Essay on Political Party Bias in the Media

The various types of media face accusations from people of different political divides of leaning to a particular political end on issues that concern the public. The political preferences by these media outlets associate with the political affiliations of the media houses and personality. However, the various media owners, the editors or even journalists insist that their news is from objective sources. There is a heated debate concerning the objectivity of media in the United States. There are criticisms from conservatives towards media for leaning towards liberalism. The critics primary focus is on the personal views of media owners, journalists and editors who critics believe are aristocrats, politically correct and left-leaning McChesney explains how media owners and personalities affected the political position of the media type. In most cases, it leaned towards the proprietor. He says Prior to 1900, the editorial status of a newspaper reflected the political views of the owner, and the political were explicit throughout the paper, (McChesney 31). There have however existed accusations of liberal bias in the media, therefore, the issue is not new. World executives who were mostly of the conservative system viewed media as a liberal puppet. It is the reason why the conservatives sort out their media outlets which they could rely on and which could also assist them in gaining control of the media outlets that were already in existence.

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Various researchers, especially in politics and the media identify a plan by conservatives to develop their press in the United States. The program includes various aspects of the media industry including Countrywide talk shows on the radio and numerous newspapers, attack magazines, right wing opinion columns and newsletters. There is evidence that the various forms of media are many which mean that individuals have many options to choose from. Dilliplane says Indeed, deciding where to get news in the current media environment is becoming more and more lie shopping in the cereal aisle; there is something for all tastes and preferences, (Dilliplane 288). There is also the issue of cable television where most of the content speaks to viewers strictly concerning conservatives. The Conservatives went ahead with their plan by the production of publications and other media programs. They developed corporate-funded firms in public relations and think-tanks which recruited staff from the mainstream media to these conservative media outlets.

There was the financing of conservative student newspapers and various television programs including the show Free to Choose by Milton Friedman. The show broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service, and a significant amount of oil company money went into the media house that people started referring to it as the Petroleum Broadcasting Service. Liberals, on the other hand, campaigned for their ideas through analysis of the various media outlets and how their ideologies were reaching different people. The issue of conservatives and liberals is a significant starting point that gives an indication of the influence of political parties and ideologies on the media and how this influence affects not only the media outlets but the public too.

There is evidence of the rise of partisan media in different countries around the world. There is also the issue of these partisan forms of media influencing the public votes to various candidates and partisan policies. There is a belief that the media has a significant impact on how people view politics -----says However, votes do not naturally grow out of the soil of civil society. Before they pass the formal threshold of campaigns and general elections, they are shaped by the confused din voices rising from both everyday talk and mediated communication, (Habermas 417). In many cases, the audience or listeners will tend to lean on the side of the reporter or journalist highlighting his/her political views in the media. There is a tendency of individuals to watch or listen to the press personality who share their political views. It, in turn, reinforces the partisan opinion in the media and its political polarization. It is an aspect of media that brings about significant concern considering the political climate in current times not only in the United States but around the world.

There is a temptation for those who are politically influential in linking their ideas with a partisan media outlet or engaging in political polarization. There is also another side of the public that is not affected by partisan messages and their opinion often stays unchanged. They will resist the messages, ignore them or even take them for granted. There is evidence of the Congress and other media outlets that are newer adding more partisan messages to the news that large media outlets give to the public. It is, however, clear that the political opinions of most American citizens remain centrist but there is the presence of polarization in those who are extremely involved.

There is a significant amount of influence by the politically elite on the ideologies various media outlets bring forward. There is evidence of the existence of partisan messages and their increase in the past quarter of this century. The two parties in the Congress oppose each other more consistently and more often. There is a significant increase in the percentages of roll-call votes in which instance many individuals from one party object to a large amount of people from the other side. The Congress is viewed to be ideologically in a division. A good number of Republicans were considered to be ideologically more liberal compared to the Democrats who were dominantly conservative close to two or three centuries ago. It, therefore, means that currently, all Republicans are to the right of Democrats. When looking at media coverage, there is evidence of a small influence by the Democrats especially in the coverage of campaigns. There is evidence of media bias between the governments of President Bush and Bill Clinton. Broadcasting networks were most likely to report polls that indicated a decline in the approval of President Bush and approval that was increasing for President Clinton. As Prior explains, more approval was to President Clinton than President Bush. He states Broadcast networks were more likely to report a poll when it showed declining support for President Bush or increasing approval for President Clinton, (Prior 103).

