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A Rasmussen Reports poll of 1000 likely voters, conducted on September 18th, 2004.

CBS - 33% say no bias
37 Kerry bias
10 Bush bias

ABC - 36 say no bias
30 Kerry bias
10 Bush bias

FOX - 38 say no bias
7 Kerry bias
34 Bush bias

NBC - 39 say no bias
28 Kerry bias
11 Bush bias

CNN - 39 say no bias
25 Kerry bias
12 Bush bias

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Broadcast%20Bias.htm

This is quite interesting, and fairly accurate, from what I've seen. NBC and CNN are the most centrist networks. ABC leans left, and CBS is way left. Fox is almost as far right as CBS.

By Peacefulchaos (Peacefulchaos) on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 09:08 pm: Edit

Ya, NBC has Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and Pat Buchanan, who aren't all that way left obviously. I usually watch NBC.

By Hoo_29 (Hoo_29) on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 10:57 pm: Edit

Yeah, NBC has a lot more level headed and intelligent discussions(Tom B, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews) that might lean a certain way, but don't come out and say it, and just argue and pick at the guest no matter what side they are on. Fox news is SO biased. I mean, it's OK to have O'Reilley and all, but God, everyone on there is definetely swayed towards Bush(even the people that are supposed to just be regular reporters!) You don't see Brokaw, or Katy "perky" Curic doing that. What pisses me off too is that they call themselves "fair and balanced" and then show clips every night of their reporter arguing for the right wing. And can they stop complaining about all the biased media out there when they are the WORST out of all the stations? Any news channel with any respect for themselves would NOT have the Hiraldo R. show

By Vancat (Vancat) on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 11:29 pm: Edit

"Yeah, NBC has a lot more level headed and intelligent discussions(Tom B, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews"

I have to ask you, have you even seen Chris Matthews try to insult and flame conservatives? That's the idea of level headed discussion? That's about the same as calling O'Reilly a non-egotist Democrat.


"Any news channel with any respect for themselves would NOT have the Hiraldo R. show"

Along that line of reasoning, any news channel with any respect for themselves (particularly a decidedly liberal one) would not rush to produce a story based on documents which now have been proven as a fraud. (cough cough)

By Shortcakefairy (Shortcakefairy) on Monday, September 20, 2004 - 11:49 pm: Edit

I like Fox News...even though they do obviously have conservative leaning reporters--they still bring great representatives and top guests to argue the liberal side of things as well. Staples on the channel include Susan Estrich (head of Dukakis campaign) and NPR commentators like Mara Liason etc... i mean hey, if you don't see all the liberals you'd like to (as guests) it's because they're invited, but decline (especially in the case of the prime time shows like O'Reilly or Hannity&Colmes) --> once in a while, you'll have the Michael Moores or Alec Baldwins of society willing to come and express themselves on the show. They're surprised when they realize they're treated respectfully and fairly.

the reason why FNC seem so "pro-Bush" is because 3/4ths of the REST of *mainstream* media are not necessarily "pro-Kerry" but certainly "anti-Bush." ( ahh The New York Times and all the broadcast networks) That's why, in comparison, any somewhat independent network that might just have a VERY slight conservative edge, seems "overly" conservative.

and if you live OUTSIDE the USA, where you're subjected to networks such as BBC or CBC --> then FNC might seem like some pro-American propaganda machine because no matter how independent it really is-- compared to the blatant anti-American sentiments expressed by major international news corporations, the channel must seem like from outside this world. Even CNN could be perceived that way in that context. I remember how frustrated I was when i spent two months in England and had to depend on BBC for current events on TV...they were SOOO unashamedly biased and it got hurtful, how they refused to see all sides of an issue and jsut somehow connect it all back to the cowboy President who's only popular with "cowboy-hick" Americans.

Truth is: The majority of journalists is very left-wing and the majority of the media is OWNED by liberals. Obviously there are major exceptions: talk radio, Rupert Murdoch, and whoever owns The Wall Street Journal and such.

By Annakat (Annakat) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 04:27 am: Edit

shortcakefairy,

where do you get your statistics regarding media and journalism?

By Songman (Songman) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 10:02 am: Edit

Katy Curic not biased towards liberals?

