media06-msm

The MSM -- focus on // The New York Times // (Mara & Liz Brez)

__What Is the Mainstream Media?__ Since the birth of our nation, various news sources have played an important role in the development of our culture and beliefs. For the past 300 years, the most popular form of news has been the newspaper. Through the years, major newspapers and reporting networks in the USA have become what is now known as the "Mainstream Media." When the terms Mainstream Media is used, (MM), it basically is "a term used to denote a section of the media specifically envisioned and designed to reach a very large audience such as the population of a nation state."

__What Controversy Surrounds the Mainstream Media?__ In recent years, many people have criticized the Mainsttream Media for its supposed liberal bias. According to many people, the reason behind the liberal bias lies in the kind of people that wrtie for our nations big newspapers. "journalists — especially those at the highest ranks of their profession — are much more liberal than the rest of America."

__Is The Mainstream Media **Really** Biased?__ This is a difficult question to ponder. Afterall, everything we do is colored by our opinions and views. However, when we think of the Newspaper, we like to think of a completely unbiased source. A news portal that speaks only the truth. Through the years, various surveys have been done to try and determine the level of media bias. Unfortunately, all such studies have been deemed inconclusive for various reasons. Because of this, we have decided to run our own little study to discern whether or not the New York Times has a liberal bias.

__Our Experiment:__ In order to determine whether or not the New York Times has a liberal bias, we conducted a small independnt study in which the number of openly liberal aricls is counted and compared to the number of openly right wing articles. In order to do this, we carefully read all articles in the international and editorial section and determined which articles wre liberal and which were more conservative.

__What Makes An Article__ __Liberal__ __or__ __Conservative__ __?__ We determined the slant (or bias) for each perspective by looking if there were any references to prominent Democrat or Republican figures mentioned and their light they were put in. This could be, but was not limited to, their past actions or results of their political decisions. In the list below is the results.

** Right ​ **vs **Left in the NYTimes **

__Monday 4/12/10__

NYTimes Editorials: 5 liberal, 0 conservative The Better Pope (L) The Graffite Prophet of Boise Verna (L) Royalty Rip Off (L) FIrst, They Get Rid of the Law Clinics (L) The Nuclear Security Summit (L)

NYTimes International News: 1 liberal, 1 conservative Artists Embellishy Walls With Political Visions (R) Obama Meets WIth a Parade of Leaders (L)

__Tuesday 4/13/10__

NYTimes editorials 5 liberal, 1 conservative Updating Internet Privacy (L) Arts School in Harlem (L) Changing Face of the Court (R) Politics 1, Rule of Law, 0 (L) Gao Zhisheng, Hujia, Liu Xiaobo (L) A Wrong Wat and a Right Way (L)

NYTimes international no liberal, no conservative

Wednesday 4/14/10

NYTimes editorials: 5 liberal 0 conservative A Less Imperious US (Sherif Fam) (L) Our Fill in the Blank Constitution (Geoffrey R Stine) (L) Attention: Baby On Board (Thomas Friedman) (L) Visas and Censorship (L) Mr. Obama and Mr. Hu (L)

NYTimes international: 2 liberal 0 conservative Obama Puts His Own Mark on Foreighn Policy (Peter Baker) (L) Michelle OBama Visits Haiti (Mark Lacy) (L)

Thursday 4/15/10

NYTimes editorials: 3 liberal 0 conservative Celebrating The Joys of April 15, Gail Collins (L) After the Summit (L) The KSMFiles (L)

NYTimes international: 4 liberal 0 conservative Mexico Embraces Michelle Obama, Mark Lacy (L) Officias Say Iran Could Make Bomb Fuel In One Year, David E sanger (L) US SIgnals Suppor For New Kyrgyz leaers, Andrew E Kramer (L) US Leads New Bid to Phase Out Whale Hunting, John MB Roder (L)

Friday 4/16/10

NYTimes Editorials: 2 liberal 0 conservative Spying, Civil Liberties, And The Courts (L) FIghting Foreclosurs (L)

NYTimes intenational: 1 liberal 0 conservative At internet conference, signs of ageement appear between US and Russia, John Markoff (L)

__Saturday 4/17/10__

NYTimes Editorials: 1 liberal 0 conservative Justice and Comfort (L)

NYTimes International: 1 liberal 0 conservative US indicts 5 Blackwater ex-officials, James RIsen and Mark Mazzeti (L)

__Sunday 4/18/10__

NYTimes Editorials: 4 liberal 0 conservative Cows On Drugs, Donald Kennedy (L) A Church Many Can Love, Nicholas D Kristof (L) Arizona Goes Over The Edge (L) Whose Side Are They On? (L)

NYTimes International: none liberal or conservative

Monday 4/19/10

NYTimes Editorials: 2 liberal 0 Conservative A Case Of Discrimination (L) The FCC And The Internet (L)

NYTimes international: none liberal or conservative

__Interpreting the Data__ From the data collected, there is an obvious liberal perspective expressed in the New York Times seen by the majority of articles having a more liberal slant. However, the New York Times has gained a reputation of looking more kindly upon the Democratic angle of today's issues by it's readers and criticizers. While some may see this presentation in a negative light (as it only provides one perspective) in a world where information is free and accessible on the internet almost everywhere, a newspaper has got to make some revenue to keep circulating. Knowing this, the editors of the New York Times may just be catering to the desires of their customers just as any other company would. The information is all here, it's your opinion that determines whether the New York Times is guilty of providing one-sided information or supplying the demand of their readers but regardless, when anyone picks up a New York Times, they know what they're getting.

BIAS EVIDENCE: []

Surveys over the past 30 years have consistently found that journalists — especially those at the highest ranks of their profession — are much more liberal than rest of America. They are more likely to vote liberal, more likely to describe themselves as liberal, and more likely to agree with the liberal position on policy matters than members of the general public. []

evidence: how journalists see themselves (survey) []

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