Comments on: News Reporting Objectivity…Put a Fork in it http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/news-reporting-objectivity-put-a-fork-in-it/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:10:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: jasonmer http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/news-reporting-objectivity-put-a-fork-in-it/#comment-7733 jasonmer Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:36:16 +0000 http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/?p=5383#comment-7733 Hi Carrie, I do believe the big three news media networks (ABC, NBC, & CBS) are headed, if not already there, to advocacy journalism. The arguement that you constantly hear is that the big three networks are liberal in their bias. In doing my research I was hard pressed to find any liberal websites, blogs, or articles claiming that the big three networks were conservative. Conversely, it was quite easy to find conservative websites, blogs, and articles claiming that the big three networks were liberal in their bias. Thus, I conlude that a media bias exists in the big three which is liberal leaning in nature. I will provide one link to an article which uses the highly respected (and unbiased?) Nielsen Media Research group. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=295964 The Nielsen group evaluated viewership among the big three networks during the height of the 2008 Presidential Election and found a major drop off in number of viewers among each of the big three networks. This drop occured while viewership and interest of the Presidential Election was at an all time high. Commentary in the article, from a conservative research group, believes the reason for the drop off in viewers is due to the public coming to the realization of a liberal bias among the big three networks. My own observations say "yes" to the question of whether advocacy journalism exists among the big three networks. Jason Merckling Hi Carrie,

I do believe the big three news media networks (ABC, NBC, & CBS) are headed, if not already there, to advocacy journalism. The arguement that you constantly hear is that the big three networks are liberal in their bias. In doing my research I was hard pressed to find any liberal websites, blogs, or articles claiming that the big three networks were conservative. Conversely, it was quite easy to find conservative websites, blogs, and articles claiming that the big three networks were liberal in their bias. Thus, I conlude that a media bias exists in the big three which is liberal leaning in nature. I will provide one link to an article which uses the highly respected (and unbiased?) Nielsen Media Research group.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=295964

The Nielsen group evaluated viewership among the big three networks during the height of the 2008 Presidential Election and found a major drop off in number of viewers among each of the big three networks. This drop occured while viewership and interest of the Presidential Election was at an all time high.

Commentary in the article, from a conservative research group, believes the reason for the drop off in viewers is due to the public coming to the realization of a liberal bias among the big three networks.

My own observations say “yes” to the question of whether advocacy journalism exists among the big three networks.

Jason Merckling

]]> By: carrieshoptaw http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/news-reporting-objectivity-put-a-fork-in-it/#comment-7702 carrieshoptaw Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:26:30 +0000 http://mediaenvironment.wordpress.com/?p=5383#comment-7702 Hi Jason, Bill O'Reilly came to mind for me as well and actually I'm really fine with the very opinion based reports from his show and so many others, too. I just get frustrated when they don't acknowledge the framework as being advocacy journalism - making claims to be objective is what makes those shows so ridiculous to me. But they are most entertaining, and I flip channels, too, to get everyone's slant on major events. You said that advocacy in journalism was replacing objective journalism. As for television, do you think the big three networks are even headed that way? Or will it remain more acceptable for the cable networks, as it is now? CarrieS Hi Jason,

Bill O’Reilly came to mind for me as well and actually I’m really fine with the very opinion based reports from his show and so many others, too. I just get frustrated when they don’t acknowledge the framework as being advocacy journalism – making claims to be objective is what makes those shows so ridiculous to me. But they are most entertaining, and I flip channels, too, to get everyone’s slant on major events.
You said that advocacy in journalism was replacing objective journalism. As for television, do you think the big three networks are even headed that way? Or will it remain more acceptable for the cable networks, as it is now?

CarrieS

]]>