Saturday, September 22, 2007

The News Delirium: Bias is Not so Black and White

The News Delirium: Bias is Not so Black and White

I am not doubting that there is bias in the media, but even so, this is complicated by the fact that viewers project beliefs on the information they receive, and therefore different people perceive of the same source in different ways (this works along the lines of the study cited).

Also, even if one identifies as "liberal" or "conservative" and gathers news framed accordingly, this does not mean one can take one's thinking cap off. That is to say, if you are "liberal" and watch "liberal" news, you cannot just turn off critical thought and assume you are safe to just passively absorb.

This speaks to my belief that in perfectly subscribing to an ideology, it is assumed that an explicit set of solutions can be provided to a specific set of problems. If only life were that easily delineated...

Wherever you get your news, you have to ask questions and think for yourself...although it is still legitimate to consider certain sources more reliable than others.

1 comment:

Media Man said...

Thanks for the link-back. I agree with what you're saying wholeheartedly. After all--in a nation founded on free speech (which conceivably is processed through free thought), absorbing anything without some criticism makes me nervous at all levels. The news media should question the government, the people should question the news media...and everyone should decide for themselves. Not blindly of course--but with some logically sound, critical thought.