… Growing up in a single-mom household for much of their lives, they really had to carry their weight domestically. And they did – for a while.

• Note: Again, so we are not to be blamed

L42

• Over the last few years, the boys’ domestic skills have atrophied because handmaidens have appeared en masse

L42

• Over the last few years, the boys’ domestic skills have atrophied because handmaidens have appeared en masse

• Cf “buzzing masses”

L44

• The damsels have driven by, beeped, phoned and faxed.

L44

• The damsels have driven by, beeped, phoned and faxed.

• Note: rather pro-active for damsels

L45

• Some appeared so frequently outside the front door they began to remind me of the suction-footed Garfields spread-eagled on car windows.

L45

• Some appeared so frequently outside the front door they began to remind me of the suction-footed Garfields spread-eagled on car windows.

• Desperate damsels

L46

• While the girls varied according to height, hair color and basic body type, they shared one characteristic. They were eager to help the guys out.

L46

• While the girls varied according to height, hair color and basic body type, they shared one characteristic. They were eager to help the guys out.

• Physical differences, but mentally they are all the same.

L63

• She did not see the broader implications.

L63

• She did not see the broader implications.

• Read: dumb, not a big picture person

L68

• He could clean his own room…

L68

• He could clean his own room…

• Note: But he isn’t doing any of it, is he?

L75

• My sons do not have to employ many of the skills I’ve so painstakingly taught them during our time together.

L76

• Young women take one look at the guys and stand in line to become the chosen one…

L75• My sons do not have to employ many of the

skills I’ve so painstakingly taught them during our time together.

L76• Young women take one look at the guys and

stand in line to become the chosen one…

• Note: blame assignment not on her own sons

L80

• This is not the way it was supposed to be — the reason I read 50 books on raising males in the new world order.

L80

• This is not the way it was supposed to be — the reason I read 50 books on raising males in the new world order.

• Note: the Bonnies spoilt it all for her?

L81

• This is not the payoff I would like for spending years in a support group for single moms with sons.

L83

• I’ve done my part.

• Note: patting her own back

What is she up to?

• She faults the girls, but not the boys

• She faults the girls, but not herself

• She does not seem to consider the possibility that maybe her sons are also at fault

• What is the motivation for writing this?

Bias can be hidden through:

• Positive representation of self and negative representation of the “other”

• Deliberate emphasis of certain information

• Deliberate omission of certain information

• Specific choice of words

Questions to reflect on:

• Is media neutrality attainable?

• Is media neutrality desirable?

• How can journalists and media producers try to achieve media neutrality?

• Why should journalists and media producers even bother to be neutral or balanced?