Directions

-Read the excerpt below from NewsBusters.org.
-Read "Types of Media Bias" in the right column. Then answer the questions.

Charles Krauthammer’s column … in the Washington Post on [President] Obama’s just-completed [trip to Europe] [reports on events most of the media ignored].

… bolded items in the excerpt below…represent news that was either not reported or vastly under-reported by…the…media (there are even more examples at Krauthammer’s full column):

…He wanted more NATO combat troops in Afghanistan to match the surge of 17,000 Americans. He was rudely rebuffed.

He wanted more stimulus spending from Europe. He got nothing.

From Russia, he got no help on Iran. From China, he got the blocking of any action on North Korea.

And what did he get for Guantanamo? France, pop. 64 million, will take one prisoner. One!

The bolded items have generally been reported in at best vague terms, if at all, while the media … has almost unanimously declared Obama’s European [Trip] an unqualified success. ….

Read the original post at NewsBusters.org.

Identifying Media Bias

To accurately identify different types of bias, you should be aware of the issues of the day, and the liberal and conservative perspectives on each issue.

Types of Media Bias:

Questions

1. What types of bias is the excerpt below an example of?

2. As citizens, we want our President to succeed in completing negotiations that will help America. The news media’s job is to report the news as it happens – not to hide news from us that they think might reflect poorly on President Obama’s negotiating skills.  This excerpt below shows us that in the future we should question reporting on the President – not so much on what is reported, but what is not reported. Do you agree? Explain your answer.


Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.

Answers

1.  The excerpt is an example of bias by omission and story selection.

2.  OPINION QUESTION.  Answer varies.