Unbalanced Media Coverage

[David Brent]

Most of us rely on our media outlets for a fair, balanced and unbiased coverage of world and local news. It seems though that the world's media is being controlled by a few men.
Rupert Murdoch owns 9 satellite television networks, 100 cable channels, 175 newspapers, 40 television stations and 1 movie studio.
His Asian satellite channels reach over 300 million people. In the US - 280 million.
Murdoch's empire reaches a staggering 4.7 billion people worldwide, thats three quarters of the earth's population.
Murdoch is a right wing republican and a strong supporter of President Bush. Murdoch has the ability to control what news is reported and what news is not.
The more media power Murdoch has the more the politicians are afraid of him. It then becomes easier for him to exert more political power.
It is well documented that Murdoch and his executives insert their own political opinions onto their journalists. Stories are fabricated,opponents suffer character assassination and political allies are projected in a good light.
Memos have been leaked in the past that show Murdoch media staff were told to produce stories that made the Iraq war look a success and President Bush's presidency a success. Any journalist not going along with the directive were dispensed with.

I believe the size of Murdoch's media empire and the lack of political integrity shown by his channels and newspapers should be of more concern to the world than the "terrorists" that Bush thinks we are all in danger from.
Does anyone else share my concerns?


Dave.

[DB7]

Fox News is terribly unbalanced yet strangely addictive; especially the likes of Bill O'Reilly and his continual rants about Europeans, liberals and Democrats. The documentary Outfoxed goes into greater detail. I've got to give him some credit, I was cynical of Sky News in the beginning but it's probably better than BBC24 for breaking news.

Being a Liverpool fan The Sun is banned from the house... which is no bad thing.

[JamesM]

Fox News claims to just give you the facts to 'let you decide'. In truth, they do not even allow you to decide whether their reporting is "fair and balanced". Instead, they 'tell' you they are "fair and unbalanced" every ten minutes.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by David Brent Most of us rely on our media outlets for a fair, balanced and unbiased coverage of world and local news.

No we don't. Many of us realise that it's all distorted and biased and controlled by just a few people - and that it was ever thus. It's almost impossible to write a news story without some bias. Even if you don't give a direct opinion, you are selecting what is included and what isn't.

It's folly to rely on any one source for information. But at least nowadays, with the internet, we can at least read news items from around the world and get different views on any story. Although it's always worth being aware of who's behind each media outlet, be it Murdoch, Berlusconi, Richard Desmond, the Barclay brothers or a government.

Steve

[David Brent]

Of course it was Fox News who jumped the gun in 2000 and declared to the world that George Bush had won the Florida presidential election by a clear margin and had so become Americas new President.
They announced the news on air as the ballots were still being counted in Florida and at a time when electoral authorities admitted that the vote was too close to call.
Within minutes of Fox giving out the false news item other US television networks followed suit and also announced Bush as the new President.
Of course after the Florida election there were very strong accussations that the voting there had been rigged in favour of Bush.
The outcome - Americans were left with George Bush as President.:mad:

Dave.

[ChristineCB]

I've also thrown in against "unnamed sources" and reporters who refuse to divulge their sources.

What's wrong with telling the Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth?

If sources are too scared of telling the truth, then don't. Let the Plague hit.

Why should I trust reporters and their editors or Murdoch-types to edit MY news into THEIR version of whatever portion of the Truth they care to divulge? Since when have THEY been so perfect and uncorruptible?

I hear journalists whine all the time about their rights to tell the public the truth.

But actually, it's "We want to brag about telling you whatever we FEEL like telling you at the time."

[samkydd]

Since reading 1984 as a child I have always assumed that there is a Big Brother and that through news programmes and the 'papers "it" does its best to influence those who may not have the will to resist such a daily bombardment of propaganda, hype and advertising! This rings true whenever you talk to some people and you realise that they haven't an original thought or idea in their skulls, it's straight out of the Daily Mail or Talkspurt radio 'phone-in shows!

They also speak in cliches rather like the participants in those pointless stage-managed fly-on-the-wall documentaries; Airline and such like, where actors are employed to play angry customers late for their flight etc.

