Bias Within the Media

Presence of Media Bias in News Programs

Media

The topic of discussion revolves around bias in media, specifically in news program. The question "Are news reporters and news stations out of control?" warrants further clarification before the paper offers an answer. What exactly is meant by out of control? Are they out of control in what respect? Which news reporters and news stations are we talking about? There is a huge array of news stations around the world. Some are publically funded and some are privately funded. There is a news program on television and online for virtually every topic imaginable including technology, economics, finance, world/current events, health, education, as well as what many of us are familiar with, general news programs that cover local, domestic, and limited international news. Out of these, which are we talking about? The answers to the primary questions that the paper will argue depend on the answers to these other questions.

The other question up for debate is "Or do you believe that the media as a whole reports the news with objectivity?" The short and simple answer to that question is no. Bias is wholly unavoidable in any form of expression whether it is speech, print, or news medial; so, no, media does not and cannot deliver news objectively by virtue of the nature of media as well as by virtue of human nature. No news program reports news with complete objectivity let alone the entire body of media. All aspects of media reflect bias -- the writing, the methods of production, the methods of distribution, the amount of distribution, the content, the aesthetics, even how the news casters dress is a reflection of bias. (Wahl-Jorgensen & Hanitzsch, 2009)

The bias presence in the news is a collection or amalgamation of bias. There are news programs and stations that make greater attempts at news reporting with less bias and more objectivity than others such as PBS, but that is not the normative practice or condition and such stations & programs are not the most well funded or widely distributed as the more biased ones. It is typically the stations and programs with the most money are the most biased. (Giles, 2003) Some stations and programs admit their bias to their audiences, but many programs and stations do not. They advertise and broadcast that they are providing news objectively, but with a close and critical examination, an informed and keenly aware viewer can perceive how these programs are teeming with bias.

To refer back to the first question asked, I would say that when considering and limiting the scope of the argument to local and national news in the United States broadcast on basic, non-cable channels, the answer is yes. These programs and stations are out of control with regard to displays and demonstrations of bias. I do not personally watch "regular" news that often because it is deeply depressing and staggering. Most of the stories are about horrific crimes and tragedies; often a series of these kinds of stories are shown in a row -- one after another of some terrible accident, horrendous crime, or lack of justice in the world. It is unbearable. Many stations cast white anchors as leads with limited ethnic cast members. Many stations give the male news casters the top stories or the most dangerous or cinematic stories. These are reflections of bias. Both the stories that are reported and the stories that go left unreported reflect bias as well. Any day of the week, an American can turn to their afternoon or evening local news and hear a report of a violent crime perpetrated by a minority. This does not mean only minorities commit violent crimes or that minorities comment a large quantity of violent crimes, but with the absence of counterstories or variations on that story, that is what the average, moderately literate viewer thinks. The bias of "regular" news sustains many kinds of stereotypes that have negative impacts on society.