And So It Goes

What Liberal Media?

David Harris's Science and Literature blog takes a scientific look at media bias. (Yes, I'm doing a lot of linking these days, but these guys are touching on things that particularly interest me.)

The issue of whether or not the US media has a liberal bias has been the topic of much discussion in the past few years, particularly due to best-selling books on the topic. One of these, What Liberal Media? by Eric Alterman attempts to counter multiple conservative-led attacks on the media.

I just came across a research paper from 1998 that examines the claim of a liberal media bias. The paper is extremely interesting and should be required reading for anybody discussing the issue of bias in the media. The emphasis in the summary of the paper below is mine:

The conservative critique of the news media rests on two general propositions: (1) journalists' views are to the left of the public, and (2) journalists frame news content in a way that accentuates these left perspectives. Previous research has revealed persuasive evidence against the latter claim, but the validity of the former claim has often been taken for granted. This research project examined the supposed left orientation of media personnel by surveying Washington-based journalists who cover national politics and/or economic policy at US outlets.
The findings include:

On select issues from corporate power and trade to Social Security and Medicare to health care and taxes, journalists are actually more conservative than the general public.

Journalists are mostly centrist in their political orientation.

The minority of journalists who do not identify with the "center" are more likely to identify with the "right" when it comes to economic issues and to identify with the "left" when it comes to social issues.

Journalists report that "business-oriented news outlets" and "major daily newspapers" provide the highest quality coverage of economic policy issues, while "broadcast network TV news" and "cable news services" provide the worst.

Very nice, but I doubt it will make a dent in the rigid article of faith among conservatives about all the wild-eyed liberals inhabiting the mediasphere. Nevertheless, it's good to have a reality check sometimes.

[David Harris' Science & Literature]