By Kissy (Kissy) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 10:54 am: Edit

We're hosting a European foreign exchange student. After living here for a couple of months so far, he says he's come to realize how biased the European news is, selectively omitting anything contrary to their political agenda and emphasizing anything that supports it. I'm also realizing how state-driven and socialistic many of the Western European nations truly are.

By Hoo_29 (Hoo_29) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 03:19 pm: Edit

I don't really think that CBS is all that great. I think that it is just as bad as Fox. I just think that NBC and CNN is very respectful and talks about all the issues. Yes, I guess you could say that about Matthews, but I have heard my share of anti-Dem. comments. And Fox news might be better than anti-American news in Europe, NBC and CNN are better sources. If you can provide me with one example of these networks being biased then I might change my opinion, but...

And while Fox has O'Reilley as the poster boy, NBC has Brokaw. Hmm... which one is more trusted?

By Hoo_29 (Hoo_29) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 03:23 pm: Edit

woops! should have been talk. I know I have typos but I need to at least have SUB/Verb agreement

By Squiddd (Squiddd) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 04:11 pm: Edit

Shortcakefairy:
"They're surprised when they realize they're treated respectfully and fairly." (Talking about far-left liberal guests on Fox News)

Excuse me? Have you seen how O'Reilly treats some of his guest. He is a horrible, arrogant, rude human being, despite any of his beliefs. Case in point, the way he treated the young atheist boy scout on his show. This was only a kid, for heaven's sake, no more than 16. Despite what any of our religious beleifs are, this kid did nothing wrong; he only felt that he shouldn't have to hide his religious beleifs or lack thereof. It's fine if O'Reilly beleives that The Boy Scouts have a right to exclude him being a religious association, but that gives him no right to yell at the boy and be mean and rude.
I mean, I could understand him treating Moore that way...but a kid? COme on!

By Shortcakefairy (Shortcakefairy) on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 09:21 pm: Edit

Annakat, maybe i shoudn't have used fractions...and you should know that there is no such thing as a network that says "HI! I'M LIBERAL!" (so there wouldn't be any official statistics on that) it's just common knowledge and from my personal observations. I'm being as unbiased as possible. I even admit that FNC has a slight conservative slant. Anyhow, i'll reword it: "The vast majority of television media outlets happen to be liberal"

i'm not writing a research paper LoL it's just a message board.

Squidd- i did not see that interview, but if what you are saying is true, then i would have been very disappointed and would have written an angry email. I know O'Reilly can get riled up and mad (like when he was guest with that New York Times professor-looking guy on Meet the Press or some other show) O'Reilly got so pissed off, his face turned red LoL--but he wasn't the host--and the NYT guy was being SOO arrogant and elitist sounding I wnated to puke.

But most of the famous "far left liberals" that I've seen: Howard Dean, Rosie O'Donnell, Michael Moore, Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Janine Garofalo, Dick Gephardt's daughter, who's openly lesbian, (and countless others) have been on the show and were asked fair questions and treated with respect--from my obeservations.

Just to add to the list of liberal "staples" on Fox News: former VP candidate, Geraldine Ferraro (a very liberal democrat) and Anne something-or-other (A newsweek reporter) have been on Hannity and Colmes a lot these days.

By Jaug1 (Jaug1) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 03:07 am: Edit

FNC is only slightly conservative?

Good lord. That's disgusting that you think that. FNC is by far the most biased news corporation in the country. The fact that when they read viewer emails all of them are either pro-Bush or anti-Kerry. I watched FNC while on vacation for a week and did not see one liberal guest. All I saw was Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and others bash Kerry like no other.

Everyone needs to go and watch the documentary "Outfoxed." This shows howin only 7 years FNC has become one of the largest news coporations in the world and has done it by providing an almost 100% conservative viewpoint. When Murdock created the group in 1997 he actually said in a statement that he was creating FNC because he wanted "a newsgroup that will represent my conservative views."

Shortcake, your observations may possibly, just maybe, skewed because you are a conservative. You probably enjoy Michael Moore and Dean get blasted by Hannity and Colmes. So therefore, in your eyes, they get treated with respect. They really don't.

Also, European news is the most unbaised form of reporting today. In England (the major ally in the War on Terror), they criticize and blast Blair for joining the war and because of this his approval rating has dropped to something around 10-15%. BBC, Reuters, the German and French news networks all provide very graphic footage of the war because over there it doesnt upset the people as much. Here it is too much to see blood in the street. Over there, they show stretchers with severely injured soldiers. There is a difference to the news quality as well. In Europe they only relay the facts, unlike those in the American media who simply use and reuse old arguments and never provide facts (both on conservative networks like FNC and liberal networks like CNN).

