Even More "Liberal Media" ?...
Third in a series
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Why then the large perception of a liberal media bias? Where is it founded?
Let’s first define some of the core terms we will be using with frequency. Merriam-Webster's defines bias as “an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially: a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment or prejudice, also a systematic error ... encouraging one outcome or answer over others”.[i] Donna Rouner, Michael Slater, and Judith Buddenbaum in their article “How perceptions of news bias in news sources relate to beliefs about media bias”, specifically define media bias as a “perceived attribute of a news source whereby the individual news source, or the group the news source represents, has a clear, vested interest in a cause or action relative to maintaining or changing the status quo.” They go on to explain “A highly biased source generally would be presented in a journalistic account as operating to alter the status quo in some fashion, like eliminating taxes or making abortions illegal. A biased journalistic perspective, then, would mean only one side, not two or more sides, of an issue is presented.”[ii]

The two opposing attitudes of this divide can be labeled as liberal and conservative in persuasion. Liberal, also referred to in this paper as progressive, can be defined a political [belief] associated with ideals of individual freedom, greater intellectual liberty, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives, such as the U.S. Constitution.[iii] [1]

Conservative, or more accurately for this work, neoconservatives, are characterized by an aggressive moralist stance on foreign policy, a lesser social conservatism, weaker dedication to a policy of minimal government.[iv] [2]

For the sake of full disclosure, I perceive myself as ascribing to a liberal/progressive point of view. I feel former President John F. Kennedy sums up my views, “If by a Liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people – their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties – someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a Liberal, then I'm proud to say I'm a Liberal”.

Now that we have a lexicon, let’s look to the medium we will be examining. While most news media is interrelated taking cues from each other, if not directly connected though business conglomerates owning controlling proportions, I will focus on three specific stations and three news events while still giving appropriate attention to other news media.

---

[1] Classic antagonistic descriptions also include whiner, America hater, traitor, hippie, liar, communist, hypocrite, tax raising, hard work hating, baby killing, and elitist snobs. Usually used when losing in a discussion or writing a book.

[2] Also referred to as bible-thumping, gun-loving, uneducated, inbred rednecks, confederate-flag-waving, bastards. Most often referred to as such after an evening of imbibing.

---

[i]Bias: Definition. Marion-Webster Online. Retrieved April 24, 2005, from http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=bias&x=20&y=13

[ii] Rouner, D., Slater, M.D., & Buddenbaum, J.M. (1999) How perceptions of news bias in news sources relate to beliefs about media bias. [Electronic Version] Newspaper Research Journal. 20, Issue 2, 41-52

[iii] Liberal: Wikipedia encyclopedia. Retrieved , April 21, 2005 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal

[iv] Conservative: Wikipedia encyclopedia. Retrieved , April 21, 2005 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative