Bias example

Here’s another example of the kind of thing I study in media bias. Not the open, conscious type of gatekeeping (a la the New York Times, which decides what you ought to know) but the unconscious, off-the-cuff turn of phrase that reveals the mindset of the speaker.

Last Sunday (Sunday before Easter) I caught Geraldo at Large on FOX. The subject was, men who go off their heads and kill or rob after losing jobs etc.

Now note one thing. FOX is widely known, and widely despised in some circles, as a “conservative” network. And in fact, you can see the opinions of some of the newsreaders on FOX displayed quite openly.

To my mind, that’s the good thing about FOX. The positions of their talking heads is out in the open. On the other networks, they’re “objective” you know.

Of course, they’re nothing of the kind, and it shows to anyone paying attention.

And in point of fact, FOX employs more self-identified liberals than the other networks combined have open conservatives.*

One of them is of course, Geraldo Rivera.

At any rate, on the program, Geraldo asked two guests, “After all things were worse during the Reagan administration, unemployment was higher, my God… And in the 70s with those gas lines…” (Quoted from memory, I don’t have recording devices ready at all times for this kind of thing. I have to get it on the fly.)

Notice what is missing, “in the 70s” NOT “during the Carter administration.” He specifically mentioned the Reagan administration, then identified the Carter years only by decade.

That’s the kind of thing I’m looking for – and I’d appreciate help. Examples from any point of view.

Happy Easter to all.

* There remains the question of whether FOX deliberately, or unconsciously chooses liberals to represent that point of view, who are kind of creepy, or macho-flash a$$es – or whether they just have to scrape the bottom of the barrel because liberals who are articulate and attractive are all welcome at the other broadcast outlets.

It is also worth noting that an analysis of campaign contributions by FOX employees a few years back, tilted slightly to the Democrats.

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