There was evidence of media coverage by CNN when it was the only broadcasting network, and there is an indication of its centralization in the reports and news to brought o the public. In many instances, a media outlet that often refers to liberal ideologies is considered to be liberal. In this day and age, the ownership of media is in the hands of a few individuals which raise concern in both conservative and liberal people. An example of one of the most influential people in todays media is Rupert Murdoch who has control of up to half of the papers in Australian nation. They include the major paper in Brisbane, Adelaide and other major areas in the country. He is also currently lobbying for changes in Australian laws towards the media for him to get an opportunity to purchase a TV network. A similar pattern of media ownership is similar in other areas including the United States, Europe, and Canada. The trends in the sector are not only towards development in the various countries but are working for the creation of media empires that are global. These include publishing houses, movie studios, television stations, newspapers, and magazines. An example of a trend towards global empires is that of Murdoch. He does not only own media in Australia but expands his brand to other parts of the world. It is evident in Beders work where she gives the various media corporate Murdoch owns. She states for example; Murdoch also owns three of Britains largest daily national newspapers and two of its largest circulation Sunday papers and controls extensive satellite broadcasting in dozens of countries, (Beder 206).

His empire does not end there. He owns companies that publish books in the United States and Australia. He also holds 20th-century fox and the Festival Records. It is, therefore, an indication of the magnitude of power Murdoch has in the media industry around the world. Evidence shows that he uses his authority and influence to determine the political life spans of politicians. He can make or break these politicians. His papers consistently oppose various concepts in society including trade unions, progressive social programs and peace movements. They, however, support various social issues that may seem controversial including lower taxes at all costs, the death penalty, and the hawkish foreign policies.

The appointment of editors in media houses is the way through which the mechanism of control occurs. The appointed editors become the leading voice inside the newsroom. They ensure that independence in journalism conforms to various editorial preferences. Eisinger says in their meta-analysis of articles on media bias, Dave DAlessio, and Mike Allen find three general categories of media bias used by public opinion authors: bias that occurs when editor select individual news stories from a pool of potential news stories in a biased manner,(Eisinger 17). The media does not only have its power in the editors line but also in the coverage of some specific issues than others and through coverage of some views and not others. It is, therefore, an indication of the amount of power a media house may hold. It is this power that influences the reluctance in politicians to cross the many significant media moguls and gain regulation of the media industry in the interests of the public. For the critics who are also liberal, the problem in the press does not only lie in the power of the editorial line or ownership but also in other businesses the media owners engage in concurrently. Many influential media house are under the governance of multi-billion dollars corporations. These companies are often integrated take part in of types of businesses other than media. These include power utilities, water, real estate, forestry, defense and much more. These firms may present an area of bias especially in reporting sensitive issues that directly or indirectly touch on these businesses. They also make sure that those who make the news take a view that is corporate.

The survival of various television and radio outlets, to a large extent, depends on advertisements for different companies. Millions of dollars are spent each year by large corporations on ads. They may not be of significant concern to the viewer, but their presence on television and radio ensure that these forms of media can survive. In many instances the advertisements are of the political type and having a contract with one political affiliation means that the press corporation may not get a different contact from another political affiliation. The issue of biased media therefore occurs.

There is, however, contention from journalists that the information they pass to the public is not experiencing influence from pressure by media owners or advertisers but its basis on the professional norm of objectivity. There is, however, a significant difference between the truth and the standard of objectivity in journalism. The standard revolves around three components. The first is the issue of depersonalization where concepts should not contain the personal beliefs, views, and evaluations of the journalist. The second element is the point of balance that calls for the representation of opinion from both sides of individuals or groups in controversy without favoring one. Accuracy requires that journalists need to quote people and authors and bring forwar...