Something funny is happening, and it bears mention. While identifying, cataloguing, and objectively measuring media bias is hard, since the target is moving, snapshots tell a story.
In broad terms, President Trump has gone head-to-head – as no president in modern history – with the media, confronting the unending barrage of inaccurate, twisted, intentionally misdirected, misinterpreted, and politically motivated stories.
With more stomach for calling out bias, hypocrisy, and media mischief than most, he hits it every day. That he can do so is a testament to his determination, stamina, and insistence on fair treatment – not just for himself, but for others.
That he has a point, after four years, is beyond question. A 2019 analysis of network coverage – including ABC, CBS, and NBC coverage from 2017 onward – concluded coverage was overwhelmingly negative. “In 2018 alone, coverage was 90 percent negative,” and that was with a roaring economy, tax cuts, border security, Chinese deal, foreign policy victories.
The Media Research Center assessed that hostility grew in 2019. Every American not blind to history, context, and bias could see attacks escalate in 2020. By example, one analysis noted, “out of 684 evaluative comments included in these [network] broadcasts … 96 percent have been negative versus … four percent …positive.”
The impeachment gambit, which ironically elevated Trump’s popularity as due process was ditched, increased negative coverage. After Pelosi turned impeachment on in September 2019, network newscasts drooled to relive Watergate.
Russia collusion and Ukraine news were the rage, talking heads brushing up on Latin with “quid pro quo.” In six weeks of impeachment, more than three-fifths of network news on Trump (645 minutes) pushed scandal.
Incredibly, negative interpretations of ending ISIS, killing two notorious terrorist leaders, confronting Iranian nuclear weapons, stopping North Korea’s missile launches, calling out China on economic, political, and military illegalities, dominated also.
Negative twists on Trump’s targeting inveterate killers of Americans, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Qasem Soleimani, are hard to imagine – but occurred. The Washington Post and CNN went so far as to fawn. Said CNN, quoting one analyst, Soleimani’s “soldiers loved him … a quiet, charismatic guy, a strategic genius …” Yes, too bad Trump ended the run of terror. See, https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/03/asia/soleimani-profile-intl-hnk/index.html.
Assessing coverage of the President, one report indicates two-thirds of all media statements on him have been negative. Can you imagine similar treatment, say, for Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, Clinton, or – mercy be – Obama? See, e.g., https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/michael-van-der-galien/2019/11/13/media-bias-tv-networks-blast-trump-with-96-negative-news-n70386
As the 2020 election cycle heated up, Russia collusion and impeachment bottomed out. The media hunted a damning story – one to politicize. They needed a narrative, and COVID-19 provided it. Conveniently, it ended the roaring economy, allowed them to join Democrats in blaming Trump.
Even that strategy, however, cratered. As a thoughtful commentator noted, “The most dangerous flaw in the modern news media is their now-constant vulnerability of becoming deeply invested in a particular narrative at the very start of a large story, and then having the ensuing tunnel vision prevent them from adjusting their reporting as new facts become available.”
The commentator was addressing media obsession with coronavirus “new cases,” which is a dead end that has no logical, empirical, or sustainable connection to Trump, as medical experts confirm. Still, the idea is to paint Trump with blame, and keep painting until something new.
Notably, this obsessive anti-Trump reporting is creating undue fear, based on one-sided data and underreported recoveries. In the process, media outlets are “sabotaging America’s recovery from this crisis.” See, https://nypost.com/2020/07/06/media-is-obsessed-with-covid-cases-but-death-rate-is-what-is-important/.
Amplifying errors, social media – including online video-sharing – keeps misleading narratives alive, and a British study found “four-fifths” of social media channels “sharing coronavirus news and information were maintained by professional news outlets,” thus giving bullhorn treatment to their bias. In the process, health news was “politicized.” Most Americans noticed. See, https://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/coronavirus-information-youtube/.
But all this confirms intuition. The media misreported on Trump from the outset and gave a pass to political detractors. They were offended that he called them out. They squirmed.
That brings us to this weekend. Mainstream media outlets continue to laud Joe Biden, but even that is getting old. So is COVID-19. They still need to stop Trump’s reelection, undermine his irrepressible patriotism, love of free markets and individual liberty.
Here is where it gets funny, in a “have they no shame?” way. For months, frontpage news was coronavirus deaths, subtext that it was Trump’s fault. Biden says “every death” is on Trump. While rubbish, this has been the top story, above the fold for months.
Now, suddenly, Ruth Bader Ginsberg dies – and the Supreme Court may go 6-3 to Republican. That could restore textual fidelity to the Constitution, reverse decades of judicial activism. The stakes are high for socialists. The press – and every Democrat campaign – is suddenly worried.
So what happens? Guess what – COVID-19 is page 16 news. If that does not give the lie to months of hysteria and pin-it-on-Trump mania, one is hard pressed to find better evidence. On an anecdotal basis, some numbers.
On September 20, two days after Ginsberg passed and Trump announced he is preparing to nominate, COVID-19 news is less significant than the weather. On NBC, of 64 top stories, seven were coronavirus, all bottom of page. On CNN, of top 55 stories, five were coronavirus. On CBS, of 42 top stories, seven mentioned it, all bottom of page. On ABC, of top 83, 11 touched virus, most tipped against Trump. Everything has turned to Supreme Court.
So, what does the anecdotal data suggest? Just this: The media is on a mission, to discredit Trump. When COVID-19, economic struggles, and Trump discouraging “panic” was all they have – they ran with it, made it fire and fury.
Heaven forbid a real story pops, that threaten the leftist agenda. Trump could realign the Supreme Court. He might set up a reversal of Roe v. Wade. Suddenly, COVID-19 vanishes.
Moments like this, when what was supposed to dominate gets pushed aside, tell us more than statistics. What suddenly looks like a threat to Democrat power gets top billing.
In a nutshell, media bias is hard to perpetually authenticate, although good people try. Sometimes a single day’s pivot tells you what you need to know: The mainstream media are on a mission, and it is not fair and balanced, objective or respectful. It is tilted, tainted, sometimes torrid, and increasingly anti-Trump. You knew it, and now they have proved it – in spades.
Do the research, RBG’s “death” is a hoax perpetratuated by the dummocrats! Can’t believe this site I once trusted believes this garbage fed to us by the antifa loving libtards
RBG is on one of Epstein’s islands near Mallta, it’s true she got sick but she is being treated with adrenochrome and will be back in October. Many people have confirmed all this from the latest Q dump or you just need to find the right videos
Did same for the riots, ALL Wuhan virus day 1 then George Floyd then riots & slow news keep Wuhan virus active. & same Court pick again.
Maybe Wuhan virus a joke hoax, Never see enough “real” victims or using actors for roles
OR do U like being “played” day 1
Now we have Protests against lockdowns & masks since Lockdowns COST more than virus
America is blessed to have President Trump and Vice President Pence! We would be in a very sad place by now without those 2 strong men.
God Bless America!
Right on the money reportage!
The socialist party is like a ship without a rudder, goes here and there with no clue as to how to get anywhere, where they have been and what to do once they arrive. It’s Wednesday morning so I am sure by this afternoon they will conjure up some disgusting lie to try and take down our Constitution.
Hate is dangerous. Not really for President Trump. For the left.
Hate is the driver of all the verbiage proffered by the STUPIDS of the left. Even the FBI and the DOJ are still advancing the Deep State stupidity.
The American Electorate who installed Mister TRUMP on the greatest seat in the Nation is so much smarter than all the fascist antifa, all the socialist/marxist fascist “blm”, all the murdering feminists, all the uneducated gun-carrier felons and criminals put together.
The American Electorate has one way to defeat the leftist stupid haters.
The surprise is coming. Polls are so easy to challenge. Remember 2016???????
Love President Ttump. He is a fighter!
The question remains; Will we continue to allow Progressive Socialists to control US through a Progressive media, or do we seek out and react based on reality and truth? We need to act according to what is being done, not what is being claimed by media.
I am sick of the demoncrats. Everyone of them plus the RINOs like Mitt, the hypocrite needs to be voted out. A number of them should be charged with treason.
In our opinion Potus Trump is more like Reagan in his decisions. We like the way he gigs the networks. And he is right on concerning all of the fake news. The idiots have tried to lay the blame for all the bad happenings on him. He has really let all nations know that the USA comes first . To hades with all the de centers.
Well said, God Bless President Trump and VP Mike Pence. America needs to defeat the Marxist Democrats and restore America to greatness.
All truth, President Trump is doing a fantastic job. What I do not understand is the constant mantra of media bias. I like to call it media prejudice. Anyway, I think it’s time to stop complaining and do something about it. I know there are Republican supporters with big money out there somewhere. They need to get together and buy controlling interest in at least one of the 3 pathetic networks. Then they can fire the lefties and achieve some balance. Not sure why this was never thought of or acted on by any conservatives.
There should be a purge in the media to get rid of the anti-Americans. The freedom of speech goes only with fair reporting. Most of the media has not protected anything other than their own slanted view of the world. Those people who listen to that garbage have already consumed the cool aid and may be beyond hope. Wouldn’t it be novel for the media to report anything that brings the country together?
DEMONcrats must try to ruin America so President Trump can be blamed and inPEACHED again. They are Psychotic, Paranoid, Habitual-Pathological LIARS! What can we expect from those creatures of darkness. But, there is some good news: REVELATION 21:8…..ALL LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone…
The MEDIOTS , because of short news cycles, can only do “news du jour.” There is no real reporting only reacting. Who can be first with the most outlandish version of a happening. More commentary than reporting. Real reporting is too difficult. As most media outlets daily indicate ‘We’ll tell you all you need to know.” Tear POTUS down. My over cliche’d remark is that “POTUS” will say oxygen is good for you and the mediots will try to get you to believe that it will kill you. KAG/MAGA/KAF 2020
I agree with Denise – this country, if it had been in continued democratic hands, would be in the bottom of a very dark sink hole! This is the VERY reason Nixon resigned…he didn’t want to put the country through this scenario. He gets forever burned by the FALSE “history”. The press has met their match in Trump. They have already lost the public – we now KNOW they are just blowing steam and raking in money with polarizing, fake, demonizing, and purely liberal talk, writing and even in TV “sit coms”…media is so disgusting and anti-truth but, the general public knows that and some of us even pay attention to what they say for a GOOD LAUGH…like reading the funny payers…some are really funny and other ones are dumb and then some solicit the reaction “why did they even publish this, it is SO DUMB”! .
Way to shine the light on media bias!
NOW is the time for Real Citizens to take back the direction of Our Country.
We the People are in charge politicians work FOR Us!
Turning the court Conservative will restore Our freedom, protect Our Constitution, and rid America of the destructive policies of democrats and the socialist left.
AMEN.
President Trump deserves another term,he has done EVERYTHING he promised!
It may be as simple as not giving the President an avenue to bury Gropin’ Joe with the truth. Sleazy Chris Wallace doesn’t want to give the President the floor to out the lies of the Dims.
Absolutely. Any person with a functional brain has known this since he came down the escalator.
As if they would set aside Roe vs Wade. It’s already in the constitution. They would however, not allow abortions to go ahead after a child is viable at 24-26 weeks when a baby can now be saved in a NICU! We could save these infants at 28 weeks back in the 1990s and it amazes me that they can now be saved with little to no problems now with good neonatologists and nurses. Having floated to NICUS back then and worked with those infants, they were so precious to me. I just can’t understand women aborting them at that late date and through 40 weeks. Have they never heard of adoption??
My biggest quandary/question is this: Why, when nearly all media is left, Democrat supporting, anti-Trump and essentially against most of what real America believes and stands for, aren’t Conservatives establishing multiple newspapers, TV news channels, and forums to combat the socialist. left, anti-American biased news and forums? The country needs more sources of truth for the public to turn to. It bothers me greatly that so little is done by Conservatives to confront, stand up to, and combat the shameless lies, rioting, burning, killing and tragic lawlessness by mobs and anti-American groups, supported by the left and the Democrats. You do not defeat Bullies by standing meekly by and whimpering complaints. You defeat Bullies by standing up to them, face to face, and letting them know that you will not tolerate them. Just talk and complaint does not work, it takes firm, lawful action.
To me this is totally obvious. I just hope the majority of Americans recognize the press is dirty and the “news” flawed and misleading propaganda. It is a very sad state of affairs. And pretty fed up with it.
I sincerely hope (and pray) that Donald Trump gets reelected. He sees America and Americans first and foremost. I haven’t watched the mainstream evening news for a few years now. I want information, not showmanship for news. I have tried to watch the network evening news a few times, but after about 10 minutes I need to change the channel. TRUMP 2020!!!
The people in SW Louisiana are definitely noticing this (I have a friend who lives there). Hurricane Laura did unprecedented damage to the region and the national new media is pretty much ignoring it — because it can’t be blamed on Trump. Weeks on and people are still suffering and things are still very tough down there.
Only God can help us in this crazy, evil time in our country! We need to fervently pray!
You know the lame stream media and the Democrats along with the overpaid athletes and the Hollywood celebrities are out to get not only the President but patriotic Americans. They could give two hoots about American all they want is power. Some so called analysts and journalists are calling for the destruction of our Constitution and the defunding of our first responders. Does it sound as if they care for America. The next thing will be the defunding of our military. Keep this in mind. If they win in November we will all have to buy the app called Babel so we can learn Russian or Chinese. They will think nothing of selling us down the political river.
Don’t let them ruin our country. Be smart, be vigilant don’t fall for their lies. Vote because every vote counts. MAGA
I, too, am amazed at President Trump’s ability to be hammered so continuously & remain the “fighter-warrior” he is!!
Have you noticed when past presidents, during their time of service, become looking older? I have & I don’t see it in President Trump but only slightly, in one photo of him & V.P. Pence, during the pandemic. (It indicated, sleeplessness. Because he CARES for the PEOPLE!!)
However, no man can do it by himself!! It’s GOT to be GOD Who is inside, behind, around, & guiding this man!! There is absolutely no other explanation then that fact!!
Yesterday, reading Psalm 105, I was caught by one verse that says (similar) “God caused the hearts of Egypt to hate Israel”!
Me: “WHAT?!!”
Looking at my Bible’s Study-parts I went back to the era being written about in that verse & learned how GOD “hardened Pharaoh’s heart” 9 times, but Pharaoh “hardened his own heart” 9 times, too! The message I got from it was GOD can do all things w/in any person’s head/heart He wants to do!! HE IS OUR CREATOR!!
So ALL of this chaos is somehow a part of HIS WILL & PLAN!!!
Do NOT BE AFRAID!!
Look to Him, people!! Pray He guides YOUR HEARTS & MINDS the way HE wants you to go!!
“Be joyful always, pray constantly, be thankful in ALL things (whether they be good or bad!!) for that is the WILL of GOD for YOU in Christ Jesus”!!!
Gee whiz! Wonder when the lamestream media will get around to criticizing President Trump for using the wrong side of toilet paper?
Imagine if hildabeast won in 2016, the deathtoll would be in the millions not thousands, it would not be this high if socialist/dems had cooperated with the presidents initial strategies instead of mocking him, the chinajoeflu came into AMERICA via calipornia and new yuck city and spread outward from there which is the REAL REASON THAT SO MANY DIED, gov. coma of new yuck state caused thousands of unnecessary death of the MOST VULNARABLE ELDERLY IN NURSING HOMES, THE MSM IS COMPLICIT IN THESE DEATHS BECAUSE OF THIER BIASED REPORTING AND SO IS PELOSI AND HER CHINATOWN FIASCO, UNLESS WE WANT THIS INCOMPETICY TO SPREAD WE NEED TO VOTE ON NOV. THREE. RED, VOTE REPUBLICAN, VOTE TRUMP!!!
If the media had done their job correctly, this country wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in approaching the next election. Civility would still rule the day and these riots in American cities would have been squelched in their very beginning. All the divisive rhetoric, lies and BS comes from the media NOT doing their jobs! Any deaths from these riots is on them and their comrades on the LEFT!
Trump is the cause of most of media as he continues to twitter & fake news the media & reporters. His disrespect to reporters at WH briefings bring back memories of grade school bullies. I think he likes the attention & chaos & also diversion from important items.
Article says news is negative to Trump: Take a look at coronavirus & this is covered by television, newspapers, magazines, clips of Trump speaking , and lots of sources. These people are telling the history of coronavirus (and look at Woodward book) & then Trump calls them fake news, calls not telling the truth as downplaying, stifling or getting rid of people who do not agree with him. So , I think that Trump is the one that calls for most of the negative media. Also, Kayleigh at WH briefings just protects & covers for President. He would be so much better if he quit micromanaging people & let the elected officials do the job & that is for all USA citizens ( both Blue/Red states).
Bias? The media has been biased for decades. Not anymore. What we have now is full blown advocacy, not bias. It isn’t news anymore, it is propaganda and disinformation. The Russia collusion “scandal” was a disinformation campaign purpetrated on the American people. The Ukraine “scandal” was a disinformation campaign. The number of things Donald Trump has “lied about” is a disinformation campaign. Trump is a racist, xenophobe, white supremist, con artist, anti semetic (that one is particularly rich), etc. etc. is pure propaganda. Global warming…uh, I mean, climate change, as reported, is a disinformation campaign. Some of the Covid reporting is a disinformation campaign (and trying to pin it on Trump is propaganda). And let’s not forget advocacy by omission; Donald Trump scores an historic peace agreement in the Middle East and the media barely mentions it. In nobody’s book is that not major news. There is nothing that comes from the main stream media that I take at face value. I now assume that I am being misled in some way or straight up lied to. I turn out to be right about that most of the time.
You’d think with such a mean-spirited leftist news media I’d dislike our President. Wrong! I like the president and it’s the fake news media I dislike! Even in those few places where fake news is forced on me – waiting rooms and airports- I now have the ability to tune it out. An ability that serves me well!
While I certainly agree with the author, I am bothered by something in his writing that should probably be ignored, but is a pet peeve of mine. A professional writer should not have phrases with subject-verb disagreement between singular and plural. Saying “the media is biased,” or “the media is on a mission,” is like saying “the teams is playing each other,” or “the boys is running.” The word “media” is PLURAL. The singular of the word is “medium.” The network television medium IS biased, as ARE nearly all of the mainstream media.
Bullies are running rampant in the media. Go Trump Go!!
This article is great, as usual! Great supportive statistics!
If the so call ‘fake news’ media all-of-a-sudden is
dropping interest in their covid-19 by-lines….will
the ‘fake news’ media start producing covid-19
related by-lines focusing on “why the president
called for nationwide shut downs which seems
to be doing more harm to human health and
economic health,,,,etc,,,???”
Want nightmares? Just think where we would be if Hillary had won……. The recurring nightmare is if Sleepy Joe and Harris somehow sneak in. Then where will we be? GET OUT AND VOTE!! The lifeblood of our wonderful country is at stake.
Let’s pray for a redo of 2016 where the Democrats were so flabbergasted at the results they couldn’t think straight. Let’s pray that all the in person votes will topple any mailed in votes so much so that there won’t be a need to finish the count.!!! We need President Trump and Vice President Pence for another 4 years, then 8 years of Pence. Our country needs healing and lots of prayer. So if there are any prayer warriors out there, keep them coming. Prayer is the only thing that will save our Nation from the pit of the Democrates.
Those of us who are truly informed, of sound mind, and well-versed in truthful history, KNOW that every alleged crisis has an agenda behind it. We KNEW Covid was being exaggerated and lied about, and deliberately extended until a “Better” crisis came along. Now it has, for the Left anyway. Notice how quickly the rash of mass-shootings went away? Innocents sacrificed for the anti-gun agenda? Believe NOTHING that comes from Liberals and their Media.
Briefly stated: THEY SUCK! thank you.
Absolutely right. Main steam media is total liberal. They report an outright lie, stretch the truth or don’t report the rest of the story. Whatever happen to reporting the facts like it used to be
Bloomberg is openly buying votes. Since that is illegal, he needs to be arrested.
Great article. If Covid didn’t exist CNN would publish a daily flu death update stating the president dosen’t care who gets the flu.
New idea: Hasn’t Trump caused the California/OR/Wash fires ?
Agree with so many of you. So Let’s ensure President Trump is reelected. Biden has had 50 years to do something except profit off the Taxpayers. Anyone caught funding the Leftist Socialist Party should be arrested and thrown in jail. Right GS! They are trying to buy the election so what else is new. They are Hypocrites-just ask Sleepy Joe what three main things he has done for America in the last 50 years. These Socialist Mayors and governors are dumber than a box of rocks and as long as they have themselves protected they do not care about the rest of us-It’s Very Obvious. I am having a hard time believing who the heck is voting for these idiots-do they think they are going to keep getting something for free? What did Systematic Racism just show up? Didn’t it exist under Obama et al? Finally, I don’t think 85% of our Great Country should bend over to accommodate 15% of the population. Fake news and Socialism, this is not what We fought for. As for me, I will stay locked and loaded. I do not trust any of these criminal Socialists!
Both the DemocRat Party and the National and International News Media belong to the One World Government/Communist Machine!! Turn them all OFF!! Join the Trump Movement – The American Revolution Version 2!!! Become a Counter-Revolutionary!!! Stand-up for America!!!! Remove Every DemocRat!!!!!
Keep the Trump Movement growing! It is the rebirth of the American Revolution!! Become a Counter-Revolutionary!!! Stand-up for America!!!! Remove Every DemocRat!!!!!
The DemocRats, The Media, Teachers Unions, etc. try to make us believe they are invincible! They ARE NOT! Push back against the bullies!! Join the Trump Movement – The American Revolution Version 2!!! Become a Counter-Revolutionary!!! Stand-up for Our Republic!!!! Remove Every DemocRat!!!!!