Bias (book)

Encyclopedia : B : BI : BIA : Bias (book)

Bias book cover

Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News is a book by Bernard Goldberg, a 28-year veteran CBS news reporter and producer, giving detailed examples to support the claim of liberal bias in television news reporting.

Contents

1 Inception
2 Summary
3 Criticism
4 Table of Contents
5 ISBN
6 External links

Inception

The book has its roots in a series of editorials Goldberg wrote for the Wall Street Journal beginning on February 13, 1996 with "Networks Need a Reality Check" in which Goldberg accused the reporters and producers of the major networks, CBS in particular, of allowing their personal (liberal) biases to affect the way news was reported. While this was by no means an original claim, it was significant for two reasons. Firstly, Goldberg is not a Conservative. He has said that throughout his career, he has leaned toward the left-wing political ideology in his personal life. Secondly, this was the first time a notable, respected, non-conservative journalist, with no apparent ulterior motives, had supported the claim of liberal media bias.

The editorial quickly led to Goldberg being ostracized (declared persona non grata, as he puts it) at CBS which, in turn resulted in his eventual departure from the network and writing Bias.

Summary

Goldberg’s premise in Bias is that there are two types of liberal bias in the media. The first, and least common, is conscious attempts by reporters, editors or producers to skew the reporting of the news to reflect the liberal views of the newsmen. Goldberg gives a few examples of this type.

The second, which, according to Goldberg, is so pervasive and subtle that the perpetrators and, in fact, the general viewing public are mostly unaware of it. Goldberg claims that the overwhelming majority of people involved in reporting the news are politically liberal oriented and share a common perception of what is "mainstream". In reporting the news, they consistently and systematically paint liberal, left-wing view, politicians and causes as being representative of the American mainstream while portraying conservatives, social moderates, and in fact anything viewed as being "anti-liberal" or "anti-progressive" as being outside the mainstream.

An example Goldberg cites is that liberal politicians are simply referred to by name and title while Republicans or conservative politicians are identified as such, implying that they have to be marked because they are outside the mainstream. Goldberg attributes this most often to newsmen being isolated and out of touch with the public.

Criticism

Bias made the New York Times Best Seller list. It has also predictably received heavy criticism from the political left. Goldberg has been accused of taking quotes out of context and misrepresenting the facts of certain circumstances, most notably by Al Franken who devoted eight pages in his 2003 book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them to disputing Bias's arguments.

Introduction: "They Think You’re a Traitor"
The News Mafia
Mugged by "The Dan"
"The Emperor is Naked"
Identity Politics
How Bill Clinton cured Homelessness
Epidemic of Fear
"I Thought Our Job Was to Tell the Truth"
How About a Media that Reflects America
Targeting Men
"Where Thieves and Pimps Run Free"
The Most Important Story You Never Saw on TV
Liberal Hate-Speech
"The Ship Be Sinking"
Connecting the Dots...to Terrorism
Newzak
Appendix A: The Editorials
Appendix B: The Response

ISBN

ISBN 0895261901 Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News, Regnery Publishing (December 2001)

External links

[Media Bias Basics] (a conservative perspective)
["Bias" isn't supported-- because it's not true] (review by Steve Rendall and Peter Hart)
[Daily Howler] - series of articles on the book.
[Book review]