Media Bias

While consumers of news media may express a desire for journalism free from political and commercial agendas, most media professionals agree that complete objectivity is impossible. When a political belief or commercial interest distorts the reporting of an event, the news outlet may be accused of bias. Accusations of media bias can be leveled at a television station that chooses not to cover negative news regarding its parent company, a newspaper that uses loaded language to frame certain political debates, or a website that provides positive reviews in exchange for advertising revenue. Biases do not need to be expressed explicitly to be present in news media. Newsroom editorial decisions may also reflect bias through distorted, imbalanced, or insufficient coverage of...