WSJ: The Vast Left-Wing Media Conspiracy

[Thiebear]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704684604575381083191313448.html

When I'm talking to people from outside Washington, one question inevitably comes up: Why is the media so liberal? The question often reflects a suspicion that members of the press get together and decide on a story line that favors liberals and Democrats and denigrates conservatives and Republicans.

My response has usually been to say, yes, there's liberal bias in the media, but there's no conspiracy. The liberal tilt is an accident of nature. The media disproportionately attracts people from a liberal arts background who tend, quite innocently, to be politically liberal. If they came from West Point or engineering school, this wouldn't be the case.

Now, after learning I'd been targeted for a smear attack by a member of an online clique of liberal journalists, I'm inclined to amend my response. Not to say there's a media conspiracy, but at least to note that hundreds of journalists have gotten together, on an online listserv called JournoList, to promote liberalism and liberal politicians at the expense of traditional journalism.

My guess is that this and other revelations about JournoList will deepen the distrust of the national press. True, participants in the online clubhouse appear to hail chiefly from the media's self-identified left wing. But its founder, Ezra Klein, is a prominent writer for the Washington Post. Mr. Klein shut down JournoList last month—a wise decision.

It's thanks to Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller website that we know something about JournoList, though the emails among the liberal journalists were meant to be private. (Mr. Carlson hasn't revealed how he obtained the emails.) In June, the Daily Caller disclosed a series of JournoList musings by David Weigel, then a Washington Post blogger assigned to cover conservatives. His emails showed he loathes conservatives, and he was subsequently fired.

more at link

I agree that certain jobs attract certain type personalities.

The 24x7 news cycle really attributes to this also: It's time that needs filled to keep the commericials and cash, so you see the same 4 hours repeating all day every day.

From What i've seen:

Liberal T.V. and Newspapers all spin the same stuff with quite a few journalist professors its seems.

Republican Radio and Breibart/newsmax/drudge/ online and Fox news all spin the same stuff with the Examiner in my area.

I used to agree that Most Republican offenders were commentators and most Democrat offenders seem to be reporters and anchors. But I can't tell the difference between the two in the last 5 years.

hundreds of journalists have gotten together, on an online listserv called JournoList,

Hundreds writing the same slant is not cool... Whats the point of "journalism" if they are acting in sync..

nobody could stand up to that...

We need to go back to the hour long news shows a couple times a day.

(and get off my lawn).

LOTS of Partial Quotes.

http://dailycaller.com/2010/07/22/when-mccain-picked-palin-liberal-journalists-coordinated-the-best-line-of-attack/2/

the link to another link that shows collaboration...

“Okay, let’s get deadly serious, folks. Grating voice or not, ‘inexperienced’ or not, Sarah Palin’s just been introduced to the country as a brave, above-party, oil-company-bashing, pork-hating maverick ‘outsider’,” Kilgore said, “What we can do is to expose her ideology.”

http://dailycaller.com/2010/07/20/documents-show-media-plotting-to-kill-stories-about-rev-jeremiah-wright/

Another having people on the list attacking ABC and others on the Wright issue.

Thomas Schaller, a columnist for the Baltimore Sun as well as a political science professor, upped the ante from there. In a post with the subject header, “why don’t we use the power of this list to do something about the debate?” Schaller proposed coordinating a “smart statement expressing disgust” at the questions Gibson and Stephanopoulos had posed to Obama.

“It would create quite a stir, I bet, and be a warning against future behavior of the sort,” Schaller wrote.

Journolist members signed the statement and released it April 18, calling the debate “a revolting descent into tabloid journalism and a gross disservice to Americans concerned about the great issues facing the nation and the world.”

http://dailycaller.com/2010/07/21/obama-wins-and-journolisters-rejoice/

NSFW - Language

[Bang]

While there has been a slant in the media before, the degree and venom that thye right claims it exists is staggering. The fact that so many on the right now only trust ONE source for their "news" is a bad thing, especially since that source manipulates them so much.

I simply cannot respect anyone who believes the best way to combat bias is with the same (if not worse) deceptions and propaganda.

The best way to combat it is with truth, and no one wants truth anymore. they just want truth according to their beliefs. People only want truth that conforms to what they already believe.

The media is dead as a source of information. It has been so successfully demonized that it has now been co-opted by the political movements in this country who pushed for their annexation, and got it. That has rendered 95% of it suspect at best, and straight out sinister at worst.

Demand truth people. Turn off the friggin' TV and stop, for cryin out loud STOP PRETENDING that one side or one network gives you unbiased news. They don't. Stop being such a ****ing sucker.

~Bang

[Kilmer17]

The Journolist scandal is at it's infancy.

[@DCGoldPants]

People should read up on the Newspaper wars of Ben Franklin's time.

[polywog999]

I really think that the whole thing is a myth.

