What major U.S. media news source tends to be the most fair in reporting?

[DemGirl7]

It doesn't matter what form of the source is(newspaper, cable channel other than C-Span,etc.) as long as its a a major U.S. source of news. The reason Why I'm asking this, is that for this semester I will be trying to prove the pro-republican bias of FOX news channel as a research project in my Seminar in American Politics, and I will need some sources to compare it to,which doesn't have such a pro-republican bias, in order to prove my theroy.

[Hissyspit]

1. National Public Radio

No matter what criticism that can be lobbed at the organization (and there is plenty, as with any source), they cover stories and angles of stories many other MSM sources don't, so it important you include them in your analysis.

[LibertyorDeath]

2. Not sure if it qualifies as major but I'd say the News Hour

With Jim Lehrer on PBS makes an attempt at just giving you the strait news. Much more so than many others.

NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
NewsHour provides in-depth analysis of current events with a news summary, live studio interviews, discussions, and both foreign and domestic on-site reports. Jim Lehrer hosts.

[kerryin2004]

3. your screwed..

There all right wing biased, although CBS or PBS or Air America are the only choices worth a damn.

[annabanana]

4. not the channel.. just the show Countdown with Keith Olberman

It's on a 8pm Eastern on MSNBC and he tells more of the truth than any of his coworkers.

[papau]

5. Canada's CBC, Brits ITN, Brits BBC - usually CBS and NPR

and that is about it.

:-(

[KG]

6. Pacifica network

radio only, but ubiquitous enough to be considered 'major'.

[Tace]

7. You Probably Should Expand Your Premise A Bit

The problem, as others above have said, is that ALL of the US MSM are corporatist, even PBS, which is funded in part by the federal government and corporate grants. There's simply no MSM to compare them to that would make your point, even the New York Times.

You might make that point, and then compare Fox, the other networks and AP and UPI to BBC and Reuters. That would give you the contrast you seek. And the thing is, BBC and Reuters are, for the most part, corporatist as well!

Also, the basis of your premise, that Fox is Republican-biased, is a little silly, since there is virtually no difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party in most important ways. Both are in the pockets of multi-national corporations. And virtually all members of Congress are completely, totally, absolutely beholden to corporate money.

By the way, I spent 15 years as a top US wire service editor, and 15 years working to startup independent US news services. Cheers

On Edit: CBC and ITN, mentioned by papau above, are good.

[papau]

8. Hi Tace - I think there are the seeds of a mission statement in your post!

:toast:

:-)

[idlisambar]

15. Almost agree with everything in your post...

...but Fox is Republican-biased on top of being corporatist.

[Tace]

20. True, I Didn't Really Sort Things Out Properly Before I Posted

So I didn't really address DemGirl7's simple question, which was about being Repubilcan-biased, in a simple, straightforward way. You can tell I'm bent out of shape about all this since I took it all the way out to include corporatism, international news sources, etc. You're right. Sorry for the rant DemGirl7. Cheers.

[MrPrax]

9. None...

Being informed is using critical thinking from a wide variety of sources and has little to do with the 'packaging' of news products...

There are a number of sources on the subject of visual media and how it affects the observer...you might cause a 'scandal' by going retro- and re-discovering some of the old args and forgeting about even discussing the News, Fox, Couch Potato synthesis as a starting point for an 'informed, inclusive, assured' free people living in a totalitarian society.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

10. Although all MSM is lazy and sensationalist,

the most non-biased sources would probably be PBS, NPR, CBS, and the New York Times.

[paineinthearse]

11. The american media is pro-war and muzzled

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3026917

[Robbien]

12. If you are trying to prove pro-republican bias of Fox

You should use MediaMatters.org and NewsHounds.us, both sites watch Fox 24/7 and report on what Fox reports and how it is different from
reality.

edit: as to which site is the most fair in reporting, I would say no mainstream media site reports the whole story. All mainstream media is censored, it is why many call it corporate media.

[Stop_the_War]

13. Air America....

[cry baby]

14. Try indymedia.org - an independent news organization

You can fact check there or even snopes.com to fact check.

[Stirk]

16. If you're looking for a pro-Republican bias, you won't find one.

At least- not exactly.

There's an undeniable pro-corporate, pro-capital bias, and that puts them in the Republican camp most of the time. But look at conservative social issues like abortion or prayer in school, and you see the bias is not really there. They whore for Republican politicians all the time- I'm not denying that- but if you're looking at issues and not individuals, I think you'll find that the bias is a corporate one.

Most of the big money that controls these corporate outlets are socially liberal, but viciously corporate.

Anyway, if you want an unbiased US news source with wide coverage... NPR is about the best you can do, but even NPR is suffering from a corporate slant these days. They've grown to rely more on private funding, and the Republicans stacked their board with right wing idealogues almost immediately after Bush II's first inauguration.

[Bozita]

17. Many of us living along the Canadian border appreciate the CBC

CBC is the gold standard for electronic journalism in this hemisphere.

Watch a few of their newscasts (The National) online and decide for yourself.

http://www.cbc.ca/national/

The current newscast has a segment on the O'reilly/Fox/CBC dustup about 17 minutes in.

Enjoy.

[WillowTree]

18. My friend, Monica. eom

[bobweaver]

19. Google News - 4,500 sources

[LynnTheDem]

21. During lead-up to Iraq war, Faux was #1 most MISINFORMING...

And NPR and PBS were the LEAST; here's a list in-between;

Most misinformed viewers:

Faux 80%

CBS 71%

ABC 61%

NBC 55%

CNN 55%

Print sources; 47%

NPR/PBS 23%

Study Finds Direct Link Between Misinformation and Public Misconception
http://truthout.org/docs_03/100403F.shtml

Study: Misperceptions About Iraq War Contributed to Support For It
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1003-08.htm

Also lotsa good studies at Media Matters and F.A.I.R.

http://www.fair.org

http://mediamatters.org/

[proudbluestater]

22. I'd say Reuters is usually pretty good.

Democracy Now is my favorite, though.

[w4rma]

23. The less commercials, the more likely to be fair. (nt)