Bias in the Media
Uploaded by masone4718 on Dec 05, 2006
The primary source of political information in America is the media. There is an extent to which one may consider this merely information, however; the facts presented and the way in which the story is written is not free of political bias. Certain publications and the articles which they contain are often presented to a certain audience, tailored to elicit specific feelings, and are written to force the reader to adopt the same political views as those contained in that publication. Of these publications, the New York Times, Newsday, and the New York Post all apply a consistent political orientation. The New York Times is considered the hub for all liberal journalism, Newsday adopts a considerably liberal orientation, and the New York Post is biased in favor of conservatives.
The New York Times is the definitive liberal publication. Those who write for the Times, and thus those who control the Times, all seem to have a liberal slant. For some events that favor the left, the Times will cover them to the extreme, while they will downplay and simply breeze over those that favor the right. In an article dated February 20, 2006, columnist Sheryl Gay Stolberg wrote about President Bush’s authorization for the National Security Agency to monitor the phone calls of United States citizens. The article was crammed with quotes made by numerous prominent Senators. Although each quote illustrates a different notion, all of them favor the left. Moreover, each quote is merely a bash upon the legality of the eavesdropping program, and they are used in conjunction with each other to form a staunch liberal foundation. Stolberg quotes Senator Lindsey Graham, as he said “…[he is] adamant that the courts have some role when it comes to warrants…you need to get some judicial review.” The article continues in this fashion; each quote that Stolberg presents regards the notion that the courts should play a prominent role in this matter. Lastly, Stolberg brings the article to a close by stating how Senator Arlen Specter “…insists the eavesdropping must be subjected to a rigorous constitutional review.” In a more recent article, dated May 15, 2006, Bob Herbert constructs all-out denunciation against President Bush. It is titled “America the Fearful,” and Herbert claims President Bush is aiming to force “ordinary Americans” to remain in a perpetual...