Fox
In today’s society, gaining knowledge about the most recent news is as easy as clicking a remote control button. During election time especially, citizens rely on the news to inform them and ultimately help them choose whom they will vote for. Unfortunately, the media has become extremely biased. Newscasters express their political affiliation and opinions to large audiences, which influences young voters to alter their opinion on crucial decisions.
Fox News expresses a highly Republican view that is clearly evident in their views of increased military spending, anti-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-death penalty and their opposition to taxing the wealthy. Viewers, especially young voters who are indifferent towards political parties, will gain this Republican insight rather than unbiased information. The exposure to this bias will influence voters to hold a conservative view similar to their elders and will ultimately lead to less diversity among the electorate. Young voters will be prevented from expanding on new views and invoking ideas that could potentially benefit the country. The biased news that audiences attain from this conservative news channel establishes a sense of bondage, as viewers are fed information from a source that skews the truth and therefore; they are prevented from forming their own opinions. This issue should not be taken lightly considering that the young generation is supposed to be the future of America.
Eliminating this biased news can also be highly beneficial for Fox. If Fox were to eliminate their right-wing bias, they can appeal to a larger audience with a variety of distinct political opinions, which will not only be beneficial to viewers, but also to Fox as ratings and profits will significantly increase.
Written by Peyton Herzog – Staff Writer
MSNBC
When one watches a news channel such as MSNBC, he or she must be wary of what to believe as biased opinions are rapidly increasing. MSNBC is well known for being a democratically biased news channel. Its reporters are mostly democratic and it is no secret when they clearly voice there left wing opinions. They often mock or criticize Republican politicians, and they blatantly support Democratic politicians and their policies.
CNN
Finding a moderate and unbiased political media station is like Goldie Locks and porridge; it always seems as if each station is either too conservative or too liberal. Luckily, CNN is one unique station that is not too hot or too cold.
Every station is biased in some way in that it chooses the stories it reports, which has a negative effect on viewers. This makes it is easy for individuals to only receive one opinion about a party or decision, causing voters to affiliate with one side without fully assessing both.
“If these [organizations are] the only source of information the public uses, then it is not a hundred percent accurate account of what the actual event was,” said AP Government teacher Lance Novak.
CNN allows viewers to learn about both parties and gives them the opportunity to associate themselves with a party after they gain knowledge about both. Unlike other media stations, CNN does not editorialize or give a moral opinion; it simply states the facts. In addition, it does not favor one party over the other by pointing out flaws in both, as well as reporting controversies on both the Republican and the Democrat sides. In order to give the public a wider spectrum, CNN states the pros and cons of each party’s view and equally reports stories that affect each.
In today’s extremely technological society, it is imperative that more stations, like CNN, arise and provide viewers with information that will allow them to form knowledgeable and informative decisions. If this can be accomplished, American citizens will be able to make productive changes and create a future that benefits the majority of the people.
Written by Laura Mishkin – Staff Writer