The Media's Liberal?

[Kolesar]

From our local alternative newsweekly. Yes, I know you folks know the story well, but I think Pete Kotz did an excellent job of expressing it.

The Media's Liberal?
(Pssst. Don't tell this to the union guys.)
BY PETE KOTZ
[e-mail]

It's not easy to rile a man who trades in the bare-knuckle arts of labor
and politics. But ask John Ryan about the "liberal media," and his genial
veneer begins to splinter. "I either laugh or cry every time I hear this
stereotype," he says. "It's certainly not true in Cleveland."

Think of Ryan as the unofficial king of the city. The AFL-CIO's executive
secretary oversees 150 unions, representing 150,000 workers. Their
annual spending in Cuyahoga County alone tops $1 billion.

But Ryan's influence spills well beyond economics. If Sam Miller and
Albert Ratner pay for the gas of Cleveland politics, Ryan owns the
engine. Only he can muster the phone banks and foot soldiers --
sending out 500 volunteers at a time -- to maintain the county's
one-party system. If you want to be someone in Democratic politics, you
have to be with John Ryan.

So forgive him and other union leaders for feeling neglected. Their beef:
Though labor remains the most powerful entity in Northeast Ohio --
bigger than the Cleveland Clinic, Forest City, or Ford -- you won't hear
about it in the media.
.........snip for copyright reasons................

http://www.clevescene.com/issues/2004-07-14/kotz.html/1/index.html

[eross]

1. Liberal Bias

It is odd how often this question gets tossed around by conservative political commentators and how much the answer is avoided considering the answer is very simple, and not all that controversial. It can probably be assumed that the journalistic community is reluctant to admit a bias since the foundation of journalism is predicated on the direct presentation of facts or descriptions of events without an attempt at interpretation. It can probably also be assumed that liberals wish not to admit a bias in their favor. This means that the decline of liberalism puts more weight on their own political incompetance.

In reality, there exists a liberal bias by design. More accurately, there is an “anti-conservative” bias. The conservative ideology is based on maintenance of the status quo, the moderation of change and the preservation of traditional ideals. Journalism is based on reporting news. The status quo is simply not news, nor, of course, does it sell papers. If there is no news there is nothing to challenge the existing order, regardless of what that order might be. “A slow news day” is really the only conservative journalism. Consequently, all reporting will challenge the status quo and function to disrupt the existing order. Reporting on crime is a challenge to order, as is reporting air pollution or government scandal. Any war reporting that even hints that success isn’t 100% is anti-conservative since war is by its common definition is a government operation aimed preserving or improving the ideals of the warring country.

Numerous studies have shown that during the political process neither Democrats nor Republicans have received a significant edge in either the number or nature of the stories printed or broadcast. This indicates that the media is conscious of remaining politically unbiased without understanding that their bias is ideological rather than political. A true measure of the bias involves measuring how well the government viewpoint is presented in any story involving government action. In comparison to many countries the American media challenges the government enough to be considered “anti-conservative” but is not even in the same ball park as the British media.

http://www.politicalbull.net

[istruthfull]

2. liberal bias?

The "liberal media" printed anything negative that came there way about Clinton for 8 years even if there were no supporting facts. Now this same "liberal media" has overlooks this administrations actions many which very well could result in felony convictions in the future. Let's see, bad words about liberals whether true or not and the overlooking of many truths about conservative misdeeds and lies...Doesn't sound very liberal to me. "A house divided can not stand" Studies remind me of eggs. A few years ago scientist proved that there was so much cholesterol in eggs you were safely allowed one egg a week. The bottom fell out of the egg market for about 3 months so whoever was going to go under did and were bought out by the conglomerate egg guys. Then all of a sudden those same scientist prove that you are safely allowed 4 eggs a week and the price of eggs goes back up to were it was to begin with. I'm sure you can get the picture here. Studies are often tainted to show what those who are paying for the study would like them to show. Liberal media,"said with sarcastic tone", yeah right.