Friday, December 09, 2005
Bias
There is hardly a day goes by that the media is'nt being accused of left wing bias. Ironically enough this accusation often comes from newspapers (media?) that feature syndicated columnists like Cal Thomas and Bill O'Reilly, not to mention their own assorted right wing 'bards'. Who's kidding who here?
First of all, there is no doubt that many newspapers and television journalists
lean to-ward a liberal agenda, but certainly not all. Anybody hear of Rush Limbough? My favorite newspaper, The Gwinnett Daily Post, editorally conservative as it is, has always been fair in alloting those of us who swing to a different political tune, a voice in the letters to the editor column. At least up until recently it did. Lately positive responses to right wing Columnists like Bill O'Reilly have dominated the page and letters critical of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq have been few and far between. It is to be expected that newspapers whose owners are in the conservative camp will slant their editorials in that direction, but biased newspapers, of one political stripe or another, have no business calling the kettle black when accusing other media outlets of doing the same thing. I don't really care one way or the other. Most Americans will reach their own conclusions about who's right and who's wrong about issues that concern them. My personal beef is with my newspaper, that could always be counted on to allow its readers the opportunity to play 'devils advocate' in its letters to the editor column, even if it conflicted with the views of the editorial staff. At least up until recently it did.
George Morin
Auburn
First of all, there is no doubt that many newspapers and television journalists
lean to-ward a liberal agenda, but certainly not all. Anybody hear of Rush Limbough? My favorite newspaper, The Gwinnett Daily Post, editorally conservative as it is, has always been fair in alloting those of us who swing to a different political tune, a voice in the letters to the editor column. At least up until recently it did. Lately positive responses to right wing Columnists like Bill O'Reilly have dominated the page and letters critical of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq have been few and far between. It is to be expected that newspapers whose owners are in the conservative camp will slant their editorials in that direction, but biased newspapers, of one political stripe or another, have no business calling the kettle black when accusing other media outlets of doing the same thing. I don't really care one way or the other. Most Americans will reach their own conclusions about who's right and who's wrong about issues that concern them. My personal beef is with my newspaper, that could always be counted on to allow its readers the opportunity to play 'devils advocate' in its letters to the editor column, even if it conflicted with the views of the editorial staff. At least up until recently it did.
George Morin
Auburn
