Being informed is a key part of day-to-day life and as a result, news outlets and social media are big staples in modern society. However, not all media outlets are created equal. Some sources tend to favor certain issues more than others and all of them have at least some bias in their reports and articles. However, biases aren’t always easy to detect, especially within news outlets. With that being said, here are some helpful ways to consume accurate news and avoid bias in the media.
Point of View:
One of the main steps that you could take is to check what these sources are reporting on and what angle they’re taking. For instance, NBC News is taking a more democratic and liberal approach in their articles, as they publish stories of the wrongdoings of the actions taken by certain people and businesses. While on the other end, the Washington Times takes a more
republican and conservative approach, often mentioning the good work those same people have done and contributed to our lives. Both of these sources have bias in them and it’s presented in their lack of acknowledgment towards both perspectives of the story, instead only picking the side that they align more strongly with.
Trigger Words:
Another way to identify bias is with any adjectives used to describe certain actions and people. These “trigger words” are often put in articles because of a predisposition towards a certain side of the political scale. Trigger words can vary from extreme adjectives, such as “devastating” or “dastardly”, to simple and subtle words like the names of politicians or celebrities. Words like these are considered trigger words because they evoke strong both positive and negative emotions in viewers and readers. Trigger words are used even outside of the media, such as in polls and surveys in order to skew results or create emotionally driven responses.
Stereotypes:
Finally, a few more ways to spot bias in the media are to check for any stereotypes and assumptions that aren’t being challenged. These stereotypes are often the primary cause of a lot of the current social issues, especially when put in a place that is so highly valued and depended on by the public. These stereotypes appear in the form of skewed coverage, for instance when the first drug spike hit in the 90’s, most media sites were covering African American drug abuse, although white people were the primary abusers of drugs at the time. This skewed coverage can lead to the racial divides that we see today as people are swayed into believing that certain negatives fit certain demographics.
To be clear, although the example used was in reference to the 90’s, bias still exists today. The strategies previously mentioned can help to avoid misinformation and better your experience when it comes to gathering information. Despite this, it is important to note that no media outlet is entirely bias-free, so be sure to keep this in mind when researching global, or even local events online.
