Uncovering Bias in the News

Uncovering Bias in the News — page 1 — chapter One

Uncovering Bias in the News — page 2 — SIDES TO A STORY The news anchor smiles into the camera This evening's top story is the addition of hundreds of jobs to the area The city council has just approved construction of a new sports stadium The mayor says the stadium will bring visitors jobs and money In a newsroom across town a reporter finishes her article The story focuses on a group of concerned citizens They are protesting the stadium They say it will harm animals and the environment The reporter includes other points of view She quotes local Different media outlets can cover a news story in very different ways

Uncovering Bias in the News — page 3 — Media organizations can reveal their bias through the stories they choose to cover and how they cover them business owners an environmental expert and a city council member Meanwhile a blogger posts a photo online The photo shows a destroyed beaver dam His post says

Uncovering Bias in the News — page 4 — the stadium will harm local beaver populations Within a few hours the post has gone viral The next morning a radio host interviews the team coach who is outraged He cannot believe people oppose the project He says the team needs the MUZZLING THE MEDIA Countries such as China North Korea Russia Iran Turkey and Venezuela practice media censorship These countries limit the powers of the press They block or filter websites They may shut down news outlets that criticize the government They may even sue jail or harm journalists Governments around the world also spread biased information called propaganda new stadium All these news outlets are reporting on the same event But each account has a different bias The varying approaches can affect how audiences understand the news

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