As You Read, Think About Media Bias

Bias, is evident in most of our media. Yes, even your go-to favourite source of news and information. But you can learn to notice these unfair and preconceived opinions and judgements toward a person or group that warp truth and misrepresent reality.

A binary "goodies" and "baddies" mindset is also evidence of a simplistic black-and-white thinking style, where everything is either: good/bad, right/wrong, fair/unfair.

Types of Media Bias

1. Ideological bias - The presentation of news in an attempt to make the reader favour a person, group or particular values and assumptions.

2. Spin Bias - Spin is a deceptive form of propaganda. A manipulation of information and distortion of reality to potentially mislead readers by using exaggeration, vague, dramatic or sensational language. Examples of spin words: Crucial, offensive, generous.

3. Bias by placement: Biases can be revealed by where the article is placed. For e.g., is the article on the front page or in a less read section.

4. Bias by selection of sources -Deciding which sources to include in a story or which stories are printed or covered.

5. Bias by omission - When the reporter leaves out one side of the argument, restricting information and certain facts are left out.

6. Bias by story selection -Certain stories are selected to support a particular agenda or ideology.

7. Confirmation bias - Favouring information that confirms your previously existing beliefs or biases.

8. Using purr words that make people feel happy just to hear them. E.g. home, trust, generous, treasure.

9. Using snarl words - words used to create a negative response. E.g. elitist, uneducated, patriarchy.

10. Ad Hominem Fallacy - Instead of addressing someone's argument or position, you attack the person who is making the argument. For e.g. dismissing someone as a “dinosaur reactionary”.

11. Bias in photos -For e.g. Using unflattering pictures to create a bad impression.

Ideology and bias can fuel polarisation, and as poet William Butler Yeats wrote:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
"The Second Coming"

Many people exist in echo chambers, an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own views and prejudices. As John Stuart Mill wrote in "On Liberty", He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that.