The Arguments Surrounding Media Bias Essay - 1336 Words

Whether it is through a newspaper, television, magazines or talk radio, people will always communicate through some type of medium. Now, whether or not the mediums are tainted with bias is a question of beliefs. Some people argue that journalism today is rather fair and balanced, while others would vehemently oppose that view by saying that bias is definitely prevalent in news media and other mediums today. In some instances, there lies the belief that the fairness doctrine should be reestablished in order to mend the problem of bias; however, many would strenuously fight that by arguing that such an act would destroy the freedom of the press guaranteed under the first amendment. Another argument surrounding this issue is the expectation†¦show more content†¦But in today’s market, with hundreds of choices in programming, such regulations are irrelevant, and nearly impossible to enforce† (Sears par.8). Sears then goes on to say that the Fairness Doctrine is count erproductive and that the FCC actually found that it discouraged free speech. This was because instead of trying to give each side â€Å"equal time†, station owners began dropping politically-based programming altogether (Sears par.9). The policy was abolished in 1987 by the FCC as a result (Sears, par 9). Until the 1980s, the control of the media was in the hands of the national government. From then, the control shifted to private outlets and by the 1990’s, there were more than fifty multinational companies who controlled it (â€Å"Mass Media†). Today, only about six major companies control the larger fraction of media in America (Williams, Par. 1). Norman Solomon wrote in the New Political Science Journal that most reporters and editors work for just a few huge companies. These journalists and editors are on the payroll for â€Å"mega-media institutions†, of which, only about six exist (Solomon 297). How much will the public learn if these companies generally control the output of information? Yet another argument is that bias is not really an issue at all. Richard Perloff wrote that while people believe that while the media may exaggerate what itShow MoreRelatedIndigenous And Non Indigenous Of The Baseball Team, The Cleveland Indians1657 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Media, in its many forms, controls how individuals learn about different issues going on around the world. Many of these media outlets tend to have some sort of bias to lead the individual to be either for or against the issue at hand. This essay will discuss how Indigenous peoples are portrayed in the media, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and compare how these different sources portray Indigenous people. This essay will focus on one topic that has surfaced recently, the courtRead MoreAre You Blame For Domestic Violence?1079 Words   |  5 Pages Are You To Blame for Domestic Violence? 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