Running Head: MEDIA BIAS ESSAY Media Bias Essay Qwenada Moore US/VA Government Running Head: MEDIA BIAS ESSAY The media has always played an influential role in informing the people. They have evolved since the beginnings of yellow journalism, both positively and negatively. Although the intent of the media is to supply information to the people, they oftentimes eject their opinions onto the public. These opinions affect the way news is conveyed. Media bias shows the contrast between opposing views while providing many viewpoints. The American media informs the people while interjecting their views to promote their own agenda. Liberal and conservative bias causes the media to put emphasis on certain issues more than others. When CNN covered the Las Vegas shooting, they showed the prices of the guns and the websites where they are sold (Cooper, 2017). CNN purposely did this to show how easily accessible these guns are online. This was done to stress the idea that gun control laws are needed to prevent anyone from gaining access to guns this easily. Showing the affordability and convenience if these guns was a way for CNN to inform the viewers while pushing their liberal views on gun control. CNN also interviewed the wife of a victim of the Las Vegas shooting (Cooper, 2017). CNN used this interview to appeal to emotion so that people would reconsider their stance on gun control in favor of this. When FOX News was covering the Las Vegas shooting, a headline appeared that stated that the shooter had several background checks in the past (Carlson, 2017). This headline was broadcasted to debunk the idea that background checks lower the chances of mass shootings. Since FOX News is a conservative news media outlet, this supports their conservative belief that gun control laws should not be enacted. Headlines like this allow FOX News to subtly push their ideas onto their viewers without coming off as forceful. The headline “How Gun Control Failed In Australia” was on FOX News during the Las Vegas shooting coverage (Carlson, 2017). They are using another country as an example to back up their opinion on gun control. The New York Times published an article on bump stocks that Running Head: MEDIA BIAS ESSAY included comparisons of gunshot rates from different mass shootings (Buchanan et al., 2017). These statistics were stated in the article to stress the severity of this particular mass shooting. This encourages readers to think of gun control as a great way to reduce instances such as this. This article indirectly pushes The New York Times’ liberal views on readers without talking about gun control. A Washington Times article stated that FBI data from 2014 showed that “more than 2,500 prohibited persons were able to buy a gun. (Morton, 2017)” This statistic pushes the idea that gun control will not stop bad people from getting guns, which is a conservative view. Liberal and conservative bias directly affect how news is conveyed to the people in the media. In news media outlets, anchors and authors inform the public in a way that allows them to promote their views. On FOX News, Tucker Carlson (2017) states that making automatic guns illegal is not going to do anything. Tucker Carlson is clearly inputting his views into the news coverage, which creates bias. Carson openly shares his views and opinions which shows the bias that has already been created. One of the New York Times articles referred to gun control as “common-sense gun restrictions (Stolberg and Alcindor, 2017).” The words “common-sense” give gun control a positive connotation. The author is trying to make gun control look like a smart idea to convince the viewers as well. The idea that gun control is needed supports The New York Times liberal views. Anchors and authors use their platform to push their own agendas while informing the public. Opposing views in the media have allowed viewers to get different perspectives of the news. Opinions always play a factor in how the news is presented to sway the viewers. Although the intent of the media is to inform, bias is still incorporated into the information given to the public. Most news media outlets have a political stance that affects how the information is Running Head: MEDIA BIAS ESSAY delivered to persuade people. The media provides information to the public while pushing their own agenda to promote their opinions. Running Head: MEDIA BIAS ESSAY References Buchanan, L., et all (2017, October). What Is a Bump Stock And How Does It Work? The New York Times. Retrieved from https://nytimes.com Carlson, T. (2017, October). Tucker Carlson Tonight. FOX News. Cooper, A. (2017, October). Anderson Cooper 360. CNN News. Morton, V. (2017, October). Blumenthal Seizes Opportunity After Las Vegas Attack to Push Gun Control Measure. The Washington Times. Retrieved from www.washingtontimes.com Stolberg, S., & Alcindor, Y. (2017, October). Democrats Bemoan Congress’s Inaction on Guns: ‘We Are Stuck’. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://nytimes.com
