|
|
|
Like every other institution, the Washington and political press corps operate with a good number of biases and predilections.
They include, but are not limited to, a near-universal shared sense that liberal political positions on social issues like gun control, homosexuality, abortion, and religion are the default, while more conservative positions are "conservative positions."
They include a belief that government is a mechanism to solve the nation's problems; that more taxes on corporations and the wealthy are good ways to cut the deficit and raise money for social spending and don't have a negative affect on economic growth; and that emotional examples of suffering (provided by unions or consumer groups) are good ways to illustrate economic statistic stories.
More systematically, the press believes that fluid narratives in coverage are better than static storylines; that new things are more interesting than old things; that close races are preferable to loose ones; and that incumbents are destined for dethroning, somehow.
The press, by and large, does not accept President Bush's justifications for the Iraq war -- in any of its WMD, imminent threat, or evil-doer formulations. It does not understand how educated, sensible people could possibly be wary of multilateral institutions or friendly, sophisticated European allies.
It does not accept the proposition that the Bush tax cuts helped the economy by stimulating summer spending.
Posted by Ted at February 10, 2004 12:30 PMI find most media organizations to be very liberal. Even CNN is up there, and I quit watching it because they never had anything positive to say about the war, or President Bush. Fox news though, I've found, tends to lean more towards conservative. Every saturday they have this discussion with Wallstreet investors about the Bush economy and the Democratic Primaries. All the investors on there have all agreed that the stock market will be in trouble if a Democratic candidate gets elected since ALL of them either want to repeal the Bush tax cuts, or raise taxes another way. I've found Fox news tends to be a big supporter of what the troops are doing over there; they've had a reporter inbedded with the Marines since the War started, and unlike CNN (who's reporter in Iraq was actually working with Saddam's men, and never reported to authorities about Saddam's plans to murder his son in law, and other people. He even stood by while his camera man and translator was tortured and killed. . .) they do their best to report what is actually happening there, and the progress being made.
And eventhough not everyone on Fox news likes Bush, such as Bill O'Rielly, even Bill is a big conservative, arguing against sex propaganda and other negative influences that are stripping our kids of morals.
Fox news does try to be unbiased as they also have democrats on there, but I think they do tend to lean more towards conservative. I think it's hard to avoid being biased, but it would be nice if there were more media sources that leaned conservative rather than liberal.
Posted by: Suzanne Cook at February 11, 2004 4:59 PMI watch Fox News here. I find them much more informative than CNN. I would like to see broadcasters declare their allegiances.
Posted by: Ted at February 11, 2004 8:10 PM