Pam Morelli – 3/11/08

This page was last updated on March 11, 2008.

Bias in the eye of the beholder; Pam Morelli; Beaver County Times; March 11, 2008.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I disagree with letter writer James Flannick’s analysis of the news media (‘Media subverting America,’ Tuesday) and their so-called ‘liberal bias.’

“It may interest him to know that numerous studies done on the media have found that the news is actually very centralized; it is the viewer’s own biases or interpretation that cause them to view the media as being either ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative.’”

[RWC] What is “centralized” news?

I’d like to see the “numerous studies” to which Ms. Morelli referred. The vast majority of polls and studies I’ve seen reported indicate a liberal bias, and even many liberals acknowledge the slant. You can read my paper “Media Bias” for examples. At least Ms. Morelli doesn’t believe the media “is owned by extreme right wing corporations,” as does letter writer William Horter.

Let’s also look at it logically. In their commentaries, editorials, et cetera, most media outlets tend to bash conservative positions on the issues and the conservatives supporting those positions. Are we to believe a newspaper publisher will publish news stories that undermine the paper’s editorial policies?

“When we read something, we take into that all of our past experiences, beliefs and our moral foundations; this colors our view of what we read, even when it is presented in a non-biased fashion.”

[RWC] True, but this also applies to the authors of what’s presented. That is, mostly using Ms. Morelli’s words, “When authors write something, they take into that all of their past experiences, beliefs and their moral foundations; this colors what they write.”

“The public should draw their own conclusions about what is presented to them — the job of the media is to be the watchdog of government and society and report what they see.”

[RWC] “[T]he job of the media is to be the watchdog of government and society?” Wow, and I thought the media’s job was solely to report the news. Who knew it was also to be “Big Brother?”

“Being able to have the wonderful gift of individualized interpretation of messages is one of the greatest aspects of living in a democracy such as this, and a right that should be protected and not attacked.”

[RWC] Who’s attacking “the wonderful gift of individualized interpretation of messages?”

“As to his point about what is printed about the war, I don’t see a problem about printing casualty lists. In the time of the Vietnam War, they showed daily footage of battles on television.”

[RWC] Mr. Flannick didn’t have “a problem about printing casualty lists” either. In his letter, Mr. Flannick wrote, “… until recently, there was a daily logging of the number of military killed in the Iraq war. Well and good, we should know that – there is no greater cost than human life, on which a value can’t even be placed.” Mr. Flannick’s whole point was that if you’re going to report the bad news, as you should, you should also report the good news.

“Of course, that has not happened with a war since Vietnam since the brutality of the footage turned many against the war.”

[RWC] I don’t know how many people were turned against the Vietnam War because of “the brutality of the footage.” I believe it’s clear reporting affected the situation, though. For example, while the Tet Offensive was a huge military defeat for the NVA and the Viet Cong, the U.S. press reported it as a defeat for U.S. and South Vietnamese forces.

“He wrote that a complete account of what is being done in Iraq is not being printed: I agree with him. Where are the numbers of civilian casualties, which outnumber soldier casualties? Where are the numbers of people disappeared and tortured?”

[RWC] Ms. Morelli does realize “the numbers of people disappeared and tortured” are the result of the people we’re fighting, doesn’t she?

“If he wants an equal representation of what is going on in Iraq, then let’s have a true picture of what’s going on. If he thinks military casualities [sic] are all that’s being affected, then he is sorely and sadly mistaken.”

[RWC] If Ms. Morelli were presented with “a true picture of what’s going on” on Iraq, I suspect she would refuse delivery if it disagreed with her view of the world.