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News-Media Bias
What Is News-Media Bias?
The Quick Answer
News-media bias determines how the media covers stories. It is affected by factors such as attracting ratings, making money, maintaining a narrative, and covering stories that are easy to publish.Here's a short explanation of news-media bias:
News-media bias can manifest in various forms. For instance, it may involve the selection and emphasis of certain stories or facts while downplaying or omitting others. It can also be seen in the framing of news stories, which influences the interpretation and perception of events. Bias can occur through the use of loaded language, sensationalism, or the inclusion of opinion or commentary in news reporting.
Biases in news media can be influenced by a range of factors, including the personal beliefs and values of journalists, the editorial policies of media organizations, commercial interests, and the desire to cater to specific audiences. While some biases may be unintentional or subtle, others may be more overt and driven by explicit agendas.
It is important to note that bias can exist across the ideological spectrum, affecting both conservative and liberal media outlets. The degree and nature of bias can vary, and it is up to news consumers to critically evaluate the information presented and seek out multiple sources to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
To navigate news-media bias, it is valuable to consume news from a diverse range of sources, including those with differing perspectives. Engaging in media literacy practices, such as fact-checking, verifying information, and being aware of potential biases, can help individuals form more informed opinions and make better judgments about the news they consume.

"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers."
(Third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson, 1743–1826)
This quotation is meant to entertain, and it obviously overstates the case against the news media. However, there is a lot of truth in the old adage "don't believe everything you read."(Third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson, 1743–1826)
Here are some common biases affecting the news media:
Commercial Bias

"For most folks, no news is good news; for the press, good news is not news."
(American journalist Gloria Borger)
This is related to Negativity Bias. As a result, the world looks a worse place when viewed through a news-media lens than it really is.
(American journalist Gloria Borger)
Temporal Bias

Visual Bias
Viewers like pictures, and the news media knows it. As a result, a filmable or photographable story will have precedence over one that isn't. Unfortunately, the things that govern our lives (e.g., politics, policy and laws) do not make interesting pictures – unlike the milk float that fell off a bridge onto someone's shed.Narrative Bias

Fairness Bias
The act of trying not to be biased creates a bias. (No one said remaining impartial was going to be easy!) The journalistic code demands fairness in reporting, and many news-media outlets manage this by trying to add balance to every story. In particular, this affects coverage on politicians and politics. To prevent being biased to one side, the media often seeks a reaction from the opposing camp. As a result, new policy always looks controversial and politics always seems contentious. New positive policies or announcements are routinely undermined by the media, who feel compelled to seek an opposing view, which might become more influential than it should by dint of its media coverage.
"The BBC is not impartial or neutral. It's a publicly funded, urban organisation with an abnormally large number of young people, ethnic minorities and gay people. It has a liberal bias, not so much a party-political bias. It is better expressed as a cultural liberal bias."
(Journalist and political commentator Andrew Marr)
(Journalist and political commentator Andrew Marr)
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