If you want to get news from the states then you must watch both conservative and liberal networks to get the real side. There are things that FNC deliberately does not say because it would be damaging to the conservative image (one example would be the very noticable podium Bush used at the RNC that looked like a pulpit with crosses displayed by the layering of the wood.) Just try and watch more than one channel because you will never, ever hear the full truth otherwise.

By Paulhomework (Paulhomework) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 06:26 pm: Edit

I can't believe 38% of respondents think Fox is unbiased..oh wait what's more pathetic is that 7% think it's biased in favor of kerry. my god!

By Thermodude (Thermodude) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 09:52 pm: Edit

Just curious, besides Alan Combes, who are the other liberal TV show hosts on Fox News Channel?

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:10 pm: Edit

" I can't believe 38% of respondents think Fox is unbiased..oh wait what's more pathetic is that 7% think it's biased in favor of kerry. my god!"

haha yeah, i would think that conservatives claim its unbiased, liberals consider it bush biased, and donkey-raping-ass-spelunkers think its pro-kerry..HAH

MSNBC seems to have noticed that Fox is raping in the ratings because of its conservative parts, and mostly its shouting big headed commentors. after noticing that, they got joe scaroborough, who yells all the time, and then also chris mathews, who yells all the time and drools all over his chin while doing so.

i watched Outfoxed, it makes a complete fool out of the Fox network, and you probably wont realize a lot of things until you see it too. Alan Combes is not exactly a liberal tv show host, hes a punching bag for hannity. they got a sqirrely little democrat to sit next to the hot headed republican who just shouts down Combs. Combs just agrees with hannity all the time and says theyre friends etc.

on outfoxed, when the owner or somebody of fox news was asked "DOES FOX NEWS HAVE ANY LIBERAL HOSTS?", the man replied "Alan Combs... Gretta Van Sustern..."

GRETTA's PLASTIC ASS IS A GOSSIP SHOW. all that loser does is go on her show for 30 minutes, talks about stuff like: Kobe Bryant, Scott Peterson, Whacko Jacko!. if you watched her, you would see no politics on either side.

whats the silliest is that O'Lierry actually says that hes unbiased. a couple years ago i think it was found out that he was registered as a republican... he said it must have been a filing mistake. whens the last time you were accidently registered as a republican?

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:17 pm: Edit

" the silliest is that O'Lierry actually says that hes unbiased. a couple years ago i think it was found out that he was registered as a republican... he said it must have been a filing mistake. whens the last time you were accidently registered as a republican?"

So... if you are a republican news anchor, that makes you biased. If you are a democrat or an independant, like Ted Koppel, that makes you the pinnacle of journalistic excellence. Give me a break.

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:29 pm: Edit

i dont watch ted koppel so i have no idear.

oreilly shouts down liberal guests, and then doesnt let them eat snacks in the greenroom. cool guy.

ps - are you claiming oreilly is fair and balanced, or did you just make a baseless arguement?

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:31 pm: Edit

Chris matthews shouts down conservative guests, and then doesn't let them eat snacks in the greenroom. Cool guy.

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:34 pm: Edit

P.S. your reading comprehension is sub-par.

I never said o'Reilly is balanced. I said your idea that "O'Reilly was biased because he is a republican" was ridiculous considering that most news reporters are either republican or democrat or independant. Therefore, according to your logic, NOTHING is fair and balanced.

P.S.S. I watch CNN, NBC, and FOX to get a wide variety of viewpoints.

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:45 pm: Edit

"O'Reilly was biased because he is a republican"

i didnt say that... PS - YOUR READING COMPREHENSION IS SUB-SUB-PAR

also, do you have anything to back up your chris matthews comment, or is that just how you roll..

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:49 pm: Edit

"whats the silliest is that O'Lierry actually says that hes unbiased. a couple years ago i think it was found out that he was registered as a republican... he said it must have been a filing mistake. whens the last time you were accidently registered as a republican?"

Read your own post very carefully. you said O'reilly is a republican. You also said that his show, like most of Fox's shows, are clearly biased towards liberals. You accuse him of being biased and NOT fair to liberal guests.

