Spot Bias in the News

What do you already know about bias?

What is
bias
anyway?

Favoring one side, position, or

belief – being partial, prejudiced,
Bias vs. Propaganda
Bias …
is prejudice; a preconceived
judgment or an opinion formed
without just grounds or sufficient
knowledge
Propaganda …
is a systematic effort to influence
people's opinions; to win them to a
certain side or view
What is biased language and what is not?

Not biased, just an objective observation

Billy Bob spends very little money.

Biased favorably:
Billy Bob is thrifty.

Biased unfavorably:
Billy Bob is a cheapskate.
 Can bias be found in the news?
Consider these two sentences in a
news story:
1. “A crowd of more than 900
attended the protest.”
2. “Fewer than 1,000 showed up to
protest.”

How could you say this in a neutral (unbiased) way?

http://www.bvallc.com/pensionblog/uploaded_images/Crowd-702052.jpg
 How to Detect Bias in the News

○ Every news story is affected by:

thoughts
opinions
background
of these people:
interviewer
reporter
photographer
editor
 How to Detect Bias in the News

○ Bias isn’t always on purpose –

sometimes it just “creeps in”!

○ By looking for it, you can spot bias and

become a better journalist and a better
reader.
Let’s Look at Bias through and
others…
● Omission
● Placement
● Photos
● Names and titles
● Statistics
● Source Control
1. Bias through Omission

○ Sometimes, certain facts or details

will be cut out of a story, and others
will be included.
○ This can change how readers or
viewers think about the story.
○ Make sure to read several different
sources to get the full story!
 Bias through Omission

A news story can be written about

people booing during a speech.
○ “The president’s remarks were
greeted by loud jeers.”
○ “A small handful of people disagreed
with the president’s remarks.”

http://media.cnsnews.com/resources/53412.jpg
2. Bias through placement

○ Usually, the stories that are chosen

to be put first are seen as more
important.
○ Stories in the back of the paper or at
the end of the news broadcast are
seen as less important.
2. Bias through placement
○ For example, if a story about the
disaster in Samoa is on the front
page of the paper, it will be seen as
more important.
○ If the story about Samoa is buried
at the back of the paper, it will be
seen as less important.

http://amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/module_files/Collage%20of%20Headlines.jpg
3. Bias through photos

○ Some photos can make the subject

look serious, attractive, healthy, etc.
and other photos can be really
unflattering and make them look
silly, ugly, sick, etc.
○ The images of someone in the news
can influence how we think about
them.
 Bias by photos

CNN

DailyWire

MSNBC
FoxNews
4. Bias through names and titles

○ The way a person is described or

labeled can influence how we think
about them.
Bias through names and titles
○ “John Doe, an ex-con, is now
running for office.”
○ “John Doe, who was convicted 20
years ago for a minor offense, is
now running for office.”

http://choosethecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/convict.png
5. Bias through Statistics

○ Numbers and statistics can be

manipulated to change the way we
think about them.
Bias through Statistics
○ “The fundraiser for the school
earned only $1,100.”
○ “The school’s successful fundraiser
raised over $1,000.”

http://confettidreams.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/saving-money-clip-art.jpg
6. Bias through word choice
○ The words and tone the journalist
uses can influence the story.
○ Using positive or negative words can
change how we feel about the news
story.
○ We can also be influenced by a news
broadcaster’s tone of voice.
Bias through word choice
○ “The politician presented his well-
thought out and intelligent plan to
Congress.”
○ “The politician presented his shoddy
and disorganized plan to Congress.”
Word Choice
 Here are the headlines and lead paragraphs of two
articles which came out on the morning of March 11,
2003. They are covering the same incident:
New York Times 3/11/2003 USA Today 3/11/2003

Iraq forces suspension U.N. Withdraws U-2

of U.S. surveillance Planes
flights WASHINGTON (AP)-U.N.
UNITED NATIONS arms inspectors said
(Reuters) -Iraqi fighter Tuesday they had
jets threatened two withdrawn two U-2
American U-2 surveillance reconnaissance planes
planes, forcing them to over Iraq for safety
return and abort their reasons after Baghdad
mission and return to complained both aircraft
base, senior U.S. officials were in the air
said Tuesday. simultaneously.
 Here are hockey game coverage headlines from the
two home towns of the opposing teams:

