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Consider The Source: How Media Bias Charges Make Media Bigger

by John on 07/08/2017

anger-social-media-01-11Many of you offer some great insight on my pages, which I thank you.  But I also see comments like this.

“Consider the source.”

It is usually a reference to a New York Times or a Fox News story from someone who is partisan one way or the other.

They’re quietly shouting, “Media bias” or “fake news”.

We should also consider the source of those comments.  Those comments really say more about the person than the news outlet.

Do I delete them?  No.  I still like to know what someone is thinking.  Plus, maybe you don’t have the time to explain.

Do I respond?  No.

What we need are comments that challenge a story with another story or link just as well-sourced, thought-out, and credible.  In other words, to fight the news media you need to use the news media’s tools.

Granted, it is not easy to do — and it takes some time.

But here’s why we all need to be a bit more news reporter-ish.

  • The media gets it wrong sometimes.  They need to be corrected.  Show them their mistake — professionally.  When the waitress brings me the wrong meal I don’t yell, “fake restaurant.” 
  • But if you don’t have “the goods” to correct the media and you just shout a protest, then you are helping to ignore our real problems while postponing real solutions and aiding special interest politics.

Don’t get me wrong. Media bias exists.  But it is far more complex.

  • The entertainment and sports bias of the corporate news companies – both print and electronic structures stories so it is easy for the audience to understand: one team versus the other or the antagonist vs. the protagonist with one being the villain.  Although you get the story, you miss the meaning and real depth to an issue.  Remember TV is an entertainment medium; not a news and information medium.  That’s where newspapers and books come in.
  • The niche bias targets a certain audience and hits them with a message that hits their heads and hearts and riles their emotions. These are sophisticated companies that know how to target their audience and customers.  Even online search engines are doing it.  You think it is a coincidence you search for a car rental and car rental ads pop up on the side of your screen?
  • The profit bias is something we all have. Media companies need to make money for investors so they try to attract and keep eyeballs for more advertising revenue.  Stop demanding they be pure when they need to shill for bucks too.  Because where are they getting a lot of that money?  From the political parties that raise it from special interests which leads to:
  • Political bias which blatantly sides with either Democrats or Republicans. Flip from Fox News to MSNBC covering the same story but emphasizing totally different facts or non-facts. Neither party has a coherent message on policy.  In fact, both parties could be fracturing soon – as the real rank and file realize the parties are only taking care of paid special interests.

This real bias mix gives us lots of “mad as hell” gotcha stories like Melanie won’t touch Trump’s hand or CNN is fake news because they fired three journalists.

And all this happens on the left and the right – especially with the extremists and the fake news.  But a lot of this happens while these news organizations deliver some credible and relevant news that we need to hear.

Ironically, shouting “media bias” is having a reverse effect for this White House.  It is giving the so-called mainstream media more power: the messenger is becoming more powerful than the message while talking about policy does not make policy.

Look what is happening:

Frankly, watching all this is tiring.  And we are beginning to understand, nothing is getting to help America.  Some suggestions when you charge media bias:

  • Use credible sources to show the bias or at least another point of view they may have missed. In other words, act like the journalist you want that news organization to be.
  • Acknowledge your bias; be transparent about your views.
  • Pinpoint the specific organization while not lumping all of us in, because after all, if you are on social media, guess what? You are part of the media.

 

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