I don't wonder. From what I see, the average American doesn't care about news. Of course news media won't criticize the company whose advertising pays their wages, that would be bad for both the company and the news station. This scenario is fine until you start gathering the figures and discovering that there are some multi-national corps who hold major stakes in all the major news sources (or 50+% of network TV, print media, etc.) This essentially gives them carte-blanche when it comes to malfeasance, because who's going to tell the people about it? This of course leads to corruption, and in a very Ring of Gyges sort of way.
Of course news media won't criticize the company whose advertising pays their wages, that would be bad for both the company and the news station.
Course not, but the controlled media is much more serious then just endorsing products. Its really filled with complete uselessness. No real news! They talk about celebrities most of the time and to fill up the 30 minutes, homocides.....
The most it will go to is the national levels, and that's only during election time. The market crash is not even shown much.
The propaganda machine is really usefully when dealing with foreign issues in which public opinion is valued. Being controlled by big money hungry corporations, it always goes the way it wants.
I don't wonder. From what I see, the average American doesn't care about news.
Are you serious? As far as i can tell most Americans views on anything are dictated by what they see in the media. Either way the news may be biased, i agree with Drace.
I was in Europe two weeks ago and it was refreshing to watch news that was truly free of spin, bias, and speculation. They presented the news and let me make up my own mind about what it all meant.
That should be the model for news in the U.S., but the corporations own all the major media outlets, and they manipulate news events towards their own aims.
Added to this is our own personal biases. We are all biased in one way or another, and different news programs tend to cater to ideas that either agree or enflame those beliefs depending on what they are trying to achieve.
Here's a few websites that can help by providing a means to check what we're seeing and see if it is on the level:
Isn't it all just a matter of opinion? If i agree with the news and think there clean, couldn't i argue that you are biased (somehow).
Hmm, I thought of this myself. I would think the term is used differently when referring to the media. Its quite a whole different thing.
They are presenting a story for the public, and twisting the words around to get the story on their side. Biased here is lying. I'm simply just arguing, presenting facts and logical reasoning. If I am wrong, you can argue with me.
With the media its different though. People expect them to give reliable information, but when arguing with someone, you are 100% skeptical.
They set a false basis in presenting the facts, which is different from arguing with facts.
Fox swings widely conservative, CNN widely liberal, the rest I would say mainly liberal, some would say mainly conservative, but i don't think there's a non-biased station in America any more..
The BBC may be unbiased but it has slipped into yet another row over its decision not to broadcast an appeal for the palistinians living in Gaza because they want to stay impartial.
