Just what you expect, right? Well, that’s because I want to keep you as a reader, as explained in this article by by Jack Shafer. He reports about a recent study that he says “leapfrogs” current analysis about media bias and applied certain mathematical measures. The three main conclusions:
1) Media outlets are reluctant to report anything that counters the audiences’ existing beliefs because doing so makes them look “inaccurate” to their base of consumers
2) In order to both support the continuation of (1) and guard against being shown up by a press outlet that does accurately predict an (unpopular) outcome, media hedge their bets on anything controversial.
3) “Less bias occurs when competition produces a healthy tension between a news organization’s desire to conform to audience expectations and maintaining its reputation.”
Just what you wanted to read.
Originally posted 2013-07-15 15:43:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter