Rasmussen Survey…
Rasmussen Reports has a new survey on “media bias”. I still believe that most, but not all, claims of “media bias” are more or less just code words for “they didn’t tell the story the way I believe it should be told”…
By a margin of 33% to 16%, Americans say that CNN has a liberal bias. The nation’s adults say the same about NPR by a 27% to 14% margin.
There is one major exception to the belief that media outlets have a liberal bias—Fox News. Thirty-one percent (31%) of Americans say it has a bias that favors conservatives while 15% say it has a liberal bias.
When it comes to delivering news without bias, 37% believe NPR accomplishes that goal. Thirty-six percent (36%) say the same for Fox and 32% believe it’s true of CNN. As noted earlier, just 25% believe the major broadcast networks deliver news in an unbiased manner. Results for other media outlets will be released over the next week.
Interesting that more people believe FOX delivers unbiased news vs. CNN. I guess MSNBC’s bias ratings must have ranked off the charts, which would explain its absence in the survey.
Comment by Anonymous — July 13, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
15% think fox news has a liberal bias? what are those people smoking?
Comment by Chris (My Two Sense) — July 13, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
Is interesting to see in the rest of the poll other numbers, the liberal view, the conservative view… this is the combined…
Comment by Rodrigo — July 13, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
I’m not surprised that so many people see a liberal bias in network news and CNN. But I’m a little surprised the numbers aren’t a bit higher for conservative bias on FNC. Maybe people see so much liberal bias on the other channels that FNC looks “fair and balanced” by comparison.
Interesting to see MSNBC isn’t mentioned. Maybe they couldn’t find enough viewers to get an acceptable reading.
I wonder what would be a worse scenario for MSNBC. Getting included in the poll and ending up with a huge liberal bias rating. Or not being included in the poll at all.
Comment by TBDave — July 13, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
Not a good record for a ‘unbiased’ and ‘fair and balance’ channel…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_Channel_controversies_and_allegations_of_bias
Comment by Rodrigo — July 13, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Bias?
You are talking about an audience that thinks the country’s medical directives should be guided by Karl Rove in lieu of the office of the surgeon general. (I guarantee Ronald Reagan is tossing in his grave over that one).
That is not bias but rather insanity.
Comment by elmonica — July 13, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
elmonica: What a coincidence!
Just last night while I was in the middle of dinner, my phone rang. Some gal was on the line and said she was taking a survey. She asked:
“Who should run health care in America: Karl Rove or the Surgeon General?”
When I said “Dick Cheney,” she hung up!
Comment by Ira — July 13, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
All of this stuff about one channel being biased and another not being biased is ridiculous and childish. The truth is that all of the channels have a bias in one direction or another. Let’s stop kidding ourselves. Each station highlights things that another channel won’t. If one wants a true balance, then flip around to all of them. Fair enough?
Comment by california dreamin — July 13, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
I rest my case.
Comment by elmonica — July 13, 2007 @ 8:00 pm
I wonder how MSNBC feels about not being mentioned?
Comment by Noelle — July 13, 2007 @ 8:02 pm
Wasn’t “Rasputin” That “evil” Russian guy?
No wonder the report leaves questions unanswered.
Comment by Paul Knight — July 13, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
7. > ROFL!!
8. > Exactly! No one is completely un-biased. Some better news types can stifle they’re personal opinions but nobodies perfect. Watching, listening and reading many news sources is the only way to truly ‘fair and balanced’ news.
Comment by Grandpa D — July 13, 2007 @ 8:06 pm
I wonder how MSNBC feels about not being mentioned?
Noelle: Look for Olbermann to name Scott Rasmussen (not Rasputin Spud) “Worst Person In The World!”
Comment by Ira — July 13, 2007 @ 8:06 pm
LOL Ira!! You’re on a roll today!! :)
Comment by Noelle — July 13, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Hahaha Rasputin…. Nice one Ira
Comment by Lurker — July 13, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
“By a margin of 33% to 16%, Americans say that CNN has a liberal bias.”
That’s the same 33% that thinks Bush is doing a heckuva job.
Comment by MikeD — July 13, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
MikeD, Yeah, and that 16% is the pinko crowd that supports the Nancy Pelosi led Congress.
Comment by california dreamin — July 13, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
“I still believe that most, but not all, claims of “media bias” are more or less just code words for “they didn’t tell the story the way I believe it should be told”…
Perfect justification for poor journalism and lack of standards. I guess under this reasoning propaganda equals news. God (or global warming) help us! The hell with the ideal of balance fairness.
Comment by steve L — July 13, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
I was wondering why the worst, MSNBC, wasn’t mentioned and then I realized it’s because nobody watches them.
Comment by jules — July 13, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
Spud, what more proof do you need? As if they way they cover stories isn’t enough… there is overwhelming evidence that the MSM:
1. Donates to Dems over Republicans by a 5-1 margin.
2. Voted overwhelmingly (80 percent) for Kerry over Bush in ‘04
I could go on…
Comment by bigred — July 13, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
Lurker: Spud called it “Rasputin Reports” instead of “Rasmussen Reports.”
Spud must have spent today trading in old records and tapes (a Bay Area reference folks!).
Comment by Ira — July 13, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
LOL Ira!
Comment by Aunt Mary — July 13, 2007 @ 11:19 pm
aren’t most medias owned by large corps? does our gvn’t practice corp welfare? isn’t corporations pushing legislation? just 3 reasons I believe there might be a bias.
Comment by ditmar — July 13, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
Spud must have spent today trading in old records and tapes (a Bay Area reference folks!).
Oh dear. How embarassing…
Comment by Spud — July 14, 2007 @ 1:49 am
News bias? Just watch Chris Matthews’ show one time…he can’t get off bashing Bush. When all the other cable news are talking the UK bombings, west wildfires, Matthews is still harping on Libby! No wonder we are tired of his crap! And I’m a liberal!
Comment by john — July 14, 2007 @ 8:37 am
I’m referring to newscasts, not talking head shows. There is a difference…
Comment by Spud — July 14, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Spud, have you ever read “Bias” by Bernie Goldberg? If not, you should. I’ll be glad to send you a copy.
For the most part, journalists are liberally biased. It’s just their core beliefs.
“In a survey conducted by the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1997, 61% of reporters stated that they were members of or shared the beliefs of the Democratic Party. Only 15% say their beliefs were best represented by the Republican Party.
A 2002 study by Jim A. Kuypers of Dartmouth College, Press Bias and Politics, investigated the issue of media bias. In this study of 116 mainstream US papers, including The New York Times, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle, Kuypers found that the mainstream press in America tends to favor liberal viewpoints.[15] They found that reporters expressed moderate or conservative points of view were often labeled as holding a minority point of view. Kuypers said he found liberal bias in reporting a variety of issues including race, welfare reform, environmental protection, and gun control.”
Comment by bigred — July 14, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
Who is this other Rasputin (sounds like there’s one in addition to the nut job who was “psychic” to the czarina of the Romanov family)?
Comment by Missy — July 14, 2007 @ 2:39 pm