What is Bias?
Everybody and everything has bias, but some people and news organizations make more of an effort to hide or counter their biases than others. Understanding the types and degrees of bias in a news article or television segment can help readers understand their own reactions to the piece, and determine how to engage with it.
Perspectives on Bias in the News
- Defining Confirmation BiasA video from Facing History and Ourselves explains confirmation bias and how it impacts news habits.
- The Real Story About Fake News Is PartisanshipThe New York Times argues that extreme partisanship has created incentives to produce and share heavily biased media items.
- How small town newspapers have kept community trustNPR article examining a Pulitzer-Prize winning small town newspaper and the community's trust in it.
- Big Media Companies And Their Many Brands — In One ChartIn response to AT&T's proposed deal to buy Time Warner, NPR breaks down corporate media ownership in 2016.
Charting News Bias
Several people have attempted to chart the levels of partisanship perceived in various media sources. This is just one example.