The Denver Post

red wings 5, avalanche 3
Injury begins Avs' tumble

The Detroit News

Red Wings 5, Avalanche 3
Wings are too much for Avalanche

Article 1: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E24761%257E1247763,00.html?search=filter
Article 2: http://www.detnews.com/2003/wings/0303/15/sports-109480.htm

http://school.mapleshade.org/ravizius/period7/Crossley-Joshua/red-wings.jpg
St. Petersburg Times Dar Al-Hayat
(Florida) 3/25/2003 4/1/2003

The Red Cross, one of the Iraq said its troops

few aid groups with staff were battling U.S.-led
operating in Iraq, hopes to invasion forces
negotiate access to the inside Nassiriya and on
main power station, which the city's outskirts on
is said to be under control Tuesday and inflicting
of U.S.-led coalition heavy casualties.
forces. But neither local
staff nor specialists in
neighboring Kuwait have
been cleared to go
because of continued
clashes.
7. Bias through controlling the source
○ Where does the story originate?
○ Who is the source of the story?
○ Whose point of view are you hearing
or reading?
Bias through controlling your sources

How would the information look if

you interviewed each team during a
murder trial? What would happen if
you only interviewed the
prosecution for your article?

○ Defense ○ Prosecuting
team team
http://www.nvbar.org/LRE/courtroom4b.jpg
Bias through controlling your sources

Sources are important! You cannot

always trust information from all
sources.
What influences news bias?
Geography
Ideology
Institutional Affiliation
What kind of Medium is used
1. Geography
Our perception of everyday life can
vary from country to country. Therefore
our biases creep into what is reported.
 Geographical Bias
American Sources
such as CNN have
labeled the conflict
the "War In Iraq"

Arab sources such as

Dar Al-Hayat regularly
call the conflict the "War
On Iraq"
 2. Institutional Affiliations
(who you work for or groups to which you belong)
Who is paying the writer? Does the payer
have a bias that the writer has to use?

We see this in political groups and media

that is liberal or conservative.

The next 2 articles show the difference in 2

news companies and how they report.
 Washington Post
Poll: Americans Ambivalent About Support for
Iraq War Monday, March 3, 2003
Surveys conducted since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks have consistently showed that a majority of
Americans favor military strikes against Iraq. But this
general agreement that force should be used is neither
absolute, unconditional nor uniformly shared by key
voting groups, an analysis of recent …
The poll found that 59 percent of respondents favor
using military force against Iraq, even without the
support of the U.N. Security Council. But four in 10
supporters also said they had reservations about the
looming conflict with Iraq. When these doubters are
combined with opponents of military action, the result
suggest that more than six in 10 Americans harbor at
least some doubts about using force while only a third
are unequivocally behind going to war.
 FOX News
‘Pro-War’ Movement Springs Into Action
Sunday, March 2, 2003
NEW YORK – As time runs out for Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein to disarm or face a military
thrashing from the United States and its allies, “pro-
war” – or “anti-anti-war” – Americans are saying
they have had enough of the recent protests in
various cities at home and abroad.
“We decided we can’t sit idly by while President
Bush’s agenda, specifically his continuing efforts on
the war on terror, specifically Iraq … while they …
Democrats, the left wing and Hollywood … conduct a
well-coordinated, well-organized, well-financed effort
to undo the president and really to destroy him,
because that’s their goal,” David Bossie, president of
Citizens United, told Foxnews.com.
 4. The medium
Not all mediums of information are equal.
Some mediums present information ready to
digest, while with other mediums one must be
more careful while digesting information.

Taken from http://www.unitedmedia.com/wash/pcnpixel/

archive/pcnpixel-20030325.html, ©2003 Thach Bui,
reproduced for educational purposes only.
 The medium
▪Leading story from a 30 minute Evening
News program
▪Front page article of the New York Times
Newspaper

What would be the difference in how the same

news might be reported? Video on TV might
have a different impact than words describing
the scene. The length of an article is able to
give you more details.

How might an article on a devastating

earthquake be different on TV verses the
newspaper?
 Media – The internet
While the internet is very low cost which
allows many people to publish news and
articles, it also makes it easier for people
with biases to put their view on the internet
and makes it much harder for the reader to
figure out what the bias may be.
 Unintentionally biased

Sometimes non-essential words are used simply

to make the language more colorful. Journalists
are not just deceitful word jugglers, conspiring to
make you think what they want you to believe.
They are people who are trying to write to hold
onto a job. So, when being critical of word
selection, be sure to keep it in perspective.

The Red Wings played The Red Wings executed a

the Flyers last night in decisive win (4-3) over the
a hockey game and tempered Flyers, in last
they won 4-3. night’s heated game of ice
hockey.
 Clearly Biased
• Not all bias is easy to detect, but there are some
media types that are always opinionated and
meant to be biased:
Editorial Page
Letters to the editor
Political cartoons
Columns

• Purpose of Op-Ed or Editorial Page

– Encourage thought and discussion
– Influence action
– Push for reform
– Provide background and analysis
– Allow the community to have a voice
Spin
○ Spin is a type of media bias that means vague, dramatic or sensational language. It
clouds a reader’s view, preventing them from getting a precise take on what happened.
○ Some imply bad behavior too.
○
Unsubstantiated Claims
○ Making statements without backing them up
○
Opinions presented as Facts
○ Sometimes journalists use subjective language or statements under
the guise of reporting objectively.
○ A subjective statement is one that is based on personal opinions,
assumptions, beliefs, tastes, preferences, or interpretations.
Sensationalism/Emotionalism
○ Sensationalism is a type of media bias in which information is
presented in a way that gives a shock or makes a deep impression.
Often it gives readers a false sense of culmination, that all previous
reporting has led to this ultimate story.
Sensationalist Headlines
Mudslinging/Ad Hominem
○ Mudslinging is a type of media bias when
unfair or insulting things are said about
someone in order to damage their reputation.
○ Similarly, ad hominem (Latin for “to the
person”) attacks are attacks on a person’s
motive or character traits instead of the
content of their argument or idea.
○ Ad hominem attacks can be used overtly, or
as a way to subtly discredit someone without
having to engage with their argument.
Examples
Mind Reading
○ When the journalist presumes to
know how someone thinks/feels
○
Slant
○ Slant is a type of media bias that
describes when journalists tell only
part of a story. It can include cherry-
picking information or data to support
one side, or ignoring another
perspective.
○ Slant prevents readers from getting
the full story, and narrows the scope
of our understanding.
 Examples

In the above example, Fox News notes that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s
policy proposals have received “intense criticism.” While this is true, it is only
one side of the picture, as the Green New Deal was received well by other
groups.
 Critical thinking questions

○ Who created/paid for the message?

○ For what purpose was it made?
○ Who is the ‘target audience’?
○ What techniques are used to attract my
attention & increase believability ?
○ Who or what might be omitted and why?
○ What do they want me to think or do?
○ How do I know what it means?
○ Where might I go to get more information?
 Critical thinking questions
○ Why is this message being sent?
○ Who stands to benefit from the message?
○ Who or what might be omitted and why?
○ How might different people interpret the
message differently from me?
○ What can I do with the information I obtain
from the message?
○ What do you know; not know; like to know?
 Critical thinking questions
○ Who produced and/or paid for the message?
○ What is the purpose of the message?
○ Who is the ‘target audience’ ?
○ What techniques are used to both attract
attention and increase believability?
○ What lifestyles are promoted and why?
○ Does the message contain bias or
stereotypes?
Now find some biases!
○ Flip through the newspaper and cut
out examples of news stories,
photos, and headlines that show
bias.
Now find some biases!

1. Bias through 4. Bias through

Omission (leaving names (how do
stuff out) they label people?)

2. Bias through 5. Bias through

placement (in the Statistics (do they
front or the back of the mess around with the
paper?) numbers?)

6. Bias through
3. Bias through
photos (do they look word choice
good or bad?) (positive or negative
words?)
 Resources for this PPT
http://www.umich.edu/~newsbias/index.html

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.c
fm>.
http://www.vnv.org.au/site/images/images/
10reasonsveggo-animals.jpg
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content/uploads/image/
clipart_people_019.gif

https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news