NPR: liberal bias or just realistic, thorough and informed

[Freak]

I'm just arguing for a liberal bias period, that's all.

I'm conservative so

pro-life
I'd be pro-death penalty if it weren't for corruption.
pro-parental choice (certain voucher plans etc.) and responsibility
pro-prayer in schools
pro-intelligent design
anti-gun control
anti-taxes (yes I know this is at odds w/Bush)
anti-sex ed.
anti-universal health care
anti-curfew

Now, does NPR attack my positions? Yes, does half the nation mostly agree with me, yes.

[Freak]

Oh my, well if it helps, I don't have an ulcer about evolution, frankly it's the parent's responsibility to teach what the schools don't.

[Miss P]

I'm just arguing for a liberal bias period, that's all.

I'm conservative so

pro-life
I'd be pro-death penalty if it weren't for corruption.
pro-parental choice (certain voucher plans etc.) and responsibility
pro-prayer in schools
pro-intelligent design
anti-gun control
anti-taxes (yes I know this is at odds w/Bush)
anti-sex ed.
anti-universal health care
anti-curfew

Now, does NPR attack me positions? Yes, does half the nation mostly agree with me, yes.

I just don't think NPR (at least as represented by the flagship news shows, All Things Considered and Morning Edition) does attack these positions.  In fact, I am frequently dissatisfied by the (perhaps compensatory) lack of progressive voices when covering, for instance, school vouchers (I remember one particularly glowing story about the Milwaukee system).  The one liberal bias that I believe NPR can fairly be accused of is a sort of smug white multiculturalism that leads reporters to pronounce foreign words with ridiculous accents and to focus on romantic stories about ethnic minorities and their quirks (e.g., a feature on an Armenian family of restauranteurs in Toledo or whatever).  I don't think this is a particularly politically liberal, however.

[Freak]

Oh my, well if it helps, I don't have an ulcer about evolution, frankly it's the parent's responsibility to teach what the schools don't.

That's the only position on your list that I can't understand at some level, so it really bothers me.  But this isn't the place for that debate.

Here's my question: if a news organization interviews people who disagree with one or more of your positions, is the organization biased?  Even if they also (or more frequently) interview people with similar positions?

It depends on who they interview and what analysis they give afterwards. Some people are more articulate than others, and they know this.

EDIT: The questions asked are also germane.

[Freak]

Those stories are actually what I liked about NPR...go figure.

[Miss P]

Oh my, well if it helps, I don't have an ulcer about evolution, frankly it's the parent's responsibility to teach what the schools don't.

That's the only position on your list that I can't understand at some level, so it really bothers me.  But this isn't the place for that debate.

Here's my question: if a news organization interviews people who disagree with one or more of your positions, is the organization biased?  Even if they also (or more frequently) interview people with similar positions?

It depends on who they interview and what analysis they give afterwards. Some people are more articulate than others, and they know this.

EDIT: The questions asked are also germane.

Of course, but seriously, Jon Stewart goes harder on conservative guests than NPR ever does.  I don't see any significant disparity.  If Ken Mehlman comes off as a total boob in an interview, it's hardly Ed Gordon's fault.  If it's any help, Howard Dean is really inarticulate and off-putting most of the time, even if he does always seem more sincere.

[Miss P]

Okay, this thread just took off after I deleted out of it.

I'm not going to read all of that, although as a rule I'm tempted to just agree with whatever Andrew's said.

But anyway.  There IS NO POLITICAL CENTER.

Once we accept that, two things should become clear: (1) there are no liberal American news sources, and (2) nearly all American news media slants to the left.

(1) is true if we compare to the rest of the world.  Take Europe.

(2) is true if we compare in a self-contained sphere of only American media, where CNN, the NYT, and the vast majority of everything else which practices any moderation is well to the left of Fox News and the right-wing fundamentalists running this country.

Additionally, we should all recognize that (3) coporate media is running, and ruining, this country.

If I understand you, I think we have seldom disagreed so much!
Or are you making the more modest argument that most of the media are marginally to the left of the whackjob ideologues pulling the strings in this administration?  I would buy that.

[Miss P]

Okay, this thread just took off after I deleted out of it.

I'm not going to read all of that, although as a rule I'm tempted to just agree with whatever Andrew's said.

But anyway.  There IS NO POLITICAL CENTER.

Once we accept that, two things should become clear: (1) there are no liberal American news sources, and (2) nearly all American news media slants to the left.

(1) is true if we compare to the rest of the world.  Take Europe.

(2) is true if we compare in a self-contained sphere of only American media, where CNN, the NYT, and the vast majority of everything else which practices any moderation is well to the left of Fox News and the right-wing fundamentalists running this country.

Additionally, we should all recognize that (3) coporate media is running, and ruining, this country.

If I understand you, I think we have seldom disagreed so much!
Or are you making the more modest argument that most of the media are marginally to the left of the whackjob ideologues pulling the strings in this administration?  I would buy that.

I think I'm claiming that left and right are completely relative.  As far as how it can be claimed that the media has a liberal bias, yes, this is in relation to whackjob ideologues on the right.  CNN would, however, be conservative compared to an external standard from outside of America.

Got it, got it.  I was being a bad reader.  I misunderstood number (1) somehow.  I totally agree with you, except that I believe there are some moderately liberal news sources (say, the Daily Show, Democracy Now).

[Miss P]

Got it, got it.  I was being a bad reader.  I misunderstood number (1) somehow.  I totally agree with you, except that I believe there are some moderately liberal news sources (say, the Daily Show, Democracy Now).

I'm not familiar with those.  But obviously there's stuff more liberal than CNN and the NYT -- I just think that none of it's what you would call "mainstream."

The Daily Show is Jon Stewart's satirical show on Comedy Central.  During the 2004 election some organization (Pew?  I don't remember) did a survey that indicated that more male college students got their news from the Daily Show than from any other source.  Then some other organization did a study that said that the 'news' on the Daily Show actually gave a fuller picture of the issues in the election than the network evening news broadcasts or something.  My recollection of this is all pretty vague, obviously.

[Miss P]

Got it, got it.  I was being a bad reader.  I misunderstood number (1) somehow.  I totally agree with you, except that I believe there are some moderately liberal news sources (say, the Daily Show, Democracy Now).

I'm not familiar with those.  But obviously there's stuff more liberal than CNN and the NYT -- I just think that none of it's what you would call "mainstream."

The Daily Show is Jon Stewart's satirical show on Comedy Central.  During the 2004 election some organization (Pew?  I don't remember) did a survey that indicated that more male college students got their news from the Daily Show than from any other source.  Then some other organization did a study that said that the 'news' on the Daily Show actually gave a fuller picture of the issues in the election than the network evening news broadcasts or something.  My recollection of this is all pretty vague, obviously.

Hahahaha I'm f-ing stupid.  I know what the Daily Show is, I watch it all the time.  I just noticed the name "Democracy Now" and reacted to that.

I figured you knew what it was!  I was just proving my point what a know-it-all (item Z?) I am!  Democracy Now is pretty good.  I'd recommend the radio broadcasts (TV is pretty bootleg).  Do you have a Pacifica affiliate near you?  Surely there must be one in the Twin Cities.