Fighting Broadcast News Bias

[Hook Dem]

The subject of media bias is heavy on mind. It is being talked about on FoxNews, and I think some of the broadcast stations. I am sure they do not see that THEY have a problem. In this election, we have seen CBS-TV News involved in two attempts to destroy the credibility of a sitting president, in conjunction with print media. We have seen extremely biased reporting in favor of the Democratic presidential candidate and against the president. Why is this? Because the ownership, management, news reporters, anchors and media personnel mostly come from a liberal background who identify with the platform of the Democratic Party. They, in turn, were taught by college and university professors, many who are also left wing liberals in their thinking.

News personnel should NOT allow themselves to report the news in a biased manner. An HONEST newsman will NOT let his political leanings color the reporting of the news. He/she will report it in a fair and balanced manner, and let the American public decide. We are not stupid. We just proved it by NOT voting for the Democratic Party and news media’s darling.. One good thing that has come out of this election is that the broadcast and print media has learned that THEY no longer can control the reporting of the news. They have someone looking over their shoulders now... Those of us who use the Internet and network with other bloggers to keep tabs on what is being reported... It did not take for a few hours for the world to know that CBS was using faked documents in their Rathergate report. (By the way, have you heard of any action that has been taken against Dan Rather or CBS? I have not) Or that the so called “missing munitions” were probably never there when our forces arrived. I have been telling people for the last several weeks that WE have the final say in how they report the news. Here is what I have said. I may have sent this to you, also, but probably not.

As Americans, we have the say in how our broadcast TV/radio stations and print media report the news. It is a very simple concept. If you do not like biased news reporting, change the channel... Go to FoxNews, if you can, or some other TV/radio stations that will give you unbiased news reporting. If enough Americans did this, after several weeks, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN would realize they have no viewer audience for their national evening news or their news specials. It is a matter of economics... If they lose their viewers, they may lose their sponsors.... If they lose their sponsors, they will lose their income. If they lose their income, they will lose their ability to operate at a profit.... The same thing applies to newspapers who are publishing biased news. Unsubscribe! Most of them are available online anyway..

Now, if you want to get more pro-active, you can email these media outlets and express your displeasure with their biased reporting. Or you can write or call them. Email is fast and should work well.

Here are the email addresses you can write to:

ABC-TV News - [email protected]
CBS-TV News - http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/home/main100.shtml
(Go to bottom of the page and click on “Contact Us”. That opens a box you can use to file a complaint with them.)
CNN-TV News - http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form1.html?21
(Again, you just file out the form and file your complaint)
NBC & MSNBC TV News- [email protected]

If you want to become even more pro-active in this, write down the names of the sponsors during the major TV broadcast stations major news half hour, or their news specials. Then you can start calling/emailing or writing them. Tell them that you are fed up with the biased news reporting of the broadcast stations their products support and that you will stop buying their products. If enough Americans do that, they will be talking with those stations management regarding their reporting of the news.

So you see, YOU CAN have a direct impact on how they report the news. But YOU have to take one of the actions above to get your point across. Last night, we saw over 55 million people vote for the President. Think of the impact it would have on ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN if just 10% of you contacted them complaining about the biased reporting of the news by their companies and news anchors. Express your disgust with Dan Rather, for one, and all biased major news personnel. Demand that the news be reported fairly. Tell them you have left their viewing audience and have gone to FoxNews, where you CAN get your news Fair and Balanced. They probably are already beginning to figure out they are losing their audience anyway.. But lets drive it home.

Another way you can express your disgust with biased broadcast news reporting is to email Chairman Michael Powell of the Federal Communications Commission. These broadcast stations operate in the public interest. If they are not serving in the public interest, they can lose their broadcast licenses. Think of the impact you could have on the FCC if that 10% of you took time to email Chairman Powell at the FCC... You can find his email address on their website at http://www.fcc.gov/contacts.html

[dcole50]

It is a very simple concept. If you do not like biased news reporting, change the channel... Go to FoxNews, if you can, or some other TV/radio stations that will give you unbiased news reporting.
While I agree that there is a liberal bias in the media, I'll argue that FOX news is not an unbiased source either. They lean towards the right without question in the same way that CNN leans towards the left.

This is why I rely on print sources and articles off the AP wire for news. Cable news channels and even the major networks are beyond fixable at this point. Yes, they're biased, but even worse is the way they produce their programs with flash and trash over substance. More time and effort is put into the way the graphics look than into the quality of the reporting. Key issues are brushed aside so I can hear news on Kobe Bryant, Scott Peterson, and even worse, those God awful pop culture segments.

Did anyone see Jon Stewart’s assault on Tucker Carlson and .. that other guy (the liberal equivalent to Carlson) when he was a guest on Cross Fire? Whether you like Stewart or not, he brought up some crucial problems with the news media. I’ll post a transcript later … I’m pretty sure I saved it.

[Marcus Bryant]

off the AP wire for news.

What if some of the AP reporters have certain biases?

Sure, Fox News is "right" of the other major network and cable outlets. The problem I have is the attempt to equate the bias of both sides, as well as the fact that when it was only media outlets with a leftish slant in operation that media bias wasn't a concern for some.

[dcole50]

I recognize the bias of AP reports. Well, most of the time. I have been mislead before. It's usually fairly easy to tell when a journalist starts inseting his personal opinion. Although, facts can be manipulated to favor someone's agenda. That's why it's always helpful to read more than one story on a certain issue. Sadly, this is something one must due in order to filter through the fog and find the true story.

I agree that media outlets like CNN have a bias towards the left and that has always been something that has bothered me. I just don't consider FOX to be a completely unbiased network.

I think FOX is overly criticized for leaning to the right. If people, like myself, feel that way then don't watch it. There are plenty of other outlets leaning the other way. Personally, I still watch it, just like I watch CNN, but I try to recognize the bias when I see it.

[Hook Dem]

I recognize the bias of AP reports. Well, most of the time. I have been mislead before. It's usually fairly easy to tell when a journalist starts inseting his personal opinion. Although, facts can be manipulated to favor someone's agenda. That's why it's always helpful to read more than one story on a certain issue. Sadly, this is something one must due in order to filter through the fog and find the true story.

I agree that media outlets like CNN have a bias towards the left and that has always been something that has bothered me. I just don't consider FOX to be a completely unbiased network.

I think FOX is overly criticized for leaning to the right. If people, like myself, feel that way then don't watch it. There are plenty of other outlets leaning the other way. Personally, I still watch it, just like I watch CNN, but I try to recognize the bias when I see it.
Seems like a "fair" assessment to me dc.