With the presidential election taking place next week, political coverage will dominate the airwaves and web. Most readers use their filters to find a news source they trust, but often relax once they've reached that point. This leads to a relaxed intake of information by viewers/readers that often results in a subconscious influence of viewer/reader perspective.
Without that strong consumer filter, trusted media sources slide by with bias language and suggestive tone that eventually paints a new perspective for the masses. Though I am a journalist, I am also a news consumer and hate the thought of being swindled or cajoled. Still, no man is an island and no news article completely objective, which is why elimination of overt media bias is SO important. Those that buy into the impossibility of media bias need to take a closer look.
In light of the political haze the media has stewed in for the past 2 years, Jennifer Pozner has spent her time analyzing trusted media sources. Her analysis resulted in the lecture series "When Anchormen Attack!: Gender, Race and the Media in Election 2008." Pozner brought the "show and tell" of sorts to VCU this Fall and surprised many of the attendants with clips of suggestive and bias language and comments made by popular, trusted media personalities.
Listen to some of what Pozner had to say about the issue and how she works to remedy it:
With acknowledgement of the problem should come some solutions. Pozner offerd some interesting ways the public can work to change things.
4 years ago
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