Liberal Media Bias | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Liberal Media Bias Is Too Real

A real look at the biased media.

264
https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcn/22247731952
Flickr

In today's world, almost everyone wants to share their own opinions resulting in bias everywhere. Bias especially exists in the United States media. Journalists often lean left on the political spectrum, which skews their reports. As shown in Figure 1 from Media Research Center (2013), three of the largest polling and research companies (Pew Research Center, Rasmussen Reports, and Gallup Inc.) found much of the public sees the media as left-biased. So how did this happen?

Today, there are way more liberal than conservative journalists in the media, which leans the news left. A 2014 survey conducted by Lars Wilnat and David H. Weaver at the Bloomington, IN: School of Journalism at Indiana University discovered 28% of the 1080 reporters surveyed identified as Democrat and 7% identified as Republican. (p. 12). Although this study claims most reporters are moderate, executive editor of NewsBusters Tim Graham explains, "Journalists have gotten incredibly reluctant to identify with a party. I suspect liberals check the 'independent' box to avoid being properly identified" (as qtd in Wemple, 2017, para. 8). Graham's statement reveals liberal percentages could be even higher, further unbalancing the number of liberal and conservative news reporters. Figure 2 from The Washington Post (2017) displays how the many left-journalists compare politically to the entire US adult population. Many US adults identify as either moderates or right leaning, whereas many journalists are moderate or left-leaning. This information proves newsrooms are exceedingly liberally biased compared to the US population and do not represent Americans' beliefs as a whole. When there are more liberal reporters than conservative reporters, the news becomes biased. But how did the media get this way?

The media is biased because of three main factors: geography, school ties, and journalists' personalities. Geography plays a substantial role in the left-wing media bias. For example, mainstream media's home is in the cities, where liberals tend to live. Figure 3 from The Washington Post (2015) shows the United States' most democratic and conservative cities. The most liberal cities in America including Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C., are where many of the most popular newspapers are. In July 2004, New York Times Public Editor Daniel Okrent pointed out, "Today, only 50 percent of The Times's readership resides in metropolitan New York, but the paper's heart, mind and habits remain embedded here" (as qtd in Wemple, 2017, para.12). Okrent believes The New York Times's journalists lean more liberal because they are in New York City. They are surrounded by a liberal environment, so their views sway to the left.

School ties are also a significant reason for liberal media bias. Many news companies hire employees straight out of colleges known for producing liberal students (Wemple, 2017, para. 16 ). When news companies hire many students year after year from the same colleges or regions, the views become biased. For example, if CNN hires three new employees every year all from Harvard, they will all most likely have the same views.

Additionally, left-wing media bias is caused by what the Washington Post (2017) calls the "crusader explanation" (Wemple, para. 14). This refers to how all journalists are drawn to journalism for a certain reason. Deputy Managing Editor of The Washington Post Tracy Grant explains, "I think people are called to this profession sometimes have a sense of mission about shining light in dark places" (as qtd in Wemple, 2017, para. 14). She goes on to claim these people feel certain stories, in which there is always a victim, need to be told, which brings about a liberal "underdog mentality." No matter how the media became crowded with liberals, it needs to change. Even though it is illegal to ask political affiliation when looking to hire, companies should find a way to hire more conservatives to balance out the bias. This could be through indirect questions or even when companies look at potential hirees' social media.

The liberal media bias is especially noticeable in news against current President Donald Trump. Most media outlets constantly ignore any good news he brings and report bad news to convince viewers he is a bad president. For example, in 2018, Student News Daily reported from January 1, 2017 to January 26, 2018 major news stations failed to report Dow record closes. (para. 1). Figure 4 from Student News Daily exhibits how ABC World News, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News only reported 20 out of 82 record highs. Even when the records were reported, it was sometimes covered for only a few seconds. Student New Daily (2018) wrote "The Jan. 17, 2018, close above 26,000 got no mention on Nightly News and just 13 seconds on the other two broadcasts" (para. 16). Many media outlets do not want its viewers to believe Trump is a good president. Additionally, in a 2014 Fox & Friends interview, Boston Herald Columnist Adriana Cohen explains ABC, NBC, and CBS covered only a small amount of the upcoming midterm elections as compared to 2006. She infers this is because the Republican Party could likely do well in the election. Cohen (2014) reports, "What we're seeing today is severe media bias. The major media outlets should be giving the American people the truth and they should be delivering objective journalism, but unfortunately too often they're acting like private PR firms for the Democratic Party." Cohen (2014) also explains when there is bad news for Republicans, ABC, NBC, and CBS make sure to cover it, but when there is good news like the Dow records above, they do not. These are only two of the examples of liberal bias in the news, and unfortunately, there are many more. To see more examples of recent liberal media bias click here.


All in all, liberal media bias is real, and if people want to be able to rely on their news sources and know what is truly happening in the world, they need to start speaking out more about liberal media bias. The more aware people become of this situation, the less power the media has. If we continue to let left-leaning media blind us, we will grow ignorant, which will doom us all. As Martin Luther King Jr. said in his book Strength to Love (1963), "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

164646
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

50978
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

45505
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments