Detecting Media Bias

WHAT ARE SOME TYPES OF BIAS?

The News Literacy Project identifies five types of bias:

• Partisan
  A type of bias in which a journalist’s political views affect news coverage.

• Demographic
  A type of bias in which race, gender, ethnicity or other factors — such as culture or economic class — affect news coverage.

• Corporate
  A type of bias in which the business or advertising interests of a news outlet, or its parent company, influence how — or even whether — a story is reported.

• "Big story"
  A type of bias in which journalists’ perceptions of an event or development as a major, important story can cause them to miss key details and misrepresent key facts.

• Neutrality
  A type of bias in which a journalist or news outlet tries so hard to avoid appearing biased to anyone that the coverage actually misrepresents the facts.

FORMS OF MEDIA BIAS

• Bias by story selection
  Bias by story selection occurs when a news outlet only runs stories that reflect a particular point of view.

• Bias by omission
  A news story might present only one side of a story and omit facts or other details that support a different viewpoint. For instance, a newscaster might only interview liberal commentators or a website might only quote conservative sources.

• Bias by source selection
  An article or news story might interview or reference more sources that support one view over another.

• Bias by commission
  Bias by commission occurs when a news outlet or reporter passes along assumptions that tend to support one point of view or political party. Examples include stating that "slashes in social spending caused increased infant mortality and homelessness" or repeating unproven conspiracy theories involving a politician.

• Bias by placement or layout
  A news editor can promote certain stories by featuring them prominently (on the front page or at the top of a website) while “burying” other stories that reflect another point of view. Television or radio stations might report the “favored” stories first and the less favored later in the broadcast.

• Bias by word choice or tone
  The word choices a journalist makes or the tone a newscaster adopts can manipulate the public’s reaction to a news story. Loaded or sensational words can elicit a positive or negative emotional response. Examples include choosing the word infanticide over abortion or anti-choice over pro-life, or using the word gloat to describe a politician's response to a news story.

• Bias by labeling
  Labeling occurs when positive or negative labels are assigned to one group but not another (for example, "extreme right" or "far-left").

• Bias by image selection
  Flattering or unflattering photographs, images, or camera angles can also influence the public’s perception of a person or event. The images an editor or producer selects might reflect a bias.