69% Say Reporters Try To Help The Candidate They Want To Win

[Sofiyya 1,687]

69% Say Reporters Try To Help The Candidate They Want To Win

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Seven out of 10 voters (69%) remain convinced that reporters try to help the candidate they want to win, and this year by a nearly five-to-one margin voters believe they are trying to help Barack Obama.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of voters think most reporters are trying to help Obama win versus 11% who believe they are trying to help his Republican opponent John McCain. Twenty-six percent (26%) say reporters offer unbiased coverage (demographic crosstabs available for Premium Members).

Just last week a Rasmussen Reports survey found that 51% of voters believed reporters were trying to hurt McCain’s running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, with their news coverage.

Interestingly, while 83% of Republican voters think most reporters are trying to help Obama, 19% of Democrats agree, one percentage point higher than the number of Democrats who believe they are trying to help McCain. Unaffiliated voters by a 53% to 10% margin see reporters trying to help Obama.

Forty-five percent (45%) of Democrats say most reporters are providing unbiased coverage in the current presidential campaign, but only 20% of unaffiliateds and nine percent (9%) of Republicans agree.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).

Voters from both parties, however, are skeptical of media bias in general. Eighty-six percent (86%) of Republicans think reporters try to help the candidate they want to win, and a plurality of Democrats (49%) believe that, too. Seventy-four percent (74%) of unaffiliated voters agree.

Only 21% of voters overall say reporters try to offer unbiased coverage.

These numbers track closely with findings from a Rasmussen Reports survey in mid-July and follow criticism throughout last week’s Republican convention of media coverage viewed as exceptionally hostile to Palin. Democrats, however, are a bit more questioning of the media now and slightly less inclined to regard them as favorable to Obama.

Among all voters, 57% believe Obama has received the best treatment by the media, while 21% say McCain has been treated best. Only nine percent (9%) believe the media has been most favorable to Senator Hillary Clinton, who was Obama’s closest rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Forty-two percent (42%) think reporters would hide information that hurts the candidate they want to win, but 34% do not agree. But there’s a partisan divide here: While 63% of likely McCain voters believe reporters would hide information harmful to the candidate they favor, 52% of potential Obama voters do not agree.

Perhaps this explains why 46% of voters say they most trust information about the presidential campaign from family and friends as opposed to 32% who trust the information from news reporters more.

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Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.

The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.

Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.

This national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports September 8, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

[rocks 494]

ban fox news! that would cure a lot of the bias problems in the media.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

55% Say Media Bias Bigger Problem Than Campaign Cash

Monday, August 11, 2008

Voters overwhelmingly believe that politicians will “break the rules to help people who give them a lot of money,” but most say there’s a bigger problem in politics today—media bias.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 55% believe media bias is more of a problem than big campaign contributions. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and think that campaign cash is a bigger problem.

People believe media bias is a bigger problem even though 63% believe most politicians will break the rules to help campaign contributors. Just 14% believe most politicians would refrain from breaking the rules for a donor. Forty-four percent (44%) say that lobbyists and campaign contributors have too much influence on John McCain’s positions. Forty percent (40%) say the same about Barack Obama.

Just 22% believe it would be a good idea to ban all campaign commercials so that voters could receive information on the campaign only from the news media and the internet. Sixty-six percent (66%) disagree and think that, despite the annoyance factor, it’s better to put up with an election-year barrage of advertising rather than rely on the news media.

An earlier survey found that 49% believe most reporters are trying to help Barack Obama win the election this year. Just 14% believe they’re trying to help McCain. Another survey found that the news you watch says a lot about how you will vote.

Not surprisingly, Republicans are the most likely to see media bias as the bigger problem. Eighty-one percent (81%) of the GOP faithful hold that view. Democrats and unaffiliated voters are more evenly divided. Obama’s Party, by a narrow 50% to 41% margin, say that campaign cash is the bigger issue. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 47% say media bias is the problem while 43% hold the opposite view.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of liberals see campaign contributions as a bigger problem than media bias. Seventy-four percent (74%) of conservatives hold the opposite view. Among the moderates, 49% say media bias is the problem while 42% disagree.

Another survey from earlier this year found that most voters say it is not possible to run for the presidency without the help of lobbyists and special interest groups.

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This national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on August 8, 2008. The margin of sampling error for each survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

[rocks 494]

fox news is the biggest media problem out there.

if it wasn't for fox dubyah never would have got elected.

are you willing to contest that they aren't a problem?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Associated Press, MSNBC and CNBC Seen as Having Liberal Bias

Sunday, July 22, 2007

In the final poll of a series measuring perceptions of media bias, the Associated Press, local television stations, MSNBC, and CNBC are all perceived as tilting to the left when reporting the news.

Earlier releases showed that Americans tend to believe the major broadcast networks, CNN, and NPR have a liberal bias. Fox News is seen as having a bias in the other direction. In print, the New York Times, Washington Post, and local newspapers were also seen as having a liberal bias.

Americans are evenly divided as to whether or not the “Fairness Doctrine” should be restored. That regulation required broadcast outlets to present alternative viewpoints. Thirty-four percent (34%) of Americans want the Fairness Doctrine expanded and applied to web sites as well as broadcast outlets.

Interest in the Fairness Doctrine was revived on Capitol Hill after public opinion overwhelmed the preferences of the Senate on the immigration debate. Some legislators advocating “comprehensive” reform blamed talk radio for the defeat of their proposal.

The current survey finds that 30% of American adults believe the Associated Press has a liberal bias and only 12% believe it leans the other way. Local television news is viewed as having a liberal bias by 30% and a conservative bias by 17%. MSNBC is seen as being a bit more to the left—33% say it has a liberal bias and 13% say the opposite. For CNBC, 29% say it has a liberal bias and 14% say a conservative bias.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say local television stations deliver news without bias while 36% say the same for the Associated Press.

Edited November 2, 2008 by Virtual wife

[rebeccajo 14]

And the hits just keep on comin'...................................

Might be interesting if it was something we didn't already kinda understand........

[rocks 494]

fox news = propaganda

[Sofiyya 1,687]

New York Times, Washington Post, and Local Newspapers Seen as Having Liberal Bias

Sunday, July 15, 2007

A Rasmussen Reports survey on perceptions of media bias found that Americans tend to believe that the New York Times, Washington Post, and their local newspaper all show a bias in favor of liberals. A plurality believes that the Wall Street Journal delivers the news without bias.

An earlier survey found that Americans also tend to believe that the major broadcast networks, CNN, and NPR all have a liberal bias. Fox News is seen as tilting the other way. Perceptions of media bias have been thrust back into the news ever because some legislators have expressed renewed interest in the “Fairness Doctrine.” Americans are evenly divided as to whether or not broadcast outlets should be required to offer equal amounts of conservative and liberal political commentary. Thirty-four percent (34%) believe that doctrine should be applied to web sites as well.

Among the print publications in the survey, the New York Times is perceived as being furthest to the left. Forty percent (40%) of Americans believe the Times has a bias in favor of liberals. Just 11% believe it has a conservative bias while 20% believe it reports news without bias.

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans see a liberal bias in their local newspaper while 21% see a conservative bias. For the Washington Post, 30% see a liberal bias and 16% see a conservative bias.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) see the Wall Street Journal as unbiased. Among those who see the Journal as biased, opinion is fairly evenly divided as to who that publication favors—22% say the Journal has a conservative bias while 18% see a liberal bias.

One of the more startling details concerns the perceptions of liberals towards the New York Times. Liberals tend to see all broadcast outlets and most print publications as having a bias in favor of conservatives. A plurality of liberals (40%) believes the Times delivers news without bias. However, 25% of liberals see a liberal bias at the New York Times while only 17% see a conservative bias. This makes the New York Times the only media outlet that liberals are more likely to see as having a liberal bias than a conservative bias.

Political conservatives tend to see all the print outlets as having a liberal bias. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of conservatives see a liberal bias in their local newspaper, 59% see a liberal bias at the New York Times, and 51% say the same about the Washington Post. Thirty percent (30%) of conservatives also see a liberal bias at the Wall Street Journal, though a plurality of conservatives (32%) sees the Journal as unbiased.

Perceptions of additional media outlets will be released later in the week. Favorability ratings for selected journalists and broadcast personalities are available now.

Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.

The Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 967 adults was conducted on July 13-14, 2007. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Survey of 967 Adults

July 13-14,2007

When the New York Times reports the news, they show a bias that favors...

Liberals

40%

Conservatives

11%

Neither

20%

Not Sure

28%

When the Washington Post reports the news, they show a bias that favors...

Liberals

30%

Conservatives

16%

Neither

21%

Not Sure

33%

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Americans See Liberal Media Bias on TV News

Friday, July 13, 2007

By a 39% to 20% margin, American adults believe that the three major broadcast networks deliver news with a bias in favor of liberals. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 25% believe that ABC, CBS, and NBC deliver the news without any bias.

Similar results are found for CNN and National Public Radio (NPR). By a margin of 33% to 16%, Americans say that CNN has a liberal bias. The nation’s adults say the same about NPR by a 27% to 14% margin.

There is one major exception to the belief that media outlets have a liberal bias—Fox News. Thirty-one percent (31%) of Americans say it has a bias that favors conservatives while 15% say it has a liberal bias.

When it comes to delivering news without bias, 37% believe NPR accomplishes that goal. Thirty-six percent (36%) say the same for Fox and 32% believe it’s true of CNN. As noted earlier, just 25% believe the major broadcast networks deliver news in an unbiased manner. Results for other media outlets will be released over the next week.

Media fairness has emerged as a debate on Capitol Hill following the recent debate on immigration when public opinion overwhelmed the will of the Senate. Some lawmakers have called for a re-introduction of the “Fairness Doctrine” requiring stations to air competing points of view. Rasmussen Reports will release data on public attitudes towards that concept over the weekend.

Not surprisingly, there are huge partisan and ideological differences in the data. For example, among self-identified liberals, all of the media outlets are believed to have some net bias in favor of conservatives. However, 50% of liberals say that NPR is unbiased. Forty-three percent (43%) say the same about CNN. As for the major television networks, 49% of liberals believe they have a conservative bias. Just 10% of liberals see a liberal bias at ABC, CBS, and NBC.

Conservatives throughout the nation see things entirely differently. Sixty-two percent (62%) see a liberal bias at the major broadcast networks and 55% say the same about CNN. Forty-five percent (45%) of conservatives see Fox as unbiased and the rest are evenly divided. Eighteen percent (18%) of conservatives see Fox News as having a liberal bias while 21% say the opposite.

Younger adults are less likely than their elders to see a liberal bias across all of the media outlets.

On a partisan basis, Democrats see the major television networks and Fox as biased in favor of conservatives. Solid pluralities of Democrats believe CNN and NPR deliver news without bias. Those Democrats who see bias at CNN and NPR are fairly evenly divided, but are a bit more likely to detect conservative bias.

Republicans see a strong liberal bias on all the outlets except Fox. Forty-nine percent (49%) of the GOP faithful see Fox as fair and balanced.

Those not affiliated with either major party tend to see a liberal bias everywhere except Fox. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of unaffiliateds see a liberal bias at the major television networks while only 19% see a conservative bias.

During Election 2004, 38% of voters thought CBS News anchorman Dan Rather was actively trying to help John Kerry win the election. Other data showed that voters tended to select news sources based upon their political preferences.

Rasmussen Reports is pleased that our online audience includes roughly equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.

The Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 1,433 adults was conducted on July 11-12, 2007. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Four Times More Journalists Identify as Liberal Than Conservative

March 2008

A survey conducted late last year and released Monday, by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, confirmed the obvious -- that compared to the views of the public, conservatives are under-represented in national journalism while liberals are over-represented. Jennifer Harper of the Washington Times discovered the nugget buried deep in the annual "State of the Media" report from Pew's Project for Excellence in Journalism and FNC's Brit Hume on Tuesday night highlighted the findings from the survey of 222 journalists and news executives at national outlets: "Only six percent said they considered themselves conservatives and only two percent said they were very conservative. This compares with 36 percent of the overall population that describes itself as conservative. Most journalists, 53 percent, said they're moderate. 24 percent said they were liberal and eight percent very liberal."

Only 19 percent of the public consider themselves liberal. And it's not much of a leap to presume many of the 53 percent who describe themselves as "moderate" are really quite liberal.

"State of the Media" report from Pew's Project for Excellence in Journalism: www.stateofthemedia.com

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press: people-press.org

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, will be posted Wednesday morning on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Hume's item on the March 18 Special Report with Brit Hume on FNC:

A newly released survey indicates that conservatives in the national press corps are a lonely lot. 585 [the total of national, local and Internet] journalists were polled by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Only six percent said they considered themselves conservatives and only two percent said they were very conservative. This compares with 36 percent of the overall population that describes itself as conservative. Most journalists, 53 percent, said they're moderate. 24 percent said they were liberal and eight percent very liberal. The Washington Times quotes project deputy director Amy Mitchell as saying that the findings are about the same as in a similar survey done four years ago.

The MRC's "Media Bias Basics" has a section with the numbers from 2004, which are indeed very similar: www.mediaresearch.org

For Harper's March 18 Washington Times article: "Right underrepresented in press's diversity," go to: www.washingtontimes.com

The political ideology question is #36 on page 55 of the PDF with the results for the survey conducted September 17 to December 3, 2007. For national broadcast journalists (97 polled), zero percent call themselves "very conservative" while 6 percent said they are "very liberal." For the PDF: www.stateofthemedia.com

Overall, only 8 percent of those at national outlets attend church or synagogue weekly.

The political ideology results were summarized in "Section III" of the report released on March 17 by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, "Financial Woes Now Overshadow All Other Concerns for Journalists The Web: Alarming, Appealing and a Challenge to Journalistic Values." The relevant portion:

Journalists' Ideology

As was the case in 2004, majorities of the national and local journalists surveyed describe themselves as political moderates; 53% of national journalists and 58% of local journalists say they are moderates. About a third of national journalists (32%), and 23% of local journalists, describe themselves as liberals. Relatively small minorities of national and local journalists call themselves conservatives (8% national, 14% local).

Internet journalists as a group tend to be more liberal than either national or local journalists. Fewer than half (46%) call themselves moderates, while 39% are self-described liberals and just 9% are conservatives.

Among the population as a whole, 36% call themselves conservatives -- more than triple the percentage of national and internet journalists, and more than double the percentage of local journalists. About four-in-ten (39%) characterize their political views as moderate, while 19% are self-described liberals, based on surveys conducted in 2007 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

Edited November 2, 2008 by Virtual wife

[rocks 494]

fox news is the root of all evil.

Election Night 2000

During the night of the 2000 U.S. presidential election Ellis was working as a consultant for Fox News, where he analyzed data from the Voter News Service. According to an interview that Ellis gave to Jane Mayer of The New Yorker magazine in 2000, he was responsible for Fox News' decisions in calling states for Gore or Bush, based on statistical results from the VNS data. Fox News had called Florida for Gore early in the evening, and was the last major network to retract their call for Gore. However, they were the first (at 2:16 am ET) to call Florida for Bush. Ellis also admitted sharing exit poll data with his cousins by phone. After the magazine interview was published, Fox News Vice President John Moody admitted that Ellis had broken rules by sharing the data and was considering disciplinary action.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

[Sofiyya 1,687]

[Sofiyya 1,687]

[Sofiyya 1,687]

There are no personal attacks involved in the making of this thread. Just having fun