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Media bias is distortion of news, commentary, non-fiction articles, textbooks, documentaries, speech codes and the like to favor one side's ideas and over another's (see [[partisan]]ship). Dictatorships which suppress [[freedom of the press]] are notorious for their media bias, particularly when all media are controlled directly by a [[one-party government]].  

Media bias is distortion of news, commentary, non-fiction articles, textbooks, documentaries, speech codes and the like to favor one side's ideas and over another's (see [[partisan]]ship). Dictatorships which suppress [[freedom of the press]] are notorious for their media bias, particularly when all media are controlled directly by a one-party government.  

Most journalism schools in free countries address the issue of eliminating bias, although efforts are rarely successful. The U.S. media have a strong [[liberal bias]].<ref>''Professor's Study Shows Liberal Bias in News Media'' [http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200209/CUL20020917b.html CNSNews.com]</ref>

Most journalism schools in free countries address the issue of eliminating bias, although efforts are rarely successful. The U.S. media have a strong [[liberal bias]].<ref>''Professor's Study Shows Liberal Bias in News Media'' [http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200209/CUL20020917b.html CNSNews.com]</ref>

==Sources of bias==

==Sources of bias==

#Deliberate propaganda: Presenting bias with the intention of benefiting the media establishment.

#Deliberate [[propaganda]]: Presenting bias with the intention of benefiting the media establishment.

#Institutional bias: The reporters and editors of a media organisation may hold political views, which influence their reporting.

#Institutional bias: The reporters and editors of a media organisation may hold political views, which influence their reporting.

#[[Sensationalism]]: Media depends on viewers for financial support. Thus 'irrelevant' stories may receive attention disproportionate to their impact.

#[[Sensationalism]]: Media depends on viewers for financial support. Thus 'irrelevant' stories may receive attention disproportionate to their impact.

#Omission: The inverse of sensationalism, media may overlook important but boring stories.

#Omission: The inverse of sensationalism, media may overlook important but boring stories.

#Simplification: Highly complicated subjects may be omitted or greatly simplified, to avoid alienating viewers or making them feel uneducated.

#Simplification: Highly complicated subjects may be omitted or greatly simplified, to avoid alienating viewers or making them feel uneducated.

#Political correctness or sensitivity: Fearful of appearing racist or discriminatory, media may avoid any stories which reflect negatively on a ethnic, social or religious group, especially if the group is a minority.

#[[Political correctness]] or sensitivity: Fearful of appearing racist or discriminatory, media may avoid any stories which reflect negatively on a ethnic, social or religious group, especially if the group is a minority.

#Audience bias: Readers or viewers tend to read news sources with which they agree. Thus, media must reinforce the existing views of their audience, or risk losing them. This source of bias can also reinforce the effect of a moral panic. In this case, the public may receive a distorted perspective that is a result of their own preferences, because the news media will deliberately deliver news not only suitable and desirable to the general public, but may also incorporate bias that would similarly suit the viewer.   

#Audience bias: Readers or viewers tend to read news sources with which they agree. Thus, media must reinforce the existing views of their audience, or risk losing them. This source of bias can also reinforce the effect of a [[moral]] [[panic]]. In this case, the public may receive a distorted perspective that is a result of their own preferences, because the news media will deliberately deliver news not only suitable and desirable to the general public, but may also incorporate bias that would similarly suit the viewer.   

''The Media Elite,'' co-authored in 1986 by political scientists Robert Lichter, Stanley Rothman, and Linda Lichter is among the most cited academic study of political bias in news reporting. These researchers surveyed journalists at national media outlets such as the [[New York Times]], [[Washington Post]], and the broadcast networks. They found that most of the responding journalists were Democratic voters whose attitudes were far to the left of the general public on a variety of topics: homosexual rights, abortion, affirmative action, and so on.  The study argued that the way in which journalists wrote about controversial issues was directly related to their personal political positions.

''The Media Elite,'' co-authored in 1986 by political scientists Robert Lichter, Stanley Rothman, and Linda Lichter is among the most cited academic study of political bias in news reporting. These researchers surveyed journalists at national media outlets such as the [[New York Times]], [[Washington Post]], and the broadcast networks. They found that most of the responding journalists were Democratic voters whose attitudes were far to the left of the general public on a variety of topics: homosexual rights, abortion, affirmative action, and so on.  The study argued that the way in which journalists wrote about controversial issues was directly related to their personal political positions.

Independently corroborating the findings above, is the 2002 book length study by political communication researcher [[Jim A. Kuypers]]: Press Bias and Politics: How the Media Frame Controversial Issues. In this study of 116 mainstream US papers (including The New York Times, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle), Kuypers found that the mainstream print press in America operate within a narrow range of liberal beliefs. Those who expressed points of view further to the left were generally ignored, whereas those who expressed moderate or conservative points of view were often actively denigrated or labeled as holding a minority point of view. In short, if a political leader, regardless of party, spoke within the press-supported range of acceptable discourse, he or she would receive positive press coverage. If a politician, again regardless of party, were to speak outside of this range, he or she would receive negative press or be ignored. Kuypers also found that the liberal points of view expressed in editorial and opinion pages were found in hard news coverage of the same issues. Although focusing primarily on the issues of [[race]] and [[homosexuality]], Kuypers found that the press injected opinion into its news coverage of other issues such as [[welfare reform]], [[environmental protection]], and [[gun control]]; in all cases favoring a liberal point of view.

Independently corroborating the findings above, is the 2002 book length study by political communication researcher Jim A. Kuypers: Press Bias and Politics: How the Media Frame Controversial Issues. In this study of 116 mainstream US papers (including The New York Times, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle), Kuypers found that the mainstream print press in America operate within a narrow range of liberal beliefs. Those who expressed points of view further to the left were generally ignored, whereas those who expressed moderate or conservative points of view were often actively denigrated or labeled as holding a minority point of view. In short, if a political leader, regardless of party, spoke within the press-supported range of acceptable discourse, he or she would receive positive press coverage. If a politician, again regardless of party, were to speak outside of this range, he or she would receive negative press or be ignored. Kuypers also found that the liberal points of view expressed in editorial and opinion pages were found in hard news coverage of the same issues. Although focusing primarily on the issues of [[race]] and [[homosexuality]], Kuypers found that the press injected opinion into its news coverage of other issues such as [[welfare reform]], [[environmental protection]], and [[gun control]]; in all cases favoring a liberal point of view.

==Notes==

==Notes==