Biased News

By: Sarah Weingarten

sw464012@ohio.edu

12/3/14

Fox News is notorious for being conservative or republican based. But a Pew study in 2013 found that MSNBC News was the most biased while reporting. The study divided CNN, Fox News and MSNBC News into two categories, factual reporting and commentary/opinion. While Fox News commentary/opinion is higher than their factual reporting the gap between the two is not large. MSNBC news was found to be 85% commentary/opinion. CNN was the only news station in this study whose factual reporting was higher than their commentary/opinion

Pew Research Center

 If MSNBC news is scarce with factual reporting why does Fox News get dubbed as the most biased news station? There are TV shows that were created to be parody news shows that counteract Fox News conservative news coverage. For example, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. Both are beloved and hilarious fake liberal news shows that try to discredit conservative news coverage. Fox News isn’t the only news station that these shows try to discredit, but it’s mostly the brunt of all their jokes.

Another thing that is misleading about this Pew study is that it doesn’t take in account what kinds of commentary/opinion was said. Even though MSNBC had higher commentary/opinion their opinions may be more moderate than Fox News’ opinions. There are just so many factors when it comes to what is true biased news.

The underlying message from this Pew study is that it even exists. American’s doubt and question the news to great lengths, so much so that there needs to be studies on it. And the study shows that news stations need to become more factual and less opinionated. Having opinions during the news may gain more viewership, for example, political topics. In another Pew study, Fox News was found to give more negative than positive coverage of Obama during the 2012 elections. Some viewers are going to watch whichever news station caters to their views. And on the flipside MSNBC and CNN did the same thing with Romney.

Pew Research Center

Reporting based on opinions is not good news. It isn’t ethical broadcast journalism. Journalists are supposed to detach themselves to what they’re reporting on to give the audience a thorough and factual summary of current events.