As a society we have been influenced greatly by all forms of media, so much so that I fear that despite technology such as The Internet making learning any subject far easier, future generations will be thicker than our lot were back in the 70s!

So in the interests of preserving my sanity I never read newspapers apart from online obituaries, rarely watch TV news and wince at the shoddy investigative journalism churned out by the BBC on Panorama (their reporters must have made these programmes during their summer holidays from 6th form college)!

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by ChristineCB I hear journalists whine all the time about their rights to tell the public the truth.

I don't know who they think gave them that right.
If they want to enjoy the right, then they have the responsibility to do some real reporting and not just spout their master's party line.

Steve

[djdave]

I don't think that there can ever be a truly impartial and unbiased news programme. Even those ethical, principled, honest journalists and programme-makers - who care about bringing news to the audience - can unwittingly bring distortion and bias. The mere act of choosing one story over another - albeit done for journalistic reasons - shows bias.

Having said that, some programmes are blatantly more biased than others. When watching the TV news or a current affairs programme, you can ask yourself some questions which will help to decide how fair and balanced the output is.


1) who would benefit from the Public believing this story?
2) how would they know?
3) what other companies are owned by the company which owns the news organisation?
4) how equally are the protagonists in the story shown? e.g. is a trade unionist shown in oily overalls whilst a businesman is shown in his smart office?


Having said all that, The Beeb seems to be a cut above the rest. Check out their Have Your Say section on the website....it's interesting how many Americans openly admit to turning to the BBC for their news.

[David Brent]

Originally Posted by djdave Having said all that, The Beeb seems to be a cut above the rest. Check out their Have Your Say section on the website....it's interesting how many Americans openly admit to turning to the BBC for their news.

The Murdoch owned Fox News Network has often criticised the Beeb for being anti-Bush, anti-American and pro-terrorist and radical causes.

It was Murdoch who agreed to drop the BBC News Channel from his Asian Satellite Service at the request of the Chinese Government who disliked the BBC news coverage of the student riots.
Murdoch threw out the chance for an alternative unbiased news coverage to reach the Chinese people in favour of placating the Chinese Government and making huge profits.

I know which is the "Fair and Balanced" news coverage - and it ain't Fox.
Murdoch wouldn't know the meaning of the words.

As you quite rightly say Djdave - The BBC is a cut above the rest.

Dave.

[samkydd]

Originally Posted by David Brent As you quite rightly say Djdave - The BBC is a cut above the rest. Dave.

I think the loud fat bloke with the white van drinking at the bar in the early evening can probably supply potted highlights and opinion of the week's news and sport from whatever media source!

[David Brent]

Originally Posted by samkydd I think the loud fat bloke with the white van drinking at the bar in the early evening can probably supply potted highlights and opinion of the week's news and sport from whatever media source!

"Burp!!"

Dave.

[ChristineCB]

In the past few months, a more open-mouth warfare is being marketing by the CNN channels against the Fox News channels. Each side's talking heads use names and caricatures to lampoon their so-called competitors.

It's still the same TV-wrestling hype, though, as if each poke and jab isn't well choreographed to ensure even more channel flipping and ratings. Meanwhile, they're still trying their best to feign some sincerity as they're obviously reading from teleprompters or cheat-sheets or checking their backs of hands for quips that seemed perfect the other night in the loo.

At least Soviet citizens knew it was all stilted propoganda and didn't waste time using the phrase "free press". I'm not sure what's best - lies that are believed, or lies that aren't.

[djdave]

I think Jon Stewart's Daily Show and the David Letterman Show go some way to addressing the right-wing bias on American TV news.

I was listening to George Galloway on TalkSport this weekend and he made the point that there IS a big enough audience for alternative/radical/left-wing news in America. But the right wing media combines have the stranglehold.

There's actually nothing intrinsically wrong with having biased, right wing news and current affairs programmes....PROVIDED there are left wing and centrist news and current affairs with which to balance them and compare them to.

With an equal mix, the public could make an informed decision regarding the merits of particular issues.

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

Originally Posted by samkydd I think the loud fat bloke with the white van drinking at the bar in the early evening can probably supply potted highlights and opinion of the week's news and sport from whatever media source!

You've met me, then?