The Impact of Reporter’s Convictions on Media Bias

Brooke Gladstone is renowned for her notable work in organizing NPR's "On the Media." "The Great Rejection" illustrates the impact of reporters' phrasing to highlight its direct influence on media bias. 'Bias' is partiality in favor of or against one thing or group compared to another. We face different types of bias everyday. "The Great Rejection" presents the various categories of bias that are visible to some and invisible to others. We live in a society where reporters are rebuked if they publish the actual statistics.

Nonetheless, it can be extremely difficult to determine when a reporter or author is being biased, especially if the story is well-constructed after editing. "Racial Motives Play," "A Story of Two Presidents," and "Another Abortion House of Horrors" are three articles that showcase bias. "Racial Motives Play" exhibited conflict bias, which I could discern by paying attention to the tone of the article. The sentiment it evoked in me didn't connect to the information provided. "You don't understand America if you don't realize that only certain racial incidents are considered newsworthy." A black man killing a white man wouldn't attract journalists' attention because it's not 'exciting.' Conversely, a white man killing a black man would capture journalists' attention nationwide, as it would certainly make headlines. These severe dichotomies, compounded by cynical attitudes, shape one's evaluation of news media. As a result, the perception that the media is biased may be more firmly rooted in an observer's own stance rather than biases in the media content itself.

In "A Story of Two Presidents," I detected bias by observing what information was omitted. This article utilized industrial bias. "Who is the real Barack Obama? Had the media done its job five years ago, we would have an idea of the man. Even after five years in office, he remains an enigma." The media painted a picture of Barack Obama as being more privileged than he actually was. Many individuals come to America for superior healthcare, yet it begs the question: does America genuinely have the cleanest and best doctors? In "Another Abortion House of Horror," the declaration, "We are often told that there's no such thing as liberal media bias, but journalism is simply biased towards conflict and sensationalism," comes into play. When reporters were informed about the unsafe practices at a Delaware abortion clinic, many of them responded with indifference, stating "Not Interested."

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