Forums > Social Discussion > Media Bias
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia
Posted:
We all love to blame the media for being biased. I work in the industry (or at least, I pretend to!
) and I admit that there's a lot of bias around and I throw accusations of it around plenty (you should hear my rants about the Baby Boomers are too unfair on Gen Y!)
Especially when the line can be blurry between opinion and analysis.
But this is an interesting observation
As is this
And I thought that it could be some interesting food for thought, not only in how you read newspaper articles (or tv/radio bulletins) but also posts on our lovely HoP as well...
We all love to blame the media for being biased. I work in the industry (or at least, I pretend to!
) and I admit that there's a lot of bias around and I throw accusations of it around plenty (you should hear my rants about the Baby Boomers are too unfair on Gen Y!) Especially when the line can be blurry between opinion and analysis.
But this is an interesting observation
As is this
And I thought that it could be some interesting food for thought, not only in how you read newspaper articles (or tv/radio bulletins) but also posts on our lovely HoP as well...
i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey
Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...
SILVER Member
Fire Spinner Exarch
514 posts
Location: New Orleans, LA United States, USA
Fire Spinner Exarch
514 posts
Location: New Orleans, LA United States, USA
Posted:
So basically everyone else has it wrong?
So basically everyone else has it wrong?
"Are you sure it's safe to drink bleach?"
"Yes, bleach is 90% water, we are 90% water, therefore: we are bleach."
-Nathan Explosion, Metalocalypse
BRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia
Posted:
Precisely. I'm never wrong.
I thought I was once. But it turns out I was mistaken
Precisely. I'm never wrong.
I thought I was once. But it turns out I was mistaken
i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey
Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...
BRONZE Member
Sitting down facing forward . . .
2,387 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Sitting down facing forward . . .
2,387 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted:
Originally Posted By: Rouge DragonPrecisely. I'm never wrong. I thought I was once. But it turns out I was mistaken
well, rougie - wrong AGAIN !
Those articles have far too many big words in them for me. What peeves me about the media is that they (yes, "they") only ever portray bad stuff happening - when do you pick up a newspaper and see a bunch of good news? It's all bad sorry and it simply depresses everyone. I stopped watching the news and reading the paper several years ago based on this perception. (Serious this time Rouge, in case you were wondering!)
The media is after all a business trying to make money and they seem to hav worked out that good news doesn't sell - only scandal and $hit happening (to other people) - presumably so that they can feel better about their own pile of woes being small in comparison. See I'm generally ok with my lot so I don't perceive a pile of woes that need to be de-significantised. I reckon that if everyone just decided to be happy, they wouldn't need the media and then Rouge would be out of a job (that she hasn't got).
There's another theory for ya miss dragon!
Originally Posted By: Rouge DragonPrecisely. I'm never wrong. I thought I was once. But it turns out I was mistaken
well, rougie - wrong AGAIN !
Those articles have far too many big words in them for me. What peeves me about the media is that they (yes, "they") only ever portray bad stuff happening - when do you pick up a newspaper and see a bunch of good news? It's all bad sorry and it simply depresses everyone. I stopped watching the news and reading the paper several years ago based on this perception. (Serious this time Rouge, in case you were wondering!)
The media is after all a business trying to make money and they seem to hav worked out that good news doesn't sell - only scandal and $hit happening (to other people) - presumably so that they can feel better about their own pile of woes being small in comparison. See I'm generally ok with my lot so I don't perceive a pile of woes that need to be de-significantised. I reckon that if everyone just decided to be happy, they wouldn't need the media and then Rouge would be out of a job (that she hasn't got).
There's another theory for ya miss dragon!
Written by: Doc Lightning talking about Marmite in Kichi's Intro thread
I have several large jars of the stuff. I actually like it... a little. And don't tell anyone I admitted to it. 
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
very good point indeed George... the media IS biased to the point of "which neews can we actually sell BEST!"
and there is still the distinction to be made between "news" (like in HEADLINES) and "information" (like in "useful stuff to know - no matter when")... like "it might not be worth considering to export my Bullet Machismo to Australia" but "it might be worth considering to ship individual parts"... and all that being with low significance anyway until summer of 2012 (at least for me)...
but for one thing you're completely right:
Originally Posted By: RDnot only in how you read newspaper articles (or tv/radio bulletins) but also posts on our lovely HoP as well...
.. errm "especially"
very good point indeed George... the media IS biased to the point of "which neews can we actually sell BEST!"
and there is still the distinction to be made between "news" (like in HEADLINES) and "information" (like in "useful stuff to know - no matter when")... like "it might not be worth considering to export my Bullet Machismo to Australia" but "it might be worth considering to ship individual parts"... and all that being with low significance anyway until summer of 2012 (at least for me)...
but for one thing you're completely right:
Originally Posted By: RDnot only in how you read newspaper articles (or tv/radio bulletins) but also posts on our lovely HoP as well...
.. errm "especially"
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
BRONZE Member
Sitting down facing forward . . .