I was arguing with my friend (who is a Republican) about this and I told her, that I cannot believe the amount of Liberal bashing I see in the mainstream media. She replied, "well, they deserve it" I said fine, maybe they do, but that kind of solidifies my point, doesn't it? For every story about GW's "Bushisms" there is another about Al Gore inventing the internet.

I think there is a lot of progressive ideology in the media in general, but that does not fall squarely on the Libs; the Neo-cons are also to blame.

While the Conservatives sometimes do not see this, I am convinced, that as a people we are highly progressive and this is often construed as "Liberal."

[Larry]

When I'm talking to people from outside Washington, one question inevitably comes up: Why is the media so liberal?

Funny. I live outside Washington. Have done so for 30 years.

And the only time I've ever heard that question is (for the last 30 years) when I'm listening to intentional right-wing propagandists, or (in the last few years) from ES posters who think that intentional right-wing propaganda is Good.

[Kilmer17]

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/541156/201007211852/The-Smoking-Gun-For-Media-Bias.aspx

The Smoking Gun For Media Bias

Posted 07/21/2010 06:52 PM ET

Journo-Gate: For decades, moderates and conservatives have been derided and ridiculed for complaining about the mainstream media's pervasive liberal bias. As it turns out, however, their worst fears were true.

If you don't know about Journolist, you should. It's a semi-secret listserv maintained by Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein. Don't bother to try to log on. If they want you, they'll ask you to take part. No outsiders need apply.

And who uses it? Almost exclusively liberal journalists and left-leaning movers and shakers. Sound innocuous? It isn't.

Journolist has become a forum for lefty journalists to talk about how to push their progressive agenda on America, protect President Obama and hurt his foes. It is a safe-space for the often-vile expression of hatred toward conservatives and their ideas.

more....

[Thiebear]

Like i said earlier: You can't stand up against a coordinated attack like this.

Getting Marching orders while being a journalist should be scary to all and thats why it was shut down..

Yes, this is where you can put in the Rush/Hannity/Savage/Coulter/Beck/OReilly/Newsmax... people should be required to actually OWN their stories and there should be Self imposed Media fines for the Breibart stupidity.

[Beans]

Any Reuter's article screams shill. It's pathetic.

News is propaganda. There is almost always spin, insinuations, power of suggestion, and subliminal messages encoded in every article we read.

[jpyaks3]

I remember when the Wall Street Journal used to be a respected publication. Now they print absolute trash in the opinion pages. This is not really any different. I don't think that Mr. Barnes understands what a listserv is or how it works. A lot of people post a lot of things on a listserv and those don't stand as marching orders or whatever Mr. Barnes is claiming. Its pretty damn easy to pick single post or single excerpt take it out of context and run with it as something its not (I am looking at you Breitbart) and I think this is nothing different. Its just a shame that the WSJ went from a respectable if right leaning publication to a rag in the span of a few short years.

[jpyaks3]

Here is a response

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/07/first_time_as_tragedy_second_t_1.html

The other piece of evidence in yesterday's story was a public letter signed by 41 members of Journolist protesting ABC News's conduct during one of the presidential primary debate. You may remember this one. Greg Mitchell, of Editor and Publisher (and not a member of Journolist), called it a "shameful night for US media." On Journolist, Tom Schaller, a professor of political science at the University of Maryland, wrote an angry letter and asked people if they'd like to sign it. Then the letter was posted in public. You can read it here. Some conspiracy.

....

Which brings us to the Daily Caller. There might be some interesting stories to write about a trove of 25,000+ e-mails -- though, in reality, most of them would say something like "lots of people have lots of different opinions" -- but their approach has been to cherrypick the few snippets that support the most sensational headlines, and then attribute them to "Journolist," or "journalists," as opposed to whichever specific person is being quoted.

[Burgold]

Getting Marching orders while being a journalist should be scary to all and thats why it was shut down..

.

Just to put it out there. I have never been given marching orders or never told to tell a story a certain way. In my experience it hasn't happened. No one has ever tried to rig a story. In fact, when I've worked on stories that were more controversial, usually they get an editional editor or two to proof it to make sure that we have been as fairly and covered the issue as completely as possible.

Now, when at the press club, I have heard from other reporters that they have been told that a story needs to read a certain way and were told to re-write a story to emphasize a certain ideologic perspective. I don't think I need to tell you which network those reporters were with. To their benefit, they were miserable about it. To their detriment, they were cowed and went along with it. And no, I won't name names.

[jpyaks3]

Also did Barnes forget about this

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200902110016

Caught red-handed using GOP talking points, Fox caves with apology ... for typo

February 11, 2009 2:24 pm ET

Yesterday, Media Matters noted:

In purporting to "take a look back" at how the economic recovery plan "grew, and grew, and grew," Fox News' Jon Scott referenced seven dates, as on-screen graphics cited various news sources from those time periods -- all of which came directly from a Senate Republican Communications Center press release. A Fox News on-screen graphic even reproduced a typo contained in the Republican press release.

