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Wow. Check out this huge study. If you want to skip the majority, under the contents section click on: IV. Conclusion: Beyond the "Liberal Media" Myth.

Very interesting indeed.

this is 6 years old.

Also it asks them to rate themselves on their political orientation, what definition did they use. I do not have much faith in any polls.

22. On economic issues, how would you characterize your political orientation?
11% Left
64% Center
19% Right
5% Other

23. On social issues, how would you characterize your political orientation?
30% Left
57% Center
9% Right
5% Other

Most folks don't consider themselves extremists (far right or far left). And in reality few people agree with the stance of their political party on every issue. They like to believe they are part of the center because to state otherwise would impune their objectivity.


As our most recent election has shown, our country is fairly evenly split on the national level (presidential race). Why should the media folks be any different from the general population?

bushie thinks he is kompashonat

And ricky thinks he is brilliant.

Six years ago, and more, I refused to vote because I couldn't stand politicians. What's more, I had been an ignorant democrat for much of my life. I thought Bush was a cowboy, Gore was a clown, and couldn't stand O'Reilly, least of all Limbaugh. After 9/11, I started using my brain and thinking for myself. And, God forbid, listening to Michael Reagan, Neil Bortz, O'Reilly, Hannity, and yes, even Rush, instead of so much liberal media. When Bush showed his balls of steel and flew to BagDad, that clinched it. I am now registered Republican, and will vote in my first national election in over 20 years. Amazing what happens when you grow up, six years makes a difference.

If you consider O'Reilly far right, then you just discredited yourself!
Hannity is far right as is Rush Limbaugh, but O'Reilly is not, and I favor O'Reilly and Chris Matthews for two reliable sources. Russert is a good political analyst and the worst of all is Dan Rather, so far to the left he surpasses most of the others!

Charlie

But of course, thank you for your indulgence. I am quite familiar with "the news". My wife produced evening news at several network affiliates, including Orlando, New Haven, and Chicago, for eleven years. I am well schooled in its production, and thank God I can tell the difference from "entertainment".

Niteorday,

Thank you for your replies. You have less rhetoric than others and it's refreshing.

I too have produced many news programs, but would you agree that the line between news and entertainment are constantly becomeing less defined?

You're last reply reminded me of a lesson I learned in college during a Psychology of Media class. Something to the effect;

"Even though you are aware of what a message trying to sell you, it doesn't mean you are not effected by it."

That makes me ponder, even today.

Niteorday... exactly..... why the hell do I turn on my local TV news just to hear who was voted off the island on Survivor. Thats not news thats a promo spot for the networks

I'm searching for the truth, no spin please, don't care if it's called lib or con, just the truth. These days the pendulum has swung, they did a fine job on Watergate, but that was then and this is now. I've been on both sides.

Schweeet dude !

This just in...

Statistical Analysis of Media Headlines Confirms Media Bias Against Republicans!
Quantifying Bias

Members of both parties are forever accusing the media of bias -- toward the opposite side. A proliferation of web logs has joined media watchdog groups, such as Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting and the Media Research Center, purporting to document media bias, both liberal and conservative. All of them are subjective in their analysis.

Hassett and Lott set out to perform a systematic, statistical study of the issue of bias as it relates to economic coverage. They examined media coverage of four economic data series -- gross domestic product, employment, durable goods orders and retail sales -- from 1991 to 2004. They looked at the headlines from all 389 newspapers in the Lexis/Nexis database that directly or indirectly allude to the economic data released that day or the day before.

The economists chose headlines because they ``create the strongest image of the news in readers' minds'' and are easy to classify as positive, negative or neutral.

Democratic Preferences

Most importantly, Hassett and Lott had to account for the different performance of the economy under George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. To do that, they used regression analysis to control for the economic data, which means they removed the difference in coverage that could be explained by the difference in the economic data.

What the authors found was ``a much higher probability that something will be called bad news if there's a Republican in the White House, and it's statistically significant,'' said Hassett, who is AEI's director of economic policy studies.

The study found that overall ``Republicans receive between 9.6 and 14.7 percentage points less positive coverage than the Democrats,'' with coverage of some indicators (GDP growth) showing a greater and more consistent bias than others (retail sales).

The same reported change in quarterly GDP growth, for example, that generated 44 percent positive headlines under Clinton produced only 28 percent under Republicans, Hassett said.

00camper,
That is a very interesting study. I wonder if the way in which the different presidents deliver their messages effets how the media might be more positive or negative spin on the subject matter as well?

AVB,

I'm not sure what all that means, but if it would help in this discussion, then I'm all for know that stuff too. :)

We all view things based on our personal biases.

No matter what a poll reveals I find it hard to believe that if you watch CBS, NBC or ABC that you do not see a liberal bias. The same with Fox for the conservatives. Can you really not see it?

6 Years is a long time and things change. So to me that makes a large difference.

Now as stated before people see themselves as more central. How do you know what these people consider to be left or right vs centrist?

let's take 3 of my co-workers,Sam, Bill and Jeff. I will tell you where they stand on a few issues. You tell me where they fall and then I will tell you where they think they fall.

Sam
pro-choice
for legalizing weed
thinks we need to do more for the environment
wants more tax breaks for middle/lower class
health care is a right

Bill
pro-life
health care is earned
wants more tax breaks for middle/lower class
get rid of welfare
give up some environment to produce our own oil

Jeff
pro-choice
health care is earned
thinks we need to do more for the environment
get rid of welfare
wants more tax breaks for middle/lower class

I disagree that where they fall is up to them. I do understand that there are degrees of left and right and that you can be left on one issue and right on another.

Smart move BTW.

Why do you disagree that where they fall is up to them? Maybe I'm not getting your point.

Oh, thanks. I wrote a huge rebuttal, and then thought wait a second...

I say that because I can be left in all my beliefs and still consider myself to be 'centered'. The same applies to the right. By definition I can be either and consider myself to be neither. They should have been pegged based on a survey. Of course they can lie on the survey.

Thom wrote:" I too have produced many news programs"

Really...for whom...where?

I gather from your take on things that you were a true spin doctor.

The media is in the "center".
Yeah, right...

That's why CBS's most prestigious "news" program, 60 Minutes, aired Dan Rather's blatant lies regarding the sitting presidents national guard duty.
The same Dan Rather who showed more respect to Sadam on the eve of war.
And the same news program that has yet to air one episode in regards to the Vietnam Vets Against Kerry.

What's the differnce between Rush, Hannity, and the mainstream media? They openly admit their political persuasions so you can digest their opinions appropriately.

Bassdude,

Your point about this study is not lost on me.

I believe ALL extremists should be shot!....lol

Well, now that the assault weapons ban is lifted, it will get a lot easier to "re-educate" the extremists.
I better go enjoy my last smoke.

"I believe ALL extremists should be shot!....lol "


Thats a little extreme isn't it Ducati LOL
But I like your thinking

EI....that was the joke...lol.