To unsubscribe please send an email requesting removal at
ModernPatriot@hotmail.com
Invite your friends to receive the best political cyber-newsletter in Oklahoma. Tell them to subscribe by sending a subscription request to
Cadman12@swbell.net
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
M
odern
P
atriot
C
hronicles
An Eleventh Commandment Free Zone
Vol. 3, Issue 7September 8, 2004
By Craig Dawkins
MSNBC Website Political Bias Uncovered
Copyright@2004, All Rights Reserved
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
POLLS! POLLS! POLLS! POLLS!
What is the most important issue for this presidential election?
Terrorism - War on Iraq - Economy - Other
Go to
www.ModernPatriot.net
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
MSNBC Website Political Bias Uncovered
By Craig Dawkins
9/7/04
Political bias in the mainstream media has long been charged by Democrat and Republican activists. Measuring bias is often a difficult task due to the very nature of bias. What is considered bias to one person is often viewed differently by an opposing viewpoint. The point of my research was to focus on MSNBC's Politics web-page due to its rather large audience when combined with the television network that bears the same name.
I determined to use the written headlines that MSNBC's Web editors decided to post on the MSNBC Politics web-page rather than report the actual information in the articles. It is not uncommon for articles to actually contradict the meaning implied by the headline. Headlines are often used to present a message, make an impression, entice someone to read, or present a context that pushes the reader into a particular viewpoint. Headlines can be favorable, unfavorable and neutral in terms of the impression it gives to readers.
With this in mind I determined to capture all of the headlines MSNBC used on its Politics web-page during both of the political conventions held by the Democrats and the Republicans. To determine whether or not a headline was favorable, unfavorable or neutral, I asked the question, "Which campaign is this information most likely to benefit?" Based on this criteria, I have the following observations.
First, during the Democratic Party convention held July 26 - July 29, 2004, MSNBC posted 69 headlines related to the convention and the campaign for president. Of the 69 headlines, 53 were directed to the Democratic Party leaving 16 directed to the Republican Party.
The 53 headlines that were directed toward the Democratic Party by MSNBC had the following breakdown: 32 were favorable, 4 were unfavorable, and 17 were neutral. The 16 headlines that were directed toward the Republican Party had the following breakdown: one was favorable, ten were unfavorable, and five were neutral. (See table below.)
------------------Favorable Unfavorable Neutral
Total
Democrats 32 4 17 53
Republicans 1 10 5 16
Total 33 14 22 69
Second, during the Republican convention held August 30 - September 2, 2004 MSNBC posted 62 headlines related to the convention and the campaign for president. Of the 62 headlines, 28 were directed to the Democratic Party leaving 34 directed to the Republican Party.
The 28 headlines that were directed toward the Democratic Party by MSNBC had the following breakdown: 21 were favorable, one was unfavorable, and six were neutral. The 34 headlines that were directed toward the Republican Party had the following breakdown: 11 were favorable, 10 were unfavorable, and 13 were neutral. (See table below.)
------------------Favorable Unfavorable Neutral Total
Democrats 21
1
6 28
Republicans 11
10 13 34
Total 32 11 19 62
When both conventions were combined, Democrats received a lion's share of the favorable headlines while Republican's received most of the unfavorable headlines. (See table below.)
------------------Favorable Unfavorable Neutral Total
Democrats 53 (82%)
5 (20%)
23 (56%) 81 (62%)
Republicans 12 (18%)
20 (80%)
18 (44%) 50 (38%)
Total 65 (100%) 25 (100%) 41 (100%) 131 (100%)
But these numbers simply do not tell the whole story. In looking at how the MSNBC Politics web-page portrayed the different elements of the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns and conventions, one comes away stunned at the level of bias contained in MSNBC headlines.
There are stark comparisons between the headlines used to describe presidential campaigns, vice-presidential nominees, presidential and vice-presidential spouses, children, this issue of race, military service, and how protestors were described at both conventions. The headlines used for comparison are not all of the headlines posted on MSNBC's Politics web-page but are chosen because they demonstrate the manner in which the headlines were used to sway the reader.
About the Democrat presidential campaign, MSNBC headlines stated; "Kerry pledges to 'restore trust'," "Kerry wants 9/11 panel to stay on the job," "Two Southern states offer Kerry hope," and "Provocative speech focuses on war."