My, how a day of criticism from media critics and progressive bloggers changes things – even at Fox News. Today, Scott offered... an apology of sorts (emphasis added):

Yesterday on Happening Now we showed you how the stimulus bill has grown over time. Our story prompted by a news release from the Senate Republican Communication Center. There point that a $56 billion proposal in September has grown to $838 billion in five months. In compiling the story, our producers and researchers did what we always do -- we verified the accuracy of the material. But in double checking the newspaper quotes referenced in that news release we made the same mistake they did. We labeled a Wall Street Journal article as having run in 2009 when in fact it was 2008. That was our error, and we apologize.

Of course, I’m kidding.

See what Scott does there? He apologizes, not for passing along a one-sided argument made in a Senate Republican Communications Center’s press release as Fox News’ original reporting, but for reporting the typo.

In his initial report, Scott didn’t tell his audience that the citations in his report were based entirely on a press release from the Senate Republicans – a fact he glosses over in his half-hearted apology for the typo.

I’d question Fox News’ journalistic integrity; that is of course if they had any to question in the first place.

[stanleys]

So the leftists covering for this disgusting act has boiled down to:

Journalists would never do this but right wing ones do it too?

[jpyaks3]

So the leftists covering for this disgusting act has boiled down to:

Journalists would never do this but right wing ones do it too?

No I am pointing out that apparently the author doesn't know what a listserv is and posting one or two posts from that doesn't indicate a "vast left wing conspiracy" no matter how much he wants it to.

Although he does entirely ignore Fox News directly copying Senate Republican talking points word for word.

[Wrong Direction]

Great...another ideological peeing match over who's worse.

I've got news for you...this type of stuff is pervasive. The all use each other's talking points and coordinate. Many do exactly what Breitbart did and take things out of context (some left wing website was just busted showing a tea party racist, only to omit that he was being heckled by actual tea partiers and told to leave...implying he was a plant in the first place).

Either way, the holier than thou stuff should stop. Call them all out because they're all conflicted.

[hkHog]

Just to put it out there. I have never been given marching orders or never told to tell a story a certain way. In my experience it hasn't happened. No one has ever tried to rig a story. In fact, when I've worked on stories that were more controversial, usually they get an editional editor or two to proof it to make sure that we have been as fairly and covered the issue as completely as possible.

Now, when at the press club, I have heard from other reporters that they have been told that a story needs to read a certain way and were told to re-write a story to emphasize a certain ideologic perspective. I don't think I need to tell you which network those reporters were with. To their benefit, they were miserable about it. To their detriment, they were cowed and went along with it. And no, I won't name names.

This is just the argument that you and your colleagues have come up with to deflect negative attention! Stop rigging ES!

[mardi gras skin]

Ezra Klein is slimy. He gives me the Rush Limbaugh vibe. If they're talking, they're lying.

[NoCalMike]

The entire "media is liberal" myth is merely put out there by the right-wing noise machine in order to make people stop watching actual news and just start listening to opinion shows featured on Fox and right-wing radio.

Just look at the handling of the media story from the lady that just lost her job. How did MSNBC or CNN handle it any different than FOX, initially? They didn't. They ran with the same sensationalistic BS that FOX did. The only difference is after the truth came out, those networks apologized, while FOX continued to spin the story and blame others as usual.

It's not liberal vs. conservative. It is News & Reporting vs. Opinion/Entertainment.

[Hubbs]

Any Reuter's article screams shill. It's pathetic.

News is propaganda. There is almost always spin, insinuations, power of suggestion, and subliminal messages encoded in every article we read.

Um... Reuters articles scream "shill"? Really? The only reason Reuters isn't the most boring, just-the-facts-ma'am news outlet in existence is because the AP is around to hold that title.

[Thiebear]

There are plenty of examples of collaboration in detail

How many do you need?

And it was invite only Burgold... you have to show shill to be invited.. you apparently didn't give off the vibe.. or have a friend with the ring.

[DCsportsfan53]

Bang, I agree 110% with your comments. Legitimate, unfiltered or unbiased news sources seem to be so far and few between these days it's unreal. I still think NPR does a solid job, they certainly try to make a point of presenting both sides and leaving the conclusion up to the listener. But that's about it. It really falls in line with my way of thinking regarding our country today, in general. Both parties serve the same general purpose (and hint, it ain't got anything to do with average Americans) and the media on both sides is complacent in that and takes their cut. It just amazes me constantly and how successful the two together are at driving the population towards narrow, specific issues, particularly emotional and difficult ones with black and white answers. It kills me how often people get elected on things that have NOTHING to do with our everyday lives or the business of running the country.

[Smoot Point Really]

If Palin were liberal (homely & androgynous), these journalists would be loving her no matter what she said.

[HokieSkinsFan]

Virtually all of the "news" (infotainment really) media in this country is corporate controlled, and thus tilts right. Most of it is center-right, and Fox News is far right.

[Larry]

Bang, I agree 110% with your comments. Legitimate, unfiltered or unbiased news sources seem to be so far and few between these days it's unreal.

The Daily Show.