How do you view news outlets..

[Syringer]

Would it be fair to say that generally the media swings to the left, with the exception of Foxnews?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Would it be fair to say that generally the media swings to the left, with the exception of Foxnews?

I think that would be an accurate description. MSNBC however has pulled close to center.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I would say that TV is so simplistic as to be useless.

Although they definately have a liberal bias, NPR is about the most detailed of the US services. I also listen to the BBC to get a non american POV. Something I can do too is listen to shortwave. More to the world than the internet

 

[Balt]

I think that with the television media in general you are usually getting sensationalized BS. Their only goal is to keep you from switching channels, so they will do whatever they can to make sure you don't. The result is that people's perceptions (esp. regarding crime rates and such) are usually very inaccurate.

As to whether they swing to the right or left, I think charrison is probably correct.


Pick up a newspaper if you want accurate info. Despite the writer who recently made up all of the (usually minor) details in stories, I think the NY Times is still probably the best source of news you can get.

Of course, some say the NY Times is too far to the left.

 

[MonstaThrilla]

I personally have never seen a liberal bias in the mainstream media. Maybe I've just been blinded by the left. I would argue that MSNBC now leans more right then anything else, being that they fired Phil Donahue and replaced him with the conservative Joe Scarborough, hired the right wing nut Martin Savage, and the supposedly Democrat Chris Matthews has shown alot of conservative values and likes to rip on the Democrats on his show. Other than Bill Press, I can't think of any other outward liberals that MSNBC employs (other than guest pundits of course). CNN tends to sensationalize everything, and I really see no bias in them.

All the major papers and news networks keep it pretty "fair and balanced" in my view. Sunday morning talk shows are usually dominated by conservatives (while liberals are made to look bad), and the op-ed pages of the major papers have equal opinion represented. Its said that the reporting itself is biased toward the left, but I don't see this either. Again, I may just have been blinded by the left because I'm so used to it.

 

[zantac]

After 9/11 news is starting to swing to the right... look at the companies that own the news channels and where they put their money. Most isnt to democrats.

 

[kylebisme]

heck, a good chunk the media is owned by the military industral complex. would you call that left, or right?

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

 

[outriding]

there is a book that was just released call what liberal media.

it goes though and talks about how the media was liberal at one time but it has gone to the right .

but i doubt any righty will read it.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

and that is the purpose of the media, to inform the public what the government is doing and critizing where they can and not sucking up

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

and that is the purpose of the media, to inform the public what the government is doing and criticizing where they can and not sucking up

So are you saying that the News outlets should critique and criticize the Gov't?

Here I was thinking that their job was to REPORT THE NEWS!

CkG

 

[Ferocious]

Most outlets currently have a slightly right bias with Foxnews being significantly right of center.

CNN is the most centrist right now.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

and that is the purpose of the media, to inform the public what the government is doing and criticizing where they can and not sucking up

So are you saying that the News outlets should critique and criticize the Gov't?

Here I was thinking that their job was to REPORT THE NEWS!

CkG

it is one of their responsibilities and probably the most important one in terms of making democracy work

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

and that is the purpose of the media, to inform the public what the government is doing and criticizing where they can and not sucking up

So are you saying that the News outlets should critique and criticize the Gov't?

Here I was thinking that their job was to REPORT THE NEWS!

CkG

it is one of their responsibilities and probably the most important one in terms of making democracy work

Your right, and it should be done fairly and often it is not because of political bias that exists at a given media company.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I would say that the news is useless in general. It was useless when Clinton was in office, it is useless now that Dubyah is in office. No organization has the courage to actually challenge the government or the status quoe anymore, at least if it actually matters. It's really rather pathetic that the media has fallen from "helping the people control the government" to "controlling the people for the government."

and that is the purpose of the media, to inform the public what the government is doing and criticizing where they can and not sucking up

So are you saying that the News outlets should critique and criticize the Gov't?

Here I was thinking that their job was to REPORT THE NEWS!

CkG

it is one of their responsibilities and probably the most important one in terms of making democracy work

Your right, and it should be done fairly and often it is not because of political bias that exists at a given media company.

Exactly All I hear is people blasting Fox because they are "right of center" and they scream that news should be news and not biased. But now the truth comes out - you don't want plain news - you want news you agree with You bash Fox as the devilish "right" and anoint the others as unbiased news gatherers. Just because Fox is blatantantly(IMO) right of center doesn't mean the others(CNN, NBC, ABC, and CBS) aren't "left of center". You chooose to see the bias you want to see and eat up the spoon feed news you want to hear. I liken it to the whole Iraq debate going on here - some people (CaptnKirk, tnitsuj, etc) seem to like to point out the bad things that are happening in and for Iraq while some of us (Etech, Charrison, etc) look to the good that is going on. News is viewed in the perspective YOU CHOOSE to view it from. Nobody is unbiased, yet we need to have a balance in the TV media(which Fox has brought) so you can choose which perspective you wish to view your news from.

To answer the original poster's question - YES
CkG

 

[Warin]

Pretty much all corporate media is biased one way or another. I tend to find it disagreeable to give it a left/right connotation, because the leanings of a particular media outet are often established and maintained by the heads of the corporations, not the public.

I think the key to understanding media is being able to take the seemingly right leaning media sources, the seemingly left leaning media sources, independant sources, and straining through it all to perhaps glean a little of the truth behind the sensationalism.

 

[LunarRay]

I don't listen to the news any longer... use to... but, have found that anything worth knowing has been posted on this forum debated and compared to other sources who have been vetted as well.. so by the time I 'check in' there it is... every thing one could possibly want to know... plus the opinions of the forum folks...
I do watch c-span's various channels.. Oh.. for local news I read the newspaper..