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Media is really individual people and people are not objective

There is no shortage of public discourse about biased media. I’ve spent 40+ years in media with hundreds of colleagues in radio, TV, and print. Media is absolutely staffed with at least 85% liberal leaning people. That’s not a slam, just a fact.

When liberals are asked about this imbalance, they immediately reply “FOX NEWS!”

OK, yes. Fox News, Breitbart, Rush Limbaugh, and a host of smaller conservative outlets still only make up that one piece of pumpkin pie seen above. The rest of the pie represents the liberal influence in the delivery of news products.

Journalism instructors are supposed to teach critical thinking and discipline for objectivity but human behavior ultimately prevails in everything we do.

Former CBS news journalist Lara Logan spoke recently about liberal media bias. It’s completely correct. That’s why it irks delusional liberal journalists who believe they’re fair even though the lion’s share of their work lauds liberal principles. Logan’s comments affirm conservative complaints about seeing their heroes torched daily with nary a mention of their policy successes.

Attorneys for Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann have filed a $250 million lawsuit against the Washington Post after the kid was widely demonized in a media rush to judgment in D.C. His “crime” was staring down a grown man Native American who had walked up to Sandmann and beat a drum in his face.

Nick Sandmann, a high school sophomore, smiles as Nathan Phillips continues drumming in his face

The wider story was significantly different than initial media reporting. But the damage had been done.

Most of America, just like the remaining intact pie above, agree that President Donald Trump is a caustic jerk. He needlessly tweets acerbic comments about private citizens and debases liberal politicians. Instead of using diplomacy, he throws tantrums to get his way.

And Trump loves assigning demeaning names to opponents. Pocahontas, Lyin’ Ted, Crooked Hillary, and Bag Lady Bernie all get griddle time. Most observers expect a fresh label is coming for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. Perhaps he’ll call her A.O. C-word.

Trump’s constant taunts of “fake news” are tough for journalists to swallow. Comedian Jon Stewart correctly points to media narcissism for taking the bait instead of trying to deliver fair reporting.

We get it. He’s an abrasive New Yorker. The media despises him and shows no restraint in leading every news feed with a “Trump is an asshole” story. The TODAY Show, CBS Morning News, and Good Morning America all deliver a healthy dose of “Trump is evil” news off the jump.

No slant in that headline, right?

Journalists will tell you that they are “holding power to accountability.” Cool. But where was the accountability factor when President Barack Obama was in office? There was certainly accountability pressed upon George W. Bush, including fake stories that got Dan Rather fired.

But Barack Obama remains teflon to media. He and Michelle Obama are portrayed as perfect creatures. That’s media bias through intentional oversight.

Truth is subjective when it’s pushed through a partisan lens. And it always is because the pusher is a human. In the media, there’s an 85% (or higher) chance that person is a liberal.

Media people think they’re working with pure hearts, that their personal vision is what’s best for America. Therein lies the problem. Individuals determine what gets reported and what gets ignored and the sum total is an overwhelming blast of liberal perspective disguised as news.

At the 2009 White House Correspondents Dinner, Obama was lauded with standing ovations and breathless laughter at his quips. Obama sarcastically “introduced” himself to the loving throng with “Most of you covered me…ALL of you voted for me.”

That’s the most truthful quote ever delivered from a president to the assembled journalists.

Good for Obama. Bad for the news consuming public that deserves seemingly impossible objectivity.

terrymeiners
dad. husband. observer. media personality. pathological flyer.
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