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What is Media Bias? How can we detect its presence?

What is Media Bias? How can we detect its presence?. First, some definitions. Media: the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely. Mass media: media that reaches very large numbers of people.

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What is Media Bias? How can we detect its presence?

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  1. What is Media Bias?How can we detect its presence?

  2. First, some definitions • Media: the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely. • Mass media: media that reaches very large numbers of people. • Bias: to cause partiality or favoritism; influence, especially unfairly • From Dictionary.com

  3. Combine the two for the definition of media bias • Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of which events and stories are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening (to be in conflict with) the standards of journalism, rather than the perspective of an individual journalist or article. • From wikipedia

  4. From the Foundation for Critical Thinking

  5. Mainstream news coverage in a society operates with the following maxims: • This is how it appears to us from our point of view; therefore, this is the way it is. • These are the facts that support our way of looking at this; therefore, these are the most important facts. • These countries are friendly to us; therefore, these countries deserve praise. • These countries are unfriendly to us; therefore, these countries deserve criticism. • These are the stories that are most interesting or sensational to our readers; therefore, these are the most important stories in the news. • Foundation for Critical Thinking

  6. Media literate minds operate under these maxims: • I believe it, but it may not be true. • We believe it, but we may be wrong. • We want to believe it, but we may be prejudiced by our desire. • It serves our vested interest to believe it, but our vested interest has nothing to do with the truth. • Foundation for Critical Thinking

  7. When reading, listening or watching, ask these five key questions • Who created this message? • What techniques are they using to attract my attention? • How might different people understand this message differently from me? • What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in or omitted from this message? • Why was this message sent? Center for Media Literacy

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