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From: josh@topaz.ARPA (J Storrs Hall)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Media bias - a new angle
Message-ID: <978@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 14-Mar-85 20:31:19 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.978
Posted: Thu Mar 14 20:31:19 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Mar-85 01:00:27 EST
References: <665@rayssd.UUCP>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 25

>      I believe that when the media appear biased or unfair, it can nearly
> always be traced to one of these four non-idelogical factors:
> 
> (1)  The media run in packs.  They will swoop down on some topic ...
> (2)  Just as advertising reinforces social stereotypes, political reporting
>    tends to reinforce the public mood, whatever it is.  ...
> (3)  Most political reporters are much more interested in politics than
>    policy.
> (4)  The media tend to sensationalize political news.  ...
> 
>      I think this model is much more successful than a theory of
> ideological bias in predicting and explaining why balanced press
> coverage is so rare.
> 						Ron Henry

I agree.  What often appears to be bias is actually usually merely
sensationalistic, shallow reporting of an issue without any real
understanding.  This is why the press so often takes the liberal
position.  A good example is the issue of nuclear power--the press
sees a bogeyman and suddenly it's "hot".  The New York Times index
reveals that accidents involving radiation have received over 100
times the coverage per actuarial risk, as accidents not involving
radiation.  A nuclear power scare fad, as it were.

--JoSH