About the Republican presidential campaign, MSNBC headlines stated; "Bush clarifies view on terrorism fight," "Bush-bashing hard to check," "Bush campaigner's Prozac solution," "Bush: 'Nothing will hold us back'," "Oppo Research: How Bush Can Win," and "NBC News video: Bush lying low."
Note how the Kerry headlines are much more favorable than those for Bush. Compare "Restore Trust" with "Prozac solution" statement. Compare "Two Southern states offer Kerry hope" with "Opps Research: How Bush Can Win." Compare "Provocative speech focuses on war" with "Bush: 'Nothing will hold us back'. Compare "Kerry wants 9/11 panel to stay on the job" with "NBC News video: Bush lying low."
When the spouses of the presidential nominees spoke at their respective conventions, MSNBC chose to cast more favorable headlines to Democrats. Regarding Teresa Heinz-Kerry, MSNBC used the headline "Heinz Kerry places candor before headlines." About Laura Bush, MSNBC used the headline "Laura Bush: Reluctant Campaigner." The obvious comparison of the two headlines leads one to see Heinz-Kerry as more forthright and honest while Bush is more reluctant and less honest.
When Elizabeth Edwards (wife of VP nominee John Edwards) spoke to the Democratic convention, MSNBC used the headline "Elizabeth Edwards: Substance over style" to describe her. Lynne Cheney (wife of Vice-President Dick Cheney) didn't even get a headline.
The Kerry daughters spoke during the Democratic convention and MSNBC used the headline "The Kerry Kids: Assets on the Campaign Trail." When the Bush daughters spoke MSNBC used the headline "Introducing Dad, twins deploy light touch." The Kerry daughters are "assets" and the Bush twins "deploy light touch." Note the stark difference.
MSNBC used the following headlines about John Edwards; "Edwards proclaims 'politics of hope'," "Edwards energizes delegates," "John Edwards' political rocket ride," "Edwards gives ticket a Southern identity," "Edwards: Bush 'miscalculated' economy," and "Edwards: Bush policies alienate allies."
Compare the Edwards headlines with headlines MSNBC used for Dick Cheney. "Drop Cheney? Democrats hope not," "Cheney: GOP's most dogged warrior," "Analysis: Cheney's military hits and misses," "Keyes: Cheney's gay daughter a sinner," and "Day 3: Cheney, Miller take fight to Kerry." Again the headlines show a bias in favor the Democratic nominee.
Both conventions had protestors outside their convention halls loudly proclaiming their particular cause of choice. Generally the pro-life protestors were seen as the bad guys in Boston while the anti-war crowd was most vocal in New York. But again MSNBC chose to present headlines that showed bias. Here are the major headlines used by MSNBC regarding protests: "Boston protests draw police action," "Waving pink slips, protesters form jobless line," "Protests accompany Bush speech," "Protestors form jobless line," "Protest at Swift Boat ad backer's house," and "Slide show: Images of protest."
Notice how "Boston protests draw police action" has no companion in New York where policemen were injured and hospitalized. Notice that the New York protestors received a "Slide show: Images of protest" headline where no such headline was offered during the Democratic Party convention. Again this issue is tilted by MSNBC in favor of Democrats and their causes.
Regarding the issue of race, MSNBC used the following headlines: "In Ohio, Kerry aligns with black voters," "Dems fear Bush's gains with Jewish voters," "DeLay leads intense push for Jewish voters" and "Black voters' decisive role". Notice the positive statement assigned to "Kerry aligns with black voters" and a negative statement where "Dems fear Bush's gains with Jewish voters." Note also the necessity to state "Black voters' decisive role" compared with "DeLay leads intense push for Jewish voters." It appears that the Jewish voters and black voters are pitted against one another. Perhaps the DeLay headline was to rally black activists who often portray DeLay as a racist conservative from Texas.
And finally, the military service of the candidates was called into question during the conventions. The headlines that best tell the story are; "Kerry rips Cheney's 5 Vietnam deferments," "Vietnam mates introduce Kerry to public," and "'Purple heart bandages' spark Dems' ire." Note the lack of balance here. During the conventions, the only reference to the Swift Boat issue was stated as a protest issue against the backer of the Swift Boat group that is currently protesting John Kerry.
MSNBC is a very popular website that uses the power of its television network to leverage its audience. The synergies that exist between the two have a great power of influence. It is this writers opinion that readers of the MSNBC website should beware of all the headlines posted on the Politics web-page until the editors decide to present a more "fair and balanced" approach to its readers.