I'd love to hear what people interested in this topic think. I personally don't believe in a liberal media, in fact, I'm pretty much to the point that when people start talking about a "liberal media," I wonder if they have downs syndrome. Now, I don't feel the media is exactly "Republican" either (except for, say, Fox News)... I feel that the media is just straight up-capitalistic (even Fox News was created by a guy from Australia whose main concern is making money, not being a Republican American). To me, the media doesn't care about sincerely trying to report the truth as much as they care about boosting profits, coming across as appealing to viewers, increasing ratings, viewership subscriptions, etc. To me, the media is big business, profit-driven, money-driven... when it comes to issues like politics, the media has nothing to do with reporting reality, being normal, far less to do with being "liberal." However, I do feel that the media is honest when it comes to the weather. For some reason, the weather is a reality that everyone can agree on. I guess that's why discussing politics is risky in a conversation, whereas everyone knows that weather is alway something cool to talk about with others.
I think the media tries to be objective, but all media has a built-in bias. The networks and major newspapers such as the LA Times, NY Times and Washington Post are comprised of staff that are liberals, and this is often reflected in the way they cover a story. At the same time Fox is comprised of staff that are conservatives and this is also reflected in how they cover a story. None on them lie, but they cannot help but be influenced by their world-view.
"Media" is mixed bag and its all over the political spectrum. Hollywood movies are liberal. Michael Moore, etc. Talk Radio is conservative. Rush Limbaugh, etc. Television is mixed but leans left. CNN, MSNBC, FOX, etc Newspapers are mixed and lean to the center. New York Times, Wall Street Journal Books are mixed but lean to the right. Ann Coulter, etc.
I would say there is a bias for the main streem that everyone sees on a daily basis. However, I choose not to watch the news so I can filter the crap from both sides that makes its way to my brain. I get to choose the news that I want to hear (read) about. I genereally lean right but amazingly enough I prefer CNN's website because it is more user friendly and easier to navigate.
Im with Red on this one, its a mixed bag. Some is very conservative, some is very liberal. Fox News, we all know what that is, the slant is so bad on that network, they dont even pretend to be unbiased and thats the worst kind of network. At least appear to be objective. Like MSNBC, they are a conservative leaning network, on by GE, which had is conservative revolution under the guidance of Jack Welch, but now with Oberman, they are being leaning towards the middle. CNN, its totally liberal, but they are oportunist, they expose whatever, for whatever profit. Radio is mostly conservative. So its really what you watch or prefer
Your statement has a liberal bias. Fox is the 'worse', but CNN, although 'totally liberal', has valid motives? Fox obviously plays the profit motive too, seizing what had been an unserved, ignored market share. It was a brilliant move, and a highlight on the virtues of capitalism.
FOX is unabashedly conservative and openly bashes liberals. CNN is far more balanced, not openly hostile to conservatives, and is better described as left leaning centrist.
