Re: Criticizing Fox News

On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:25:22 GMT, Will Sill <will@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I see where "bruce" <bruce.snell@xxxxxxxxx> contributed:

Bias can be observed in the way news items are framed.
Last year I read an article on the financial page with the headline: "Ford
suffers 18% loss". From that I was led to believe that the article was
about Ford having problems and loosing money. Well, it turned out that
Fords losses were less than GM or Chrysler, but you had to read 3 paragraphs
to find that out. That is biased reporting, and has nothing to do with the
opinions of the reader. You can see the same thing on TV news every day.

Allow me to opine that "bias" is not only demonstrated in the tone of
articles, or the wording of a headline, but perhaps even more in the
selection/rejection process. Typically, 'liberal' editors simply
choose not to run items (editorial or hard news) that articulate or
support 'conservative' POV's.

As a one-time editor myself, I made no bones about the fact that I
would not knowingly print articles that offended me. While most
editors & publishers will not be that frank. all follow that principle
to SOME degree.

That's why the mainstream media seldom if ever published the GOOD news
articles about progress in Iraq.

An example of selection editing: Bill O'Reilly makes much of his "No
Spin Zone" but while I often agree with his POV he is clearly not
neutral or fair and balanced. I'd like him better if he wouldn't
claim to be presenting "all sides". Even though he often does allow
loonies to bray, you'd have to be brain dead not to get his message
about what the Correct point of view ATO (According To O'Reilly) must
be.

Bottom line: Editing is more than just slanting a story - it begins
with selecting what to include!

Will Sill
The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill

You are correct. Conservatives think conservative editors are fair.
Liberals think that Liberal editors are fair.

You are one of the few who discern's bias even if you agree with it.
Most do not.

Tom
.

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