And I have to ask you, have you ever seen the Chris Matthews show? Have you ever seen him shout down conservative guests? Maybe you are to jaded with the illusion that your liberal media friends are too perfect and too noble for that. Maybe you should get a clue and watch the show.

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:50 pm: Edit

"whats the silliest is that O'Lierry actually says that hes unbiased. a couple years ago i think it was found out that he was registered as a republican."


You complain that O'reilly is a republican and is unfair. You imply that he is soo biased because he is a republican. Then let me ask you something, do you consider Democrat (i.e. franken and matthews) hosts to be unfair too? Because according to your logic, yes they would be. And further, NOBODY is completely unbiased considering that everybody has their own political point of view.

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:57 pm: Edit

P.S. Taffy,

Were you by chance ever involved in a chili-cookout a few years ago?

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 11:05 pm: Edit

you made up a quote, out of something i implied... whatever.

franken is really liberal/leftbiased yeah, and i dont watch matthews the guy just annoys me too much.

and when everybody on the fox "news" channel is right wing, that would be a right wing biased, as opposed to a station that has people from both sides as commentators.

and no, no chili-con-carnival for me.

By Vancat (Vancat) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 11:31 pm: Edit

no, i didn't make up a quote. I put those in parenthesis because thats essentially what you were implying. And you just admitted to it yourself.

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 11:41 pm: Edit

ok then. so you used quotes to summarize something you believe i implied

is there some joke about the chili-con-carnival or were you serious?

By Taffy (Taffy) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 11:44 pm: Edit

also, heres something interesting to consider, adding to this thread:

if Fox's mottos werent "Fair and Balanced", "We Report, You Decide" and "The No Spin Zone", would the following numbers be the same? would the "no bias" number decrease?

FOX - 38 say no bias
7 Kerry bias
34 Bush bias

By Megofou (Megofou) on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 11:50 pm: Edit

Anyone who has a chance...watch "Outfoxed". Our professor showed it today in Sociology and I wasn't really surprised after hearing so many things about news bias in the past...but it was interesting.

By Shortcakefairy (Shortcakefairy) on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 01:45 am: Edit

News World International is a good source for world news =)!

I want to be a travelling broadcast journalist one day, so i play close attention to this type of stuff.

it's a branch of CBC (canadian broadcasting corporation)

and even though i think they are anti Bush..they have AMAZING documentaries and foreign assignments about issues and places we don't hear enough about whether it'd be the Sudan, Thailand, Libya, or Venezuela.

their news is dividied with: Overall global news..and then "German Journal" (news with a European perspective..."CBC Assignment" (canadian news)...NHI Japan (Asian news) and even though they don't have African news...lots of their documentaries are devoted to issues affecting the continent.

like the BBC,NWI is pretty pro-Kerry. (they keep acting as if Bush is responsible for the swift boat ads ors omething and they never mention the CBS document scandal for some odd reason) they do give a LITTLE pro-American/ Anti-UN perspective when disucssing humanitarian crises.

So that balances out my viewing of Fox News Channel for political commentary purposes ... but i still stand by my opinion that it does not deserve to be called "biased" or "bad" becuase if you call FNC biased...i would hope you would recognize that the vast majority of the media is liberal-leaning.

By Squiddd (Squiddd) on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Vancat: Despite if he is republican or not (I agree that has nothing to do with bias or not as news man) O'Reilly IS biased. He's also mean, no cruel to some guests that are absolutely undeserving. I don't mean left wingers like Moore or Franken; they can handle themselves and O'Reilly has every right to get aggressive with the other big boys. But he is mean and cruel to non-celebrity guests that he invites on such as: a homosexual boy discriminated against at his highschool, the atheist boy scout, and a very liberal man whose parents were killed in 9/11. He's just a jerk.
ALso, Taffy's point was that there is actually documentation of O'Reilly not letting certain guests eat in the green room. Maybe it's not true, but Taffy wasn't pulling that out of his butt.

By Vancat (Vancat) on Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 08:10 pm: Edit

NO kidding I never said O'Reilly was NOT biased. I was complaining about Taffy's reasoning, which implies that he thinks all republican reporters are biased.

By Northwestlover (Northwestlover) on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 12:37 am: Edit

most trusted news network? Comedy Central's Daily Show, of course. it's fake news, but it's most trusted....

But I don't know, from my point of view, that show bit biased to liberal group, but what do you think?