How to Detect Media Bias

BIAS IN THE NEWS

Today’s Targets 2/6/2014:

You will be able to: understand

how to detect bias in the news (future articles)

•Favoring one side, position, or belief.•Generally it is unannounced – readers need to be wary and “read between the lines” to discover bias

What is “bias”?

•YES! News can be biased.•Bias can be hard to avoid – we’re all human and we all have personal biases that can sometimes accidentally slip into our work.• Stories are influenced by:• the people interviewed• the reporters’ personal beliefs• the way a story is edited • the types of photographs used

Is the news

biased?

Statement F or O?Many American soldiers are being killed in Afghanistan.Afghanis want the American soldiers to leave their country.Iran’s President has stated the Holocaust never happened.The War on Terrorism can never be won.

FACT VS. OPINION

FACT•Can be verified – generally by multiple sources•Supported by evidence•Can be proven

OPINION•Not supported by evidence• “Evidence” is insufficient to produce complete certainty So what’s the

difference?

HOW TO DETECT CERTAIN TYPES OF BIAS –

Using or not using a source can change the ‘reality’ of a story for

the readers.Compare numerous sources to find

the truth!

Selection and Omission

Stories that run first are seen as the most important.

Stories placed on the front page or ‘above the fold’ are deemed most

important.A person makes these decisions –

they are constructing the importance of an issue!

Bias through Placement

Headlines are the most read part of the paper and are designed to draw

the reader to an article.Most readers do not read the

articles, so a biased headline (even paired with a balanced article) will

mislead readers.

Bias by Headline

Pictures only show a portion of the person, issue, or event.

• You see what the photographer wants.• Captions provide the photographer or

writer’s description of the image.

Bias by Photos, Captions, and Camera Angles

Labels used to describe a person, event, and place. Writer selects what

label to use.• “accused murderer” vs. “suspected murderer”

• “the crime” vs. “the alleged crime”• “the frontrunner” vs. “the candidate”

Bias through use of Names or Titles

Inflated numbers make a story more interesting or seem more important.

Not all numbers create bias, so read carefully!

2,239 students attend LZHS this year

LZHS’ student population is up 29%

Bias through Statistics and Crowd Counts

Where does the story originate?Who are the sources for the story?

Whose point of view are you hearing/ reading?

Question why the reporter used these specific sources!

Bias by Source Control

Similar to headlines – use of positive or negative words can persuade

people.

Word Choice and Tone

INTENTIONALLY BIASED: COMMON

TAKE NOTE! Some media are meant to contain

opinion.

Not all bias is easy to detect, but there are some media types that are always opinionated because they are

meant to be!

Op-Ed / Editorial Page

• Letters to the editor • Political cartoons

• Columns• Bylined viewpoint pieces by newspaper staff

• Encourage thought and discussion• Influence action• Push for reform

• Provide background and analysis• Allow the community to have a voice

Purpose of Op-Ed or Editorial Page

THE SMELL TEST…

S stands for Source.

Find out who is providing

the information.

M is for Motivation. Question:

Why are they telling

me this stuff?

E is for Evidence.

Question: Do they have real evidence for

their assertions?

What kind of evidence is provided?

L is for Logic. Wonder aloud:

Do the facts offered logically

compel the conclusions? Or does this sound

like twisted thinking?

L is for Left out. Think about it: What's missing

in the information that might change

the interpretation of

the subject matter?

• http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/teachers/media_literacy/index.cfm• "How to Detect Bias in the News | Handout.“ Media Awareness Network | Réseau éducation médias. 6 Mar. 2008 <http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/broadcast_news/bw_bias_in_the_news.cfm>0.John McManus, author of the book, "Detecting Bull"

Sources