2,387 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Sitting down facing forward . . .
2,387 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted:
so Tom, which of your parts are you planning to ship to Oz ahead of 2012??! That could be interesting to watch! :-)
so Tom, which of your parts are you planning to ship to Oz ahead of 2012??! That could be interesting to watch! :-)
Written by: Doc Lightning talking about Marmite in Kichi's Intro thread
I have several large jars of the stuff. I actually like it... a little. And don't tell anyone I admitted to it.
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
Originally Posted By: georgemcWhat peeves me about the media is that they (yes, "they") only ever portray bad stuff happening - when do you pick up a newspaper and see a bunch of good news?
Originally Posted By: Bill HicksHow about a positive LSD story, that would be newsworthy. Don't you think? Anybody think that? Just once, to hear a positive LSD story. "Today, a young man on acid, realised that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. That we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves... here's Tom with the weather."
Originally Posted By: georgemcWhat peeves me about the media is that they (yes, "they") only ever portray bad stuff happening - when do you pick up a newspaper and see a bunch of good news?
Originally Posted By: Bill HicksHow about a positive LSD story, that would be newsworthy. Don't you think? Anybody think that? Just once, to hear a positive LSD story. "Today, a young man on acid, realised that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. That we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves... here's Tom with the weather."
BRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada
Posted:
So which came first, the bias or the informatin ?
IMO it's the bias leading people to seek out sources of information that back up their preformed opinions on topics they know little, if anything, about. Maybe it's been a conversation, maybe it's been an article and too often it's been an emailed video that's been that first exposure to an issue or topic one is unfamiliar with that leads to the application of confirmation bias and an unwillingness to admit that that first source of information might have been "wrong"
Take anti-vaccination as an issue. All it takes is a belief that if something is "natural" it's somehow "better" leading to an entrenched distrust of western or "unnatural" medicine to lead someone to post links to freaky websites like whale.to in order to "prove" their point.
I've never heard people who are worried about things like ethylmercury (thimersol) get up and say they'll never eat seafood again because they're worried about mercury poisoning, just ranting about "BIG PHARMA" Suzanne Sommers anyone ?
IMO a healthy dose of skepticism should be applied to all news articles whether they be mainstream or alternative.
So which came first, the bias or the informatin ?
IMO it's the bias leading people to seek out sources of information that back up their preformed opinions on topics they know little, if anything, about. Maybe it's been a conversation, maybe it's been an article and too often it's been an emailed video that's been that first exposure to an issue or topic one is unfamiliar with that leads to the application of confirmation bias and an unwillingness to admit that that first source of information might have been "wrong"
Take anti-vaccination as an issue. All it takes is a belief that if something is "natural" it's somehow "better" leading to an entrenched distrust of western or "unnatural" medicine to lead someone to post links to freaky websites like whale.to in order to "prove" their point.
I've never heard people who are worried about things like ethylmercury (thimersol) get up and say they'll never eat seafood again because they're worried about mercury poisoning, just ranting about "BIG PHARMA" Suzanne Sommers anyone ?
IMO a healthy dose of skepticism should be applied to all news articles whether they be mainstream or alternative.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
isn't the bias only created according to our core beliefs?
then again: where do our core beliefs originate from?
isn't the bias only created according to our core beliefs?
then again: where do our core beliefs originate from?
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
BRONZE Member
Cooler than bubblegum!
2,501 posts
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Cooler than bubblegum!
2,501 posts
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Posted:
...Your experiences...
...Your experiences...
The popcorn extends life... The popcorn expands consciousness...
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
really? didn't remotely figure myself as heaving such an impact on you guys
really? didn't remotely figure myself as heaving such an impact on you guys
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
BRONZE Member
Cooler than bubblegum!
2,501 posts
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Cooler than bubblegum!
2,501 posts
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Posted:
*coughs* Hassler
*coughs* Hassler
The popcorn extends life... The popcorn expands consciousness...
BRONZE Member
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)
Posted:
My grandparents used to get a 'Good News only Newspaper'..
It was very boring, and it folded very fast.
I mean- there's not so much 'positive' that's really news- a car doesn't crash, who tells the papers?
I stayed with a lady who'd worked on the English language section of the news on Chinese TV- they had a policy that they were only allowed to report a maximum of 15% 'bad news'- which meant they had to twist all the -vast majority bad news- things reported into weird 'good news'- I don't know about you, but I'm quite glad our media doesn't have restrictions like that..
My grandparents used to get a 'Good News only Newspaper'..
It was very boring, and it folded very fast.
I mean- there's not so much 'positive' that's really news- a car doesn't crash, who tells the papers?
I stayed with a lady who'd worked on the English language section of the news on Chinese TV- they had a policy that they were only allowed to report a maximum of 15% 'bad news'- which meant they had to twist all the -vast majority bad news- things reported into weird 'good news'- I don't know about you, but I'm quite glad our media doesn't have restrictions like that..
THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!
If that's okay with you?
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
to boil it all down:
It really depends on the author of an article and the paper/magazine/station that publishes it...
Bad research and tacky styles are aimed to create bias by serving it.
EDITED_BY: FireTom (1269409873)
EDIT_REASON: lenght
to boil it all down:
It really depends on the author of an article and the paper/magazine/station that publishes it...
Bad research and tacky styles are aimed to create bias by serving it.
EDITED_BY: FireTom (1269409873)
EDIT_REASON: lenght
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
SILVER Member
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia
Posted:
My favourite Bill Hicks quote UCOF! He is LEGEND
To get to the topic, it is common knowledge bias cannot be removed from reporting at all. There are too many factors in play on a person to person level for it ever to be removed. As consumers of this big business, the best defence is to educate ourselves in the manifestations of biases including our own, to source out the information we need and/or want (after all the bias does not stop with the reporter).
My favourite Bill Hicks quote UCOF! He is LEGEND
To get to the topic, it is common knowledge bias cannot be removed from reporting at all. There are too many factors in play on a person to person level for it ever to be removed. As consumers of this big business, the best defence is to educate ourselves in the manifestations of biases including our own, to source out the information we need and/or want (after all the bias does not stop with the reporter).
would rather have a bottle-in-front-of-me than a frontal lobotomy
"The dangers of life are infinate and among them is safety"(geothe)
SILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Posted:
You should read Ben Goldacre's blog https://www.badscience.net/
He is on a mission to expose bad science (mainly medical as he is a doctor, he also teaches medical students how to spot bad research in universities) and bad science reporting. He quite often wonders off into any bad statistics or political reporting though.
You should read Ben Goldacre's blog https://www.badscience.net/
He is on a mission to expose bad science (mainly medical as he is a doctor, he also teaches medical students how to spot bad research in universities) and bad science reporting. He quite often wonders off into any bad statistics or political reporting though.
SILVER Member
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia
Posted:
Thanks for the link Seye very interesting. I like the example of drug companies funding an article/study and not putting thier names to it in order to get the audience to come around to thier way of thinking. This, to me at least, highlights my earlier point of educating ourselves on the identification of biases
Thanks for the link Seye very interesting. I like the example of drug companies funding an article/study and not putting thier names to it in order to get the audience to come around to thier way of thinking. This, to me at least, highlights my earlier point of educating ourselves on the identification of biases
would rather have a bottle-in-front-of-me than a frontal lobotomy
"The dangers of life are infinate and among them is safety"(geothe)
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
bad science is great! i was psyched to see his column in te guardian when i bought british newspaper
i especially liked his reporting on the neurosurgeon that stated to the press it was safer to give a room full of random people a bowl of extacy rather than a bowl of peanuts (based on deaths per head of population from each substance), and was then fired as a government advisor! for stating the truth!
bad science is great! i was psyched to see his column in te guardian when i bought british newspaper
i especially liked his reporting on the neurosurgeon that stated to the press it was safer to give a room full of random people a bowl of extacy rather than a bowl of peanuts (based on deaths per head of population from each substance), and was then fired as a government advisor! for stating the truth!
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
SILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Posted:
Ben Goldacre is a bit of a legend.
Charlie Brooker is also a regular columnist in the Guardian. He mainly comments on how the media report stories. His TV program is awesome. This was probably the highlight of the last series...
and this was his last column... https://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/22/charlie-brooker-newspapers-dangerous-drug
.
I jus wish the rest of the Guardian was as respectable as they are though. They both seem to keep writing about ridiculous things that their colleagues have written.
Ben Goldacre is a bit of a legend.
Charlie Brooker is also a regular columnist in the Guardian. He mainly comments on how the media report stories. His TV program is awesome. This was probably the highlight of the last series...
and this was his last column... https://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/22/charlie-brooker-newspapers-dangerous-drug
.
I jus wish the rest of the Guardian was as respectable as they are though. They both seem to keep writing about ridiculous things that their colleagues have written.
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
Seye that article is brilliant! also i notice you are in manchester, i arrived in stoke-on-trent yesterday, hitting up the BJC?
Seye that article is brilliant! also i notice you are in manchester, i arrived in stoke-on-trent yesterday, hitting up the BJC?
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
SILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Posted:
What on earth are you doing in Stoke???
I used to live there. Simta still does!
I don't think I'll be going to BJC but I might be about early next week or after BJC if you are. Would be good to say hello. Stoke is easy enough to get to from here.
What on earth are you doing in Stoke???
I used to live there. Simta still does!
I don't think I'll be going to BJC but I might be about early next week or after BJC if you are. Would be good to say hello. Stoke is easy enough to get to from here.
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
im staying with my gfs family for easter, we're heading to the BJC on wednesday (not sure how as yet). i think we may be babysitting on tuesday so if you'd like to do something monday throw a pm my way and we can see whats doing
im staying with my gfs family for easter, we're heading to the BJC on wednesday (not sure how as yet). i think we may be babysitting on tuesday so if you'd like to do something monday throw a pm my way and we can see whats doing
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
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