Media Bias

[wolfeskins]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I often struggle to see why it is simply accepted that Fox News is right wing fanatic while mainstream media is simply cneter-left. For my money watching Fox News I often wonder if the fact that they are not left simply makes them appear so much more conservative than they really are.

BINGO !! you win .

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I don't think that's necessarily true. Moreover, Bush hasn't been a great success. He's pretty unpopular with people of all political affiliations. I support the surge, but the Iraq Qar was a mistake of massive proportions. Bush has managed to alienate most of our allies, even after they rallied to our cause after 9/11. The economy is in or headed for a recession. The Bush administration has been riddled with scandals and the list goes on. Again, I'm no leftie, but it's pretty hard not to be hard on Bush.

You may be the only person in the country who is "not a leftie" and also doesn't think that PBS has a Liberal Bias. That's not a position that Centrists or Conservatives generally hold. It's an interesting technique, though. You hear it on C-Span call in shows a lot: "I've been a Republican all my life, but this year I'm voting for the Democrats". Sure. Whatever.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

You may be the only person in the country who is "not a leftie" and also doesn't think that PBS has a Liberal Bias. That's not a position that Centrists or Conservatives generally hold. It's an interesting technique, though. You hear it on C-Span call in shows a lot: "I've been a Republican all my life, but this year I'm voting for the Democrats". Sure. Whatever.

No need to imply that I'm lying about my centrist credentials. As many left-leaning people on this site who are familiar with me know (dmek, Matty, Shane), I am FAR from a "leftie." I'm pro-surge, pro death penalty, pro free trade/globalization, detest Hillary Clinton, anti-late term abortion etc. I'm also pro-choice (with limitations), pro gay marriage, and will most likely vote for Obama. In the minds of most of my friends off of this site, I'm known as more right leaning than left leaning. I'm only viewed as more left-leaning than right-leaning by party-line conservatives.

As for PBS' supposed bias, please elaborate? My guess is you don't watch it that much.

[jsarno]

I am an Independant, but I certainly lean to the right, that being said, I will agree Foxnews caters to the right, however, I listen to them because they are the only ones that will actually speak about right wing issues. NBC is notorious for being left, and when you watch, they will do their best to deter you from listening to the right wing issues. I enjoy watching foxnews for the simple fact they will speak about all the issues, and all the angles. I feel they are much easier to learn from instead of watching other shows and being bombarded by what the person you are watching thinks.

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

No need to imply that I'm lying about my centrist credentials. As many left-leaning people on this site who are familiar with me know (dmek, Matty, Shane), I am FAR from a "leftie." I'm pro-surge, pro death penalty, pro free trade/globalization, detest Hillary Clinton, anti-late term abortion etc. I'm also pro-choice (with limitations), pro gay marriage, and will most likely vote for Obama. In the minds of most of my friends off of this site, I'm known as more right leaning than left leaning. I'm only viewed as more left-leaning than right-leaning by party-line conservatives.

As for PBS' supposed bias, please elaborate? My guess is you don't watch it that much.

I don't think you're being dishonest. I also don't think that detesting Hillary Clinton or being against Partial Birth makes you right leaning. After all, Baraq is the more liberal of the two. I don't go along with everything the right believes but that hardly makes me a "centrist". The pundit-class has made a fetish of the notion of being in the "center". There is an assumption that if you are part one thing and part another you are more thoughtful or even psychologically more balanced. I don't accept that.

I watch PBS quite a bit. The NewsHour is reasonably fair. Probably more balanced than many others, however:

Charlie Rose -Liberal
Tavis Smiley -Liberal
Bill Moyers -Liberal
Frontline -Liberal
American Experience -Somewhat Less Liberal

I also suspect that Norm Abram from This Old House was in the Weather Underground, though I have never been able to prove it. And don't get me started on Big Bird or that guy from Blues Clues.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

70Chip,

You do realize that the President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the former co-Chair of the Republican National Committee and a majority of the board of directors are Republicans?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

70Chip,

You do realize that the Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a Republican and a majority of the board of directors are Republicans?

And that Blue's Clues is on Noggin

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

And that Blue's Clues is on Noggin

Yup, but PBS does have the Teletubbies (which include the gay/purple and red/communist insurgent creatures).

[saden1]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

I don't think you're being dishonest. I also don't think that detesting Hillary Clinton or being against Partial Birth makes you right leaning. After all, Baraq is the more liberal of the two. I don't go along with everything the right believes but that hardly makes me a "centrist". The pundit-class has made a fetish of the notion of being in the "center". There is an assumption that if you are part one thing and part another you are more thoughtful or even psychologically more balanced. I don't accept that.

I watch PBS quite a bit. The NewsHour is reasonably fair. Probably more balanced than many others, however:

Charlie Rose -Liberal
Tavis Smiley -Liberal
Bill Moyers -Liberal
Frontline -Liberal
American Experience -Somewhat Less Liberal

I also suspect that Norm Abram from This Old House was in the Weather Underground, though I have never been able to prove it. And don't get me started on Big Bird or that guy from Blues Clues.

There is no denying that most of the folks on PBS are liberal the question is do they talk about worthy issues and topics? Fox, CNN, MSNBC put together don't cover half of the stuff PBS reports on. I suppose it's all a matter of taste. Charlie Rose interviews the most obscure people, people you never hear about but should. Bill Moyer brings you interesting stories rather than what Britney has been up to. Tavis Smiley covers quite a bit of topics that concern African Americans but the topics are very broad and are not limited to just African Americans.

Viva la PBS

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

70Chip,

You do realize that the President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the former co-Chair of the Republican National Committee and a majority of the board of directors are Republicans?

Yeah, but they don't have anything to do with content. That's just a by-product of the fact that the GOP controlled congress from 1995 to 2007. They should have just scrapped the whole thing, instead they use it to give status jobs to their friends. I think if you want to know what the prevailing attitude of the people who actuallyu control what is seen on PBS, the following story is instructive:

Frank Gaffney vs. PBS

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by saden1

There is no denying that most of the folks on PBS are liberal the question is do they talk about worthy issues and topics? Fox, CNN, MSNBC put together don't cover half of the stuff PBS reports on. I suppose it's all a matter of taste. Charlie Rose interviews the most obscure people, people you never hear about but should. Bill Moyer brings you interesting stories rather than what Britney has been up to. Tavis Smiley covers quite a bit of topics that concern African Americans but the topics are very broad and are not limited to just African Americans.

Viva la PBS

I like it too. But the fact that I enjoy it doesn't make me feel the need to pretend that its not reflective of a very narrow viewpoint. And, we haven't even touched on the subject of NPR, yet.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

70Chip,

You do realize that the President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the former co-Chair of the Republican National Committee and a majority of the board of directors are Republicans?

I think Public radio is owned by the tax payers and I don't think they are a corporation.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

Yeah, but they don't have anything to do with content. That's just a by-product of the fact that the GOP controlled congress from 1995 to 2007. They should have just scrapped the whole thing, instead they use it to give status jobs to their friends. I think if you want to know what the prevailing attitude of the people who actuallyu control what is seen on PBS, the following story is instructive:

Frank Gaffney vs. PBS

do you really believe that the board that runs the network doesn't have a say on what is put on? i agree that all news is slanted. i think the degree of the bias is the question. it seems fox goes over board in slanting towards the G.O.P. you can still get some real news out of the others, if you try hard enough. fox news is more interested in the entertainment value

[70Chip]

I just remembered that the ex-hippe father on "Family Ties", played by Micheal Gross, was the manager of the local PBS station on the show, which I think shows that the perception even in Hollywood is that PBS is Leftish.

[SmootSmack]

I worked for PBS for a year and I'm not a Lefty (except for